"We're thrilled to win the prestigious Webby Award with this project that reimagines the future interactions between humans and technology”, says Miika Puputti, Executive Creative Director, Merkle DACH.
Press release
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet.
DEVENIR is an interactive installation that lets users control a digital world only with the power of their mind. By mixing data and emotion, we create pure and immediate interactions, sparking ideas and discussions on how digital can extend the human body. Created by the Emerging Experiencences team from Merkle DACH.
DEVENIR named People's Voice Winner in the category “Apps, dApps and Software, Creative Production”. Full immersion into DEVENIR happens in 3 stages: the training stage where you learn to use the power of your mind; the rock stage where you release the light from the rock that is floating in a mystical quarry; and the final stage of the game where you build life in an alien world.
Technology behind the experience
The key technology for DEVENIR is the brain-computer-interface that lets you move, shape and grow objects on screen by just thinking about it, i.e. a Brain Computer Interface (BCI). By using pattern recognition the system learns to recognise patterns of brain activity and translating them into commands on the screen. The experience itself was created in Unreal engine. Using Unreal Chaos Destruction on top helps making every run of the game a unique experience, because movement of objects is not scripted but defined by physics.
“DEVENIR has set the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet”, said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.”
Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr (The Daily Show), the star-studded Webby Awards will take place in New York City on Monday 15 May. Fans can follow the highlights of the show on 15 May on the Webby Awards social channels (@thewebbyawards).
