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Fleeting reflects on the transient nature of life through a composition that unfolds from left to right. The left side evokes the past, where certain moments remain vivid in memory; the bright and active center represents the present, where experience is most immediate, and the right gradually dissolves into the yet-to-be-formed future. This deliberate imbalance suggests that the future is not predetermined but shaped by the choices and actions we make in the present.
The work is generated from the movements of a sports referee, captured using wearable ultra-wideband (UWB) localization technology and body-worn inertial sensors. Although often positioned at the periphery of the game, the referee silently observes and responds to every action, tracking the rhythms, tensions, and resolutions that unfold on the field. These movements are transformed into a visual record that reveals patterns otherwise invisible to the eye. By translating motion data into an image, Fleeting connects scientific measurement with human experience. The work invites viewers to reflect on memory, agency, and time, suggesting that, like the referee, we continuously shape the course of our lives through countless small decisions made in each fleeting moment. |
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Referee gestures in sports communicate structured information through body movement. These gestures were captured using custom body-worn devices combining ultra-wideband distance sensing and inertial measurement units (IMUs). The system encodes inter-appendage distances and orientations, capturing the evolving geometry of the body during motion.
The sensing hardware consists of multiple UWB and IMU modules integrated on a custom PCB and controlled by a Cortex M0 microcontroller. Unlike camera-based systems, this approach captures motion as a set of relational and dynamic measurements, independent of visual appearance. The artwork is generated by combining multiple gesture sequences into a continuous temporal composition. Overlapping colored forms represent the density and variation of movement, while the gradual fading across the image emphasizes the ephemeral nature of each action. |
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Fleeting relies on multiple synchronized UWB devices communicating using a custom protocol to capture inter-device distances in real time.
While modern smartphones and devices like Apple AirTags contain UWB chips, they are not currently designed for peer-to-peer distance measurements at this level of control and coordination.
Cutting edge artworks like Fleeting often show what can become possible before it becomes commonly known and widely adopted.
We believe, as UWB capabilities continue to evolve, similar forms of sensing and interaction may become accessible on consumer devices in the future. |
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Fleeting is currently on display at the Korea Foundation Gallery in Seoul as part of the Crossing Grounds: Art, Design and Technology exhibit (July 21–Sept 21, 2026).
Future installations will be listed on this page. |
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If you would like to sponsor a UWB research project or a new custom art installation, please contact me over email: dhekne [at] gatech [dot] edu.
I will route your sponsorship request through the Office of Sponsored Research at Georgia Tech.
A list of research projects developed by my group at Georgia Tech is here. |