Context
Gamgie, a creative technologist and artist, collaborated with the contemporary circus company La Tournoyante during the research phase of an interactive stage show. The team explored the use of the Augmenta tracking system on a unique mobile and magnetic surface, designed to create a captivating experience where visual media reacts in real time to performers’ movements.
This project sits at the crossroads of circus performance, interactive visuals, and dynamic scenography.
Artistic & Technical Challenge
The custom-built scenography consisted of a 6m x 4m metallic plate mounted on hydraulic actuators. This structure could shift seamlessly from a flat horizontal surface to a vertical wall, or anywhere in between. Performers equipped with magnetic shoes engaged with the surface in gravity-defying movement sequences, using the shifting terrain as a core part of the performance vocabulary.
This setup introduced a significant challenge: how to enable stable, responsive interactivity on a surface whose orientation is constantly changing. Traditional camera-based tracking solutions proved difficult to maintain, as each tilt of the surface disrupted spatial calibration.
Augmenta’s Solution: Embedded Tracking for Mobile Surfaces
To overcome these constraints, Gamgie used a specific Augmenta SICK LiDAR sensor and the Augmenta Pro real-time tracking software — a system specifically designed to enable interactive experiences without requiring performers to wear any equipment or heavy equipment.
Setup Overview
The system was installed directly on the moving surface, with:
- A SICK LiDAR sensor mounted on the top-left of the plate
- Augmenta SICK LiDAR POE splitter
- A single RJ45 cable using both power and data via POE
- Quick mounting using hardware accessory provided by Augmenta
- Calibration handled through Augmenta’s software
Because the sensor was physically fixed to the plate, its orientation moved along with the stage surface. This eliminated the need for recalibration, allowing seamless interactivity across various stage inclinations — ideal for a circus stage show requiring dynamic reconfigurations.
Calibration & Implementation
Using Augmenta’s calibration interface, multiple control points were mapped between:
- The detected contact zones on the surface
- The visual projection coordinates
This ensured precise alignment between physical performer actions and visual effects. While some minor occlusion were observed in upper areas during some phases of the show using several objects, these can easily be resolved by adding of a second sensor to cover occluded zones.
Strengths
- Multi-point tracking: Accurately captured numerous simultaneous contacts — enabling complex interactions between multiple limbs or performers.
- Exceptional stability: Despite the strong vibrations produced by the moving surface, the tracking remained consistent throughout several days of the show research phase.
- Plug-and-play installation: With minimal cabling and hardware, the system proved ideal for live performance environments where rapid setup is essential. As well as less point of failur with moving platform
Conclusion
Through this innovative use of Augmenta’s tracking system, a complex and mobile circus stage was transformed into a fully interactive performance environment in just a few days.
The system’s robust design, ease of use, and adaptability make it an ideal solution for creators working in non-traditional spaces. It enables artists to embed responsive visuals directly into the choreography and scenography, without compromising fluidity or creative intent.
This project illustrates how cutting-edge tracking technology can be an invisible ally in the world of contemporary circus, enriching narrative and movement while adapting to the unpredictability of live performance.
See all the tests done during the research phase in this videos
Credits
Gamgie
Creative Technologist & Artist
📸 @gamgie_
La Tournoyante
Contemporary Circus Company