Space Signpost

Client: NESTA / Futurelab

Space Signpost is a combination of sculpture, multimedia and technology that helps people to inhabit the solar system (without leaving the Earth).

The signpost points directly at objects in space, tracking them as they move across the sky, displaying their name and their exact distance from the sign’s location.

A touchscreen enables users to select objects for the sign to point to. The users’ relationship with the cosmos is transformed through interaction with the installation.

Space Signpost is an initiative of Adam Nieman, developed in collaboration with Futurelab and designed by Springboard.

Two versions have been produced. The fixed version (main image) can be used in Millennium Square in Bristol, UK, while the smaller mobile unit (far right) is demonstrated in schools and at exhibitions.