Birds play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, from dispersing seeds to regulating insect populations. Yet, habitat loss, hunting, bird trade, and human activity threaten their survival.
Digital Fabrication | Semester 2
A silence we overlook
The Silent Species
Let there be flight
The sounds we create and the spaces we occupy can disturb the wildlife around us. But these impacts are not always visible.
What if we could experience the impact of our presence on an ecosystem?
Making the invisible visible
The Silent Species explores this question through an interactive installation that responds to human presence and ambient noise. Using light, sound, and proximity, it transforms a calm ecosystem into one of disturbance and threat, encouraging visitors to reflect on their relationship with nature.
When humans become a threat
At a glance
Five species, one fragile ecosystem
I focused on five threatened bird species in India: White-bellied Heron, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Bengal Florican, Forest Owlet, and Green Avadavat. Each faces habitat loss, hunting, trapping, or human activity.
By bringing these species together, the installation draws attention to their declining populations and the fragile ecosystems they depend on. Each bird represents a reminder of what we stand to lose when their habitats and survival go unprotected.
How it works?
Input
Interpretation
Output
Human presence and ambient noise.
Noise and proximity are captured through the sensors and translated as disturbance and threat
Green lights indicate a balanced ecosystem where human presence causes no harm.
The red lights gradually light up step by step indicating the number of species going endangered with known and unknown threat of humans in the ecosystem.
When the human goes too close to the birds, the light turns read.
Noise pollution is one of the major secondary factors of bird endangerment.
The ecosystem is calm with birds sound.
Proximity Threshhold Crossed
Flickering orange indicates disturbance and represents stress and disruption in the ecosystem.
Flickering also indicates the birds communicating with each other about the threat.
Alive State
Threatened State
Disturbance State
Planning the System
This subject gave me hands-on experience with physical computing, from connecting sensors and electronic components to building interactive systems using Arduino. I also explored new tools such as p5.js and Tinkercad, learning to integrate hardware and digital outputs to create responsive experiences.
Input
KY-038 Sound Sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
Components
Tools used
Output
WS2812B - 5V LED
Digital visual - P5js video
Sound output - Laptop
Other
Jumper wires
Bread board
Key Sensors
Monitors ambient sound levels and triggers the Disturbed state when the sound exceeds a defined threshold.
Detects when people cross the proximity threshold, triggering the Threatened state.
Visually communicates the installation’s overall state through distinct lighting patterns for all three states.
KY-038 Sound Sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
WS2812B - 5V LED
Representing the Decline of Birdlife
The installation’s arrangement visually represents endangered birds according to their population counts.
The more critically endangered a species is, the closer it is placed, drawing attention to its increasing vulnerability.
Building the Experience
Testing & Prototyping
I tested the sensor inputs and lighting responses to ensure the installation transitioned between its different states as intended.
Prototyping helped me refine the circuit connections and integrate physical interactions with the digital visuals and sound.
The Silent Species Installation
Exhibited day: Over to the visitors
The Silent Species was showcased at the inauguration of the Design Gallery at NID Bengaluru, alongside a collection of other student design projects. The exhibition offered an opportunity to present the interactive installation to the institute’s design community.
Exhibited at NID Bengaluru
The installation can evolve into an immersive, large-scale exhibition where suspended bird illustrations extend the ecosystem beyond the physical model. Integrating real-time sensor responses, bird calls, and interactive conservation stories could deepen visitor engagement and encourage a stronger connection with endangered birdlife.
Future Scope
Birds have always been a personal interest of mine. From birdwatching and photographing them to exploring their behaviours and creating watercolour series inspired by them, I’ve always enjoyed learning about these fascinating creatures. This project allowed me to bring that curiosity into design while raising awareness about their vulnerability.
Why this matters to me?
