The Waterboard is an interactive installation designed to demonstrate the means in which water will always find a path. It gives the user a chance to play with flowing water without getting wet.

It will consist of a wall-mounted white opaque board (2.2 meters from floor-level by 8 meters) with four projectors and four cameras behind it (providing the back-projection and detection). The Waterboard will be displayed in a public place and be open to all ages of participants.

At first glance the board will appear to be an oversized white-board showing streams of simulated water with various strengths running from different points at the top of the screen. The sound of running water will be used to enhance the visuals. The user is invited to interact with the water using the provided whiteboard pens and erasers. The user can draw and erase anything they wish; obstacles, e.g. pipes, funnels, reservoirs and slopes, to change the flow of the water or any other obstruction to see how the water reacts. If they are not happy with the result they can erase any part and the flow of water will adjust its natural path. Along with the provided tools the user can place their hands and even there whole body up against the board. The Waterboard will detect their presence and the water will appear to flow around them, demonstrating that even with human intervention, water will follow its natural course.

Due to its size, several users can use the board at the same time. Through interactive play the combined efforts from the participants will result in an intricate ever-evolving network for the water to flow.

Depending on the state of the water in certain areas, abstract life-forms may appear; in still waters, fish like creatures will appear; on dry land near water, plants will grow; where stagnant, the water will become cloudy and discoloured. Thus, emphasising the importance that fresh-water has in the continuation of life on this planet.

The virtual water and life-forms will be created using Adobe’s Flash. The open source programming language/environment Processing will provide the white board interaction and detection using the cameras.

Using the mixed media of new digital display technology with traditional pens and erasers, the Waterboard will offer the means to encourage creative thinking to emphasise the natural progression of The Earth’s water supply.