morphplay
MorphPlay is an interactive sensory experience that transforms scent into playful memory-like descriptions, blending technology, storytelling, and shared play to explore attachment and connection through nostalgia, humor, and sensory immersion.
How do we stay connected through play, memory, and sensory interaction? MorphPlay explores the bonds between people, reimagining attachment through the interplay of scent, memory, and shared experiences. At its heart is a plush bunny that "sniffs" you back, translating your scent into a whimsical memory-like description from a curated database. Set within the framework of a toy chest designed for shared parent-child play, the project emphasizes the beauty of collaboration. The chest features two sets of building blocks: one simple and intuitive for a child, and another intricate and challenging for a parent.
As users interact, MorphPlay layers sensory storytelling through the bunny, which responds to proximity by generating evocative scent-based memories. Each interaction triggers text-to-speech narration and a hazy projection, blending humor with the ephemeral nature of memory. Inspired by Ani Liu’s Olfactory Time Capsule and the book Meaningful Differences, MorphPlay draws on the profound role of shared sensory and emotional experiences. It uses open-source tools like Arduino and MadMapper to create a playful yet thought-provoking exploration of presence and absence. The piece also considers sustainability in its design. By investigating rechargeable sodium-ion battery systems as an alternative to disposable power sources, it aligns technological interactivity with environmental consciousness. MorphPlay invites viewers to ask: How do sensory experiences—like scent—hold relationships together? Can a memory-like description or playful interaction replicate the warmth of presence? Through humor, curiosity, and sensory immersion, MorphPlay engages audiences in a tender exploration of connection, nostalgia, and the complexity of human attachment.
My project was selected as one of 15 featured innovations for Porter Novelli’s first Innovation Salon (New York City, 2025), highlighting cutting-edge work in AR/VR, AI-powered storytelling, and emerging technologies in storytelling.
