Problem
Google came to us to develop a multi-city popup experience highlighting how Google Home can help with life’s little problems.
Solution
We developed a 7-hole mini golf course where players used Google Homes to complete common household tasks such as looking up recipes in the kitchen or playing your favorite show on the TV. Players used real Google Assistant queries at each hole to remove physical obstacles blocking their way on the course.
My Contribution
I designed all of the electromechanical systems for the experience. I selected sensors, motor controllers, motors, and actuators for each of the holes and designed the mechanical movements for our scenic build partners.
A stock Google Home device cannot directly interface with electromechanical systems (at least over a hardwired ethernet connection), so I designed a custom unit that used the Google Assistant SDK for processing and interfaced with our systems directly over ethernet. Additionally, I designed these units around the specific audio input constraints that arise from having several guests interact with different Google Homes in close proximity at the same time. I used highly directional microphones and simple filters in software to ensure zero crosstalk between holes.
