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SYN/APSE

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Client:

UQÀM

Role:

Technical Director - Backend & Network

Year:

2025

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Immersive and Interactive Installation

About the Project
Created by graduating students of the Bachelor's in Creation of Immersive and Interactive Experiences at UQAM, SYN/APSE is an immersive installation that invites visitors to experience a form of coexistence with their environment, emphasizing listening, collaboration, and interdependence between living beings.

The Universe
Synapse is the act of connection, the impulse of life, the foundation of the Interconnection of the Living. Dive into an environment born from the evolution between technology and nature, generating a common sharing energy: Synergy. Two coexisting biomes, Infra and Supra, perpetually influence and adapt to each other within this synaptic network. At the heart of this ecosystem, four Nodes act as vital organs, catalyzing and distributing Synergy to Infra and Supra through the Roots. The Rhizome, a species that naturally rests dormant in the Node cocoons, seeks to connect with others and energizes through socialization. Transmitting Synergy to a Node mobilizes the entire ecosystem, causing the biomes to react, blend, and alter their rhythm.

My Role: Technical Direction – Software & Network Integration
As the Technical Director for software and network integration, my main mandate was to design, deploy, and manage the entire digital backbone of the experience, providing a solid technical foundation for the multidisciplinary team's artistic vision.

Key Responsibilities & Achievements:

Network Architecture (LAN + VLANs): Designed and deployed a complete network infrastructure using the Ubiquiti UniFi ecosystem, optimized for low-latency critical data flow across the installation, from 3 data sites across campuses.
Experiential Pipeline: Built the central software architecture within TouchDesigner to drive and support the installation's interactive logic and states in real-time.
Generative Fallback Architecture: Engineered a custom non-deterministic, probabilistic democratic fallback system. During idle periods or potential sensor interruptions, this system allowed the installation's network of Nodes to autonomously and probabilistically "vote" on the environment's next state. This ensured the ecosystem remained organic, unpredictable, and "alive" without ever relying on static, pre-programmed backup loops.
Custom Tool Development: Created specialized software solutions, including the local deployment of a Large Language Model (LLM) and the programming of a synchronized time management system.
Reliability & Quality Assurance: Directed technical stress-test sessions to guarantee seamless stability and flawless execution during the public exhibition.

Technologies & Protocols:
Software: TouchDesigner, Local LLM deployment, Unreal Engine 5, MadMapper + MadLaser