April 9, 1983: Smartphone Deconstructed

I designed and fabricated this period-correct interactive display for Stage 9's POPnology exhibition, now in its tenth year. Visitors hear a day in the life of "Bob," before the invention of the smartphone. As his day unfolds, small LED spots illuminate the items being referred to. I wrote the copy, suggested the sound effects and music, and worked with the Stage 9 electronics technician to time the lighting with the audio. The right-hand panel buttons also trigger lighting, but without audio. The TV, which normally shows period TV commercials, was down when I shot this footage at POPnology's run at the ComicCon Museum in San Diego. My use of "The Big Chill?" Just a fun reference for visitors of a certain age.

A day without a smartphone: April 9, 1983

Horrid shag carpet from "The Decade That Taste Forgot"

A physical smartphone chip is displayed behind the acrylic face

I made the references something visitors could imagine.

The display is dark, coming to life when visitors push a button. I specified elevator-grade illuminated buttons, as arcade-style buttons wouldn't last the run of the exhibit.

Flash cubes, slide carousels and the rest had to be secured to survive being transported to venues across North America.

I gutted the VCR to more easily attach it to the desk.

These three props are a collection of parts fastened into a unit. I made them easily removable to facilitate raking (!) and vacuuming the shag carpet.

I had a tight budget...and eBay did not disappoint.

The Yellow Pages and magazines are just deep enough to hide the 19" flatscreen TV. I made a 4:3 aspect ratio mask in AfterEffects to camouflage the gap between the screen and the plastic facade.

A Coroplast base secured the 19" flatscreen from the back and provided a backing for the trimmed magazine spines.