More than a dozen Cal State Fullerton students helped craft an innovative art exhibit that combines fine art, kinetic light and real-time artificial intelligence (AI) to offer each person standing before it a one-of-a-kind, interactive work of art. Lightwall premieres Jan. 14 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido.
Created by artist Rita Sus, technologist Zach Rattner, and 15 CSUF students, the exhibit places the visitor as the focus of the artwork by using the technology’s responsive behavior to make the viewer an active participant. Rather than generating images or automatation, the piece uses AI as an expressive instrument.
“Lightwall balances complex algorithms with the simplicity of white paper and prisms,” said Sus, the lead artist. “It changes with each visitor, turning every interaction into a unique experience.”
Austin Nguyen, a graduate student at CSUF studying applied computer science, assisted the artists and additional students in building AI models for voice synthesis — combining art with technology.
“This project was an awesome opportunity to put my problem-solving skills to use in a real deadline-driven work environment,” Nguyen said. “I feel ready for work in computer science after this experience because I worked on a project that will be used in the real world. Solving real-world problems is a great way to get better at developing software and apply the knowledge I’ve learned from class.
“I’m excited to take what I’ve learned from this project and apply it to whatever is next on my journey,” he added.
CSUF computer science graduate student Akshat Desai feels ready to work in AI and machine learning fields after this experience, noting that the project mirrored a real-world product development cycle.
“Collaborating across disciplines – with artists, electrical engineers, and hardware specialists – taught me how to integrate complex technical systems into a cohesive, user-facing experience,” Desai said.
Built from rotating prisms, custom electronics and precisely controlled lighting, Lightwall transforms motion and speech into evolving patterns of color and sound. Inside the structure, more than a dozen microcontrollers coordinate sensors, prisms, motors, and sound cues, all synchronized with a live AI system running locally on a single Mac mini.
This compact but powerful architecture allows the installation to observe, interpret, and respond instantly, producing an encounter that feels less like digital technology and more like a sensitive, perceptive presence.
Unlike many AI-driven installations, Lightwall operates entirely on-site with no cloud dependency, a deliberate artistic and ethical choice. Its edge-AI system enables near-zero latency while preserving complete privacy for visitors. The self-contained design also makes the piece tour-ready and adaptable for collaborations and future institutional partnerships.
The engineering foundation of Lightwall was developed with the university under the direction of CSUF computer science professor Christopher Ryu. Students contributed to motion-sensing hardware, microcontroller systems, and the real-time processing pipeline, gaining rare experience building a fully functional artwork that bridges high technology and public exhibition.
“Lightwall shows what is possible when artists and technologists create together,” Ryu said. “Our students contributed to a complete technological system and gained real experience building something that will be seen by the public.”