Finalized Concept: UAE Through Time A Physical-Digital Heritage Simulator
The project is an interactive experience to explore the transformation of the UAE across three historical stages:
1. The UAE ~100 years ago (pre-oil, Bedouin heritage)
2. The UAE ~50 years ago (early development & unification era)
3. The UAE today (modern, futuristic UAE)
Users interact physically by pushing buttons and turning a rotary knob (pointer meter / potentiometer), and the screens react digitally through synchronized visuals and sound.
Arduino Program
Physical Inputs
• Button 1 → “UAE 100 years ago”
• Sends message to P5: mode = 0
• Button 2 → “UAE 50 years ago”
• Sends message to P5: mode = 1
• Button 3 → “Modern UAE”
• Sends message to P5: mode = 2
•potentiometer
• This controls time of day for the screen
• Lower value → day
• Higher value → night
Outputs
• Pizo speaker on Arduino
• Plays a short tone when a button is pressed
• Different tones for each era, for example:
• Mode 0 → traditional flute-style beep tone
• Mode 1 → neutral tone
• Mode 2 → futuristic upbeat tone
Communication to P5
Arduino → P5 sends:
• mode (integer: 0,1,2)
• timeVal (0–1023 from potentiometer)
• Optional: buttonPressed (boolean)
Optional: P5 → Arduino
• P5 can send back:
• Requests to play certain tones (e.g. for transitions)
• Brightness control feedback
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P5.js Program — Visual/Audio Design
Screen layout
There will be three screens (or one screen that changes content based on mode):
• When in mode 0:
• Visuals of desert life, camels, tents, pearl diving
• Softer warm color palette
• Ambient desert wind audio + traditional sounds
• When in mode 1:
• Limited buildings, first infrastructure
• Palm trees, fishing ports, early oil industry
• Audio of early city life or neutral sound layer
• When in mode 2:
• Skyscrapers, highways, Burj Khalifa, futuristic skyline
• Modern electronic ambient audio
Day/night determined by potentiometer
P5 visual responds to timeVal by:
• Changing sky color
• Moving sun/moon
• Activating night lighting (city lights, stars)
• Adjusting atmosphere brightness
P5 → Arduino communication
• When a scene changes, P5 can send back a request like:
playTone(mode)
• This instructs Arduino to produce a matching sound
Full Interaction Flow
1. User presses a physical button
2. Arduino detects input
3. Arduino plays a tone through Pizo
4. Arduino sends mode to P5 via serial
5. P5 switches visuals to selected UAE era
6. User turns the knob
7. Arduino reads value and sends real-time data
8. P5 adjusts lighting/time-of-day
9. Optionally, P5 may request additional tones or feedback
Experience Summary
This installation merges historical learning with physical interaction. The user feels like they are controlling time — both historically (via buttons) and environmentally (via pointer meter). The outcome is a tactile and immersive demonstration of how the UAE evolved from a desert heritage society into one of the most advanced countries in the modern world.