Leaf or Die
An interactive survival game where picking the wrong leaf could kill you. Arduino, RFID and NFC, built with Chulalongkorn's Department of Botany.
Problem
Some edible water plants look almost identical to toxic ones. We wanted to make the danger of picking the wrong plant in a flooded future feel real.
Solution
An interactive tabletop game. Players place magnetic leaves on testing plates, and hidden LEDs show whether their choice means they live or die.
My involvement
I was the creative technologist on a team of three. I wired and programmed an Arduino that reads five RFID scanners at once and lights up a separate LED ring for each one.
- Deliverables
- Interactive InstallationCreative TechnologyHardware ProgrammingWeb Experience
- Type
- University project (Commde, Chulalongkorn)
- Team
- Nattakit S. (Creative Technician)
- Pimdao R. (Sculptor)
- Pemika S. (Graphic Designer)
- Project Length
- 5 Weeks
The Spark
The Premise:The idea started as a modern Noah's Ark. We worked with Chulalongkorn University's Department of Botany, looked through their glasshouse and picked hydrophytes (water plants) as the group that would matter most on a flooded Earth.
The Process
Interactive Testing Plates:Four hand-wired Arduino bases with hidden LED rings that react when a leaf is placed.
The Interaction Loop:After the LED verdict, players can tap their phone on the leaf. An NFC sticker inside opens a web page about the real plant: what it's used for, how toxic it is and whether it would help you survive.
The Magic
The Physical Installation:A central sculpture holding handmade magnetic hydrophyte leaves. Players pull one off to start the game.
