You Prison is an interactive kiosk by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro on which users can navigate virtual prison cells.   The device is a 32″ touchscreen mounted like a periscope – you grasp the knurled steel handlebars and walk around the support pole, tilting the screen up to the ceiling or down to the floor.  As you move the monitor, the rendering of the virtual cell moves in step,  presenting you with a virtual window keyed to the physical world.   Users begin their sessions by choosing a crime from an on-screen menu and receive a cell tailored to the severity of their offense.

Paul Paradiso developed the content application of the kiosk using the open source gaming engine OGRE.   With an openGL card on the embedded PC, Paul’s application delivers over 100 frames per second.  The experience of You Prison is flawlessly smooth and fluid both mechanically and virtually.

  • Bench development of the computer system and software platform.

  • A welded steel frame to hold the heavy ELO/Philips touchscreen.

  • Components of the all important rotational joint in the machine shop.

  • Behind the ELO touchscreen is a Core 2 mini-ITX system in a custom enclosure.

  • The slip ring and bearing assembly allows the piece to rotate freely. Frictional dampening was intended to prevent abusive spinning.

  • A gas spring serves to balance and dampen the tilting motion.

  • The test installation at DSR\'s New York office.

  • Paul Paradiso tests the menus. Paul developed the cell application using OGRE.

  • Paul testing the system.

  • Diller, Scofidio and Renfro developed the models of the prison cells.

  • Eric Rothfeder of DSR with Paul Paradiso.