Opening ceremonies at this year's Edinburgh International Festival brought something new to Scotland's three-week festival featuring artists and performers from around the world. This international showcase for Scottish culture opened up its ceremony with an eclectic bunch of choreographed runners and walkers fitted with well, LED light suits.
The Speed of Light event was held at the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, Scotland where the Speed of Light runners then made their way in their specially designed LED light suits to the summit of Arthur's Seat (see image below).
Audience members also took part by carrying portable lights that emitted individual sounds that were triggered by movement and altitude. In fact, audience member's LED light sticks contained an individually encoded micro-computer that played pieces from the Resonance Radio Orchestra. With the varied movements and altitudes of the walker's, a synergy of sounds throughout the climb to Arthur's Seat serenely bellowed throughout the valley's walk ways.
NVA's Head Designer James Johnson took on the Speed of Light design challenge for the athlete's suits that were worn on the Arthur's Seat walk.
The four design elements desired when creating the athlete's light suits were:
(info from NVA Speed of Light):
- A lighting system that expresses the movement of running and walking
- A lighting system that uses the minimal power with the greatest effect
- Able to generated or harvest power by the runners and walkers movement
- Rugged and simple to use by a large number athletes
- Weatherproof
By the summer of 2011, 15 light suits had been prototyped. Their findings found that:
- LEDs were the most efficient
- Generated the least amount of heat
- Created a helpful light source at the feet of the walker
- While giving the night-walker light to see
- Without interfering with their night vision
Their LED research and testing was a success, and by August the suits were ready to go.
