BuddaH CookieS is an interactive light sculpture from ancient Buddha designs by Scott Gasparian (gaspo).

The main material is translucent plastic with clear crystals and cut glass imbedded mosaic. Inside are 7 small high speed HypKnowTrons with additional mirrors and crystals providing the seven chakras. His robe is copper powder and tint in the resin to give a semi-transparent robe.

Primary interactivity is through BC's right palm with touch sensors that serve as inputs to the Puzzle that lights chakras and petals and eventually delivers a cookie.

The BuddaH is sitting on a small metal stand sculpted in the shape of an open lotus flower. There is just enough space between the petals for one person to stand directly in front of the BuddaH and reach his palm to interact with him. The Stand also puts the BuddaH palm at approximately doorknob height for all access

Surrounding the installation will be Prayer Wheels illuminated within with LED's and strobes. Cutouts in the wheel structure provide symbolic clues to the Puzzle of BuddaH CookieS

The inspiration for BuddaH is the traditional styling of the Eastern Buddha (note spelling when referring to original sculpture). A good example is this single pour bronze sand cast from 17th century.

Using measurements and specifications from a variety of originals, a wax positive sculpture will be hand made. A negative hyrdrocal mold will then be formed on the wax, and sectioned into sub molds. Thermoplastic polycarbonate sheets will then be vacuum slumped to the hyrdrocal mold and hand finished to form first layer of BuddaH's skin.

Two halves of the thermoplastic shell will serve as the form for layup of UV stabilized polyurethane resin imbedded with cut glass shards, lenses, and other discarded reflectors. Repetitive layering provides a rather unique effect to the super bright lights inside

The right palm of BuddaH will feature imbedded touch sensor wires where the traditional palmistry lines are. These sensors can "feel" the touch through the thick plastic. i have used these chips with great success in previous sculptures including the DC3. This technology is the only "playa proof button" i have found.

Additional picxels mounted in the wrist will feed luminex fiber pipes that outline the hand and provide a pulsing "touch me" glow.

Inside the highly diffractive shell of the BuddaH are seven assemblies similar to the HypKnowTron.

These seven "chakratrons" are each surrounded by additional lenses and cut glass to create ethereal pulsing light orbs. Successful manipulation of the palm triggers controls the patterns and speeds and allows the worshiper to "paint with light".

Once the primary connections between the palm lines and the chakras are discovered, the puzzle begins.

Successful steps to "enlitenment" result in the BuddaH's left hand lighting up and a fortune cookie delivered through a small door into his palm. A simple robotic conveyor system fetches the cookies from a playa proof storage container in the stand underneath. (possible custom messages with pre-playa website submissions?)

Continued interaction results in additional patterns activated and control of the SpotPicxels that illuminate the buddah from the Lotus Petals.

To complete the installation, BuddaH Cookies will be surrounded by 7 prayer wheel lamps. These wooden lanterns will freely spin on top of steel posts spaced about 30 feet from BC. Cutouts in the wood will provide strobe light effects that serve as warning lights to his perimeter.

Careful reflection on the symbols provides hints to the puzzle solution.

BuddaH Cookies is a combination of technologies previously explored in my artwork. Without revealing any trade secrets, here is a brief description of how BC works.

Power is provided by a quad stack of 12v deep cycle batteries. A small gas generator will be used during the day to refresh the batteries and serve as an automatic backup.

The 48vdc is fed thru sliprings to the 7 chakratrons which have their own onboard 5v dc/dc converters. Additional dc/dc converters power the main processor unit (a Rabbit if you must know) and the stationary picxels. Fused and switched lines feed the 7 prayer wheels on his perimeter and the motors to the chakratrons

Imbedded into the plastic of his right palm will be thin copper wires that serve as the triggers to Qprox touch chips. This allows multiple "buttons" without having any holes in his skin.

Each trigger wire will be backed by a shield mesh (to keep the EL AC hash out) and a strip of EL wire. Touching any of the triggers immediately lights the corresponding EL wire serving as a feedback to the user. Additionally, he can light the EL without a trigger to provide "next" and "hints" to the puzzle.

A central processor will serve to integrate all the BuddaH functions. This is a more recent version of the rabbit used in the 10 foot HypKnowTron and is capable of providing some very serious logic and "fortune telling" to the puzzle.

Traditionally, there are seven chakras. My favorite version of palmistry uses 13 points to consider. The lotus flower builds on clusters of five. There are 7 primary planets, or 13 if we count the ice blocks.

Somehow, the lines of "Life", "Heart", and "Fate" relate to the seven chakras.

Conceptually? in Colors? in Rhythm? in Sequence?

hmm, perhaps its just best to say that it will require deep concentration and reflection to discover the mystery, but shouldn't take so long that one gets discouraged and leaves before reaching enLITEenment, and get a cookie!