Timetext
Entangling Strangers across Time
Timetext is an interactive system that connects strangers across time through shared conversations rooted in a specific place. Inspired by how many friendships begin with a meaningful exchange, the project creates opportunities for people to discover and respond to conversation prompts left by others, even hours or days apart.
By anchoring these interactions in a physical location, Timetext explores the emotional and social significance of the spaces we inhabit, how they hold memory, meaning, and the potential for connection. Participants can contribute from anywhere in the world, while subtle signals in the space reveal ongoing activity, linking people together through a shared environment.
Timetext reimagines conversation as something that does not require co-presence, allowing connections that might never happen in the same moment to unfold across time.
People can leave messages in a bottle. Each bottle focuses on different topics related to the space or current events
Some messages left on timetext
Technical Details
Web Application:
The webapp is built with JavaScript and hosted on DigitalOcean, with Firebase handling user authentication, database management, and real-time data syncing. Users can post messages under specific threads or topics tied to a physical location, and opt to receive messages in return—creating a reciprocal, consent-based interaction model. The UI allows participants to see when others have chosen to receive their messages, facilitating a sense of presence and responsiveness.
Interaction Structure:
Messages are organized by topics and threads, each linked to a particular bottle in the physical installation. The design encourages asynchronous communication through structured, themed prompts.
Physical Installation:
The installation consists of bottles embedded with LEDs controlled by Arduino microcontrollers. Each bottle corresponds to a topic on the webapp. When a new message is posted in a thread, the corresponding bottle lights up—visually signaling activity and connection.
Connectivity:
To bridge the webapp and physical installation, a proxy server relays data to Arduino Cloud, allowing the microcontrollers to receive real-time updates. This setup ensures that the devices do not need to be on the same local network, enabling flexibility in installation locations.