Astra

ASTRA is a compact arcade console themed with space. It is designed to create an engaging interaction between the user and the machine, triggering various mechanisms and providing a playful, joyful, whimsical, and devious experience. The concept that drove the design of ASTRA was to create a machine that gamifies space. The final design of ASTRA consists of the following components: A simple projector with an LCD screen and lens to magnify the image. A holographic glass where the image is projected to create a holographic effect. An ultrasonic sensor as a trigger. When a user is detected, a curtain is lifted by a servo motor and an LED strip is lit up, all connected by an Arduino UNO.

A circular hologram can be viewed in the center of the machine. The projection is created by a Raspberry Pi (Retropie) running a space arcade game. The user can then play the game with an Xbox controller connected to the Raspberry Pi remotely. After 2 minutes, the curtain closes (end of the game). ASTRA is encased in a two-story cylindrical black acrylic structure that can be opened and closed at the top by an iris linkage mechanism.