Under the Surface is an interactive, real-time data installation developed for IBM that translates complex cybersecurity data into a spatial, explorable experience. By visualizing real attack-surface data from an attacker’s perspective, the installation enables audiences to grasp the scale, structure, and interconnectedness of modern digital vulnerabilities in a way that traditional interfaces cannot.
Roles
- Technical Director (Interactive Systems)
- Lead Unity Developer
- System Architecture & Integration
- Custom Interface & Hardware Integration
- Real-Time Visualization & Effects
Stack
- Unity (C#)
- Magic Leap
- React
- MQTT
- Bespoke User Interface
Outline
Conceived as a touring, high-impact experiential platform, Under the Surface presents cybersecurity as a navigable data landscape rather than an abstract concept. Visitors move through layered structures representing exposed systems, relationships, and risk vectors, revealing how organizations appear when viewed from outside their defenses.
The experience was designed for use at major international technology and security events, requiring a system that could adapt to different spatial configurations, operate reliably in live environments, and scale across languages and regions. Built in a real-time engine, the installation balances visual richness with performance and operational robustness, enabling repeated global activations without technical compromise.
System Overview & Technical Characteristics
- Real-time Engine: Unity, used as the core runtime for rendering, interaction, and system orchestration
- Spatial Interaction: Custom Leap Motion–based gestural interface enabling direct manipulation of data structures (hover, grab, rotate, traverse)
- Visualization: GPU-driven particle systems and custom visual logic for large-scale, abstract datasets
- Remote Control: Bespoke web-based control interface (React) for on-site operators and subject-matter experts
- System Communication: Networked control and synchronization using MQTT
- Deployment Model: Designed for multilingual content, flexible physical setups, and repeated international touring
Key Contributions
- Unity software architecture and system design
- Technical direction and integration oversight
- Custom gestural UI and hardware integration (Leap Motion)
- Development of a web-based remote control interface
- Real-time particle systems and visual effects
- Performance optimization for live, high-resolution installations
My Role & Responsibilities
I led the technical direction and core software development, with responsibility for translating creative intent into a production-grade interactive system suitable for global deployment.
My work focused on:
- Designing the overall Unity application architecture, defining system boundaries and integration points
- Building the foundational framework for UI, interaction, and visualization layers
- Integrating and coordinating the work of multiple developers into a cohesive system
- Ensuring stability, performance, and flexibility across touring installations and venues
Why this project matters
Under the Surface demonstrates how technically complex, abstract domains—such as cybersecurity—can be communicated through interactive, spatial systems without reducing their complexity. The project bridges enterprise-grade data, real-time graphics, and experiential design, resulting in a platform that is both technically rigorous and effective in high-stakes client-facing environments.