31 May 2021

"Portals" appear in Poland and Lithuania


Residents in Lublin and Vilnius can see each other in real time.
The sci-fi-like portals were designed to connect and unify people in different parts of the world amid the months of isolation caused by the pandemic, and the increasing "social polarization" of recent times.

The devices look like circular doors into another world, as imagined in many fictional worlds of fantasy and sci-fi. In fact, the team behind the project said it chose the circle as it is a well-known sci-fi symbol for an interactive "bridge." The minimalist design with LED lighting, meanwhile, was chosen to portray the image of a future city.
Via Interesting Engineering, where there is a promotional video.  A longer report at Bored Panda indicates that other portals are being planned, including at Reykjavik and London.  I think a pair in Florida and Minnesota would help promote travel between the two, as residents take turns winter/summer wishing they were in the other state.

4 comments:

  1. Very fascinating, although your post's title is a bit midleading: Only one portal is located in Poland (Lublin), the corresponding one is in Lithuania (Vilnius).

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    1. A regrettable error on my part, which is now fixed. Thank you for the notification.

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  2. I love this technology. I encountered an art installation in Brooklyn (I think - not an NYC native) in 2008 called the Telectroscope, which was the same principal, but all done up in steampunk livery. I like this one better.

    Free business idea that I'm going to regret not pursuing: Someone open a pub where half is on one continent and half on another. Then connect the two with large video screens like this. You'd have to work out camera angles and things, but it would be worth it. On the other hand, with the time difference, I'm sure someone would have to be drinking in the morning to really make full use of it...

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  3. "...someone would have to be drinking in the morning to really make full use of it..."

    And the problem is? LoL

    Long ago and far away when I worked third shift(overnight) we'd hit the bar in the morning on the way home.

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