NIKE

Nike Air Max 720 — From Data to Sculpture

One shoe, 720 brains, emotions spilling onto the streets.

NIKE · 2019

Nike Air Max 720 — From Data to Sculpture - NIKE - Project Video

01 — Brief

Brief

For the Nike Air Max 720 launch, Awesome Bros’ creative concept connected the experiences of 720 participants with data and art. Harikalar’s role was to bring EEG device integration, data visualisation and on-site delivery into one working system.

In-store stations and mobile units enabled data collection in different settings and its handover to the artist’s team.

“An interaction that connects a product experience with data, and data with art.”

02 — Insight

Insight

Rather than describing a personal relationship with a product, we invited participants to become part of data creation and a visual output.

This case study uses EEG signals as input for a creative experience; it does not establish a clinical assessment or a definitive measurement of someone’s emotions. Its focus is the relationship between technology, data visualisation and art.

03 — The Idea

The Idea

To turn the Awesome Bros concept into reality we built a technology + operations architecture in three layers.

Data collection ran on two parallel field channels: laboratory-styled stations inside Nike stores, and a "suitcase" mobile EEG unit we designed — taken to universities and concerts by a team in lab-coat costumes.

When all 720 wearers were collected, the raw data went to Refik Anadol's studio.

From EEG Data to Visual Experience

Software and device integration that processed and visualised EEG signals in real time and recorded the data for handover to the artist’s team.

Live Data and Short Video

The data was processed into a live visualisation for the participant. Shareable short videos generated through the same workflow provided a digital output from the experience.

Mobile Suitcase Units

Alongside the lab-styled in-store stations, we built a portable EEG unit shaped like a suitcase — taken to universities and concerts by a team dressed as lab researchers.

Refik Anadol's Data Sculptures

All 720 datasets went to Refik Anadol. The patterns, intensity and distribution became data sculptures shown across Nike flagship stores and outdoor spaces. Refik Anadol gave talks telling the story of the project.

04 — Execution

Execution

The concept came from Awesome Bros, but building an EEG-based interaction for the launch was a multi-layered technical design problem.

Scope

EEG device integration and EEG data-processing software
Live data visualization and short-video generation system
In-store laboratory station architecture and setup
Mobile "suitcase" unit design and production
Field operations at universities, concerts and events
Lab-costume field team organization
Classification of 720 datasets and handover to the artist
Technical coordination with Refik Anadol's team

Team

Project Lead & Experience: Atilla Baybara
Technology Development: Utku Olcar
Client Relations: Şaban Yılmaz
Operations: Yiğit Sarı
+ Field, production and operations team

720

Datasets Collected

05 — Results

Results

Data collected from 720 participants was delivered to Refik Anadol’s team for the creation of data sculptures.
In-store stations and portable EEG units brought the experience to stores, universities, concerts and events.
Live data visualisation and shareable short-video generation gave participants an output from the experience.

Credits