Microsoft AI needed a marketing platform to promote their machine learning service Project Bonzai to a larger audience. Partnering with their Autonomous Systems group, we created a first of its kind robotic air hockey table to gamify the interactions with the intelligent control systems.
Combining a retro UI aesthetic with clean industrial design, our team of designers, developers, and engineers translated complex AI development into a tangible experience accessible to anyone.
Each touchpoint of the classic air hockey table was re-imagined and embedded with the latest systems and autonomous technologies. The traditional coin slot and eight-segment scoreboard were redesigned into touchscreen control panels and ultra wide hd displays. Gameplay events activate custom animations, sound effects, and reactive table lighting to create an immersive customer experience.
With the intent to debut at Microsoft stores and events, the table had to coexist in the Microsoft product family while also stand out as a new entry in their experiential hardware space.
As the premier developer in autonomous technologies, Microsoft AI have set the standards regarding honesty and artificial intelligence for good. We took this theme of transparency into the design with built in viewports and illumination that allows everyone to see the internal mechanics and machine operations.
