Aim: An interactive LED skin mimics a squid's ability to camouflage using 3600+ LEDs that react to colour in real time via a live camera feed.
Hi, I’m Anam — a London-based freelance designer and maker with a background in architecture and a love for creating kinetic, interactive installations. Over the years, I’ve moved from large-scale design into smaller, more intimate works that tell stories through light, motion, sound, and even scent.
For the past two years, I’ve been living with intermittent vertigo, which has made commuting and working in traditional environments physically difficult. As a result, I’ve built a home studio where I can continue developing my creative practice in a more manageable and sustainable way. This shift has allowed me to focus on building intricate, animated models using 3D printers and a small desktop CNC machine.
My latest project, Squid Skin, is one I’ve dreamed of bringing to life for some time. It’s inspired by the remarkable camouflage abilities of cephalopods like squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. These animals can rapidly change their skin colour thanks to chromatophores — tiny pigment sacs that expand and contract in response to their surroundings.
In Squid Skin, over 3,600 LEDs mimic these chromatophore cells. Each LED node pulses and shifts in real time, using a live camera feed to read colours placed in front of it. Visitors will be able to interact with the piece by holding up objects, triggering the “skin” to camouflage itself just like these creatures do in nature.
So far, I’ve successfully prototyped the LED node circuit boards and animated five working units. With your support, I’d be able to:
-Fabricate and assemble the remaining LED boards
-Add the camera interaction
-Cover external mounting and display costs
-Dedicate one month of focused time to complete the build and programming
My vision is to continue creating playful, immersive installations that invite curiosity and connection — and to show that even with physical challenges, it’s possible to keep making meaningful, imaginative work.
This project closed unsuccessfully on 9th July 2025