EQUINOVA is Digital Media Final Year Exhibition exploring themes of equality, inclusion, and social awareness through interactive and visual experiences.
💬 Topics include:
🎓 Teen & Youth Education 🩺 Health & Awareness ♿ Disability & Accessibility ♀️ Women Equality 💻 Tech & Inclusivity 🌏 Cultural Awareness
Mah Meri: The Spirit Within | Interactive Projection Mapping by Amelia Chong Tsui Tong
Mah Meri: The Spirit Within is an interactive storytelling project that raises awareness about the cultural erasure faced by the Mah Meri tribe due to land loss and modernisation. Using projection mapping and sensor-based interaction, it aims to preserve and share the tribe’s spiritual stories of Mah Meri with younger generations while promoting cultural recognition and support.
Taptile | Interactive Taptile Paving by Carrie Lye Xin Yi & Hue Zhi Xuan
TapTile is an inclusive navigation system designed to improve travel for visually impaired individuals by enhancing tactile paving with audio feedback and unique surface patterns. Addressing confusion in public spaces, it aims to help users move independently and safely while raising awareness through multimedia engagement.
AjarKits | Offline e-Learning Mobile App by Chau Siau Wei
AJARKITS is an offline e-learning platform designed to support rural students, especially from the Orang Sungai and Kadazan-Dusun communities, who face language barriers, poor internet access, and limited resources. The project aims to make learning Bahasa Malaysia and English more accessible and enjoyable through interactive, offline lessons and quizzes tailored to their needs.
UNMUTE | AI powered Digital Installation by Tan Ji Kean
UNMUTE is an AI-powered interactive installation designed to help Chinese vernacular school students practise Bahasa Malaysia in a fun and engaging way. Addressing the low BM proficiency among students, the project uses a character-like chatbot named Pulse to encourage meaningful language use through playful, voice-based interaction.
Whispers of Flowers | Interactive Digital Installation by Wong Ming Vae
Whispers of Flowers is an interactive installation that uses voice and storytelling to help people open up about mental health struggles. Symbolised by blooming digital flowers, the project aims to reduce stigma, encourage emotional expression, and promote healing through shared experiences.
280 Days of Bummer | Narrative 2D Game by Voon Run En
280 Days of Bummer is an interactive video game that educates teenagers on safe sex practices through storytelling, mini-games, and decision-based gameplay. Addressing the lack of proper sex education in Malaysia, it aims to help teens make informed, responsible choices and reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies.
Beyond The Blood | Multimedia Project by Tai Yuan Xuan
Beyond the Blood is an interactive multimedia campaign that raises awareness about the hidden struggles of Thalassemia patients. Through a physical pump installation and animated storytelling, the project highlights the fatigue and social misconceptions patients face, encouraging empathy and equal treatment.
Two Hands, One Experience | UX Simulation by Loh Pei Shien
Two Hands One Experience is a UX simulation project that highlights the challenges left-handed users face with right-hand-biased mobile interfaces. By designing an intentionally difficult UI for right-handed users, it raises awareness among designers about the importance of inclusive and accessible design for all users.
Unspoken Pain | Motion Graphic Video by Ivan Lay Jiun Yu
Unspoken Pain is a motion graphic animation that explores how toxic masculinity in Malaysian schools pressures boys to suppress emotions, leading to isolation, bullying, and psychological distress. Using a dark, symbolic visual style, the project aims to raise awareness and encourage open conversations about emotional well-being and the harmful effects of gender norms.
Every year, it’s a tradition for the Digital Media programme to organise a team building camp during the semester break. The goal is simple: to give students a chance to step away from their usual routine, recharge, and build stronger bonds through shared challenges and experiences.
Video shot by: Wong Xing Kai Video edited by: Ivan Lay Jiun Yu
Each year, we explore a different theme and location. For 2025, we went all-in with a full outdoor camping experience. This year’s camp was designed to train students’ resilience — physically and mentally. From enduring the heat, cooking their own meals, designing recipes, learning basic survival skills, to staying creative under pressure, students were pushed out of their comfort zones.
Throughout the camp, teams took on various tasks that tested their problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity, all in a fun, competitive spirit.
We would like to thank Cowboy Campout (Hulu Yam Lama) for hosting us and providing a wonderful experience. The venue offered excellent and well-equipped facilities, making it the perfect place to create unforgettable memories.
How can design and technology help us fight climate change? At Dasein Academy of Art, students explored this question through MADSCAPE, an interactive exhibition featuring over 10 digital media installations. Centred on SDG 13: Climate Action, the exhibition turned our campus into an immersive space filled with ideas for a greener future.
Through projects like Taste of Tomorrow, Coral Vanish, GreenCook, Roots of Life, and Evergreen Garden, students addressed the environmental impact of everyday habits—from food delivery and sunscreen use to burial practices. Each project used digital tools like projection mapping, motion sensors, and interactive storytelling to spark awareness and solutions.
The goal was simple: to show how small changes in our daily choices can make a big difference for the planet. By combining art, design and technology, MADSCAPE invited us to imagine what a better future could look like, starting now.
What made the exhibition especially engaging was its use of interactive storytelling and digital tools. Technologies such as Unity, Arduino, and motion sensors were used to create immersive experiences, allowing users to make choices, trigger animations, and see the consequences of their actions in real time. This hands-on approach helped communicate the urgency of climate issues in a way that feels personal and accessible.
Check out a few of the project video here.
Cycle of Life | Interactive Motion Graphics by Gan Ai Xin
Cycle of Life is an interactive installation that promotes tree burial as a sustainable and emotionally meaningful alternative to traditional burial methods. Through motion graphics and a life-sized interactive tree, the project explores environmental impact and personal stories, encouraging reflection on life, loss, and renewal through nature’s cycle.
Madscape | Website Design by Jovanna Chuah
A website developed to promote the MADSCAPE exhibition, featuring animations that present information with strong visual aesthetics.
Mangrove Miracles | Interactive Motion Graphics by Kwan Xi Mun
Mangrove Miracles is an interactive animated learning book designed to raise awareness about the environmental importance of mangroves. Using storytelling and visuals, it educates the public on how mangroves protect ecosystems and combat climate change, while promoting conservation through engaging, hands-on interaction.
Nature’s Carbon Vault is an interactive installation that educates users on the critical role of mangroves in carbon storage and climate action. Through a hands-on boat journey and animated scenes, the project challenges misconceptions about mangroves and highlights the environmental impact of urbanisation, agriculture, and deforestation.
Stir The Warmth | Interactive Multimedia by Kelvin Lee Zheng Hou
Stir the Warmth is an interactive cooking game designed to encourage home cooking and reduce reliance on food delivery by teaching users about ingredients and simple recipes. Using hand-tracking sensors and gamified interaction, it promotes healthier eating habits and climate-conscious choices through fun, accessible learning.
Sunblocked Reefs | Interactive Motion Graphics by Lim Hui Hui
Sunblocked Reefs is an interactive animation that highlights how common sunscreen ingredients harm coral reefs. By letting users make story-based choices from the perspective of either a human or a coral, the project raises awareness about the environmental impact of beauty products and promotes eco-friendly alternatives.
Evergreen Sanctuary | Interactive Multimedia by Chong Huey Chee
Evergreen Sanctuary is a multimedia installation that promotes an eco-friendly alternative to cremation by transforming ashes into living trees. Through an interactive experience using tablets and projection, the project educates users on how loss can be turned into a meaningful act of environmental healing, encouraging sustainable memorial practices.
Aquatopia is a digital media exhibition that highlights critical issues affecting marine life. Through various projects, it explores the challenges our oceans face, such as pollution and the protection of sea creatures. The event aims to raise awareness and encourage visitors to think about how they can contribute to making a difference.
From 13 to 27 September 2024, Dasein Digital Media students from batch DDM221 presented the Aquatopia exhibition, merging art and technology to highlight crucial environmental concerns related to SDG 14: Life Below Water. The exhibit drew attention to the issues of jellyfish overpopulation and the detrimental effects of cigarette butt pollution on marine ecosystems, offering the audience a chance to engage with these themes through interactive and immersive experiences.
Watch the full event recap video here
Behind-the-Scene Video
The launch event on 13 September 2024 featured MareCet, an NGO dedicated to marine conservation in Malaysia. MareCet’s participation enhanced the exhibition, promoting greater awareness and understanding of the importance of sustainable practices to protect our oceans.
Exploring the Projects: Individual Works by the Artists
1. Loh Wai Xin
Project 1: Interactive Website – Jellyfish Blooms This website aimed to raise awareness about jellyfish overpopulation, focusing on how global warming and deforestation contribute to the issue. Through interactive visuals and informative content, users explored the dangers posed by unchecked jellyfish populations and learned how these challenges threaten the balance of marine ecosystems. The seamless browsing experience encouraged visitors to engage with the topic by leaving feedback through integrated forms.
Website Design & Development Showcase
Project 2: Interactive Installation – Watt’s A Jellyfish
This installation symbolised the delicate relationship between human actions and environmental preservation. Visitors were invited to interact with lamps that lit up LED-decorated jellyfish models, representing efforts to conserve the beauty of these creatures. Some jellyfish installations vanished into the darkness, illustrating how neglect and excessive consumption could disrupt marine ecosystems.
Project 3: 3D Anamorphic Animation – Burn to Bloom
This 30-second 3D motion design and animation uses naked-eye 3D technology to vividly illustrate how deforestation triggers global warming, causing rising ocean temperatures and jellyfish overpopulation. The anamorphic effect creates a visually immersive experience, drawing the audience into the interconnected nature of these environmental challenges.
2. Lau Chewvy
Project 1: 2D Animation – Buds Planet
This animation focused on the harm caused by cigarette butt pollution to marine environments. The engaging narrative illustrated how cigarette butts travel from urban areas to oceans, demonstrating the significant impact these small items can have on marine ecosystems. The project encouraged viewers to adopt responsible disposal practices by showing the cumulative harm caused by carelessness.
Project 2: Interactive Installation – Bud Stream
This installation provided an immersive, hands-on learning experience. Participants explored different scenarios to see how improperly discarded cigarette butts harm the ocean. By interacting with the installation, visitors gained a deeper understanding of the consequences of pollution and were encouraged to change their behaviour towards responsible disposal. This experiential approach fostered empathy and reinforced the need for environmental responsibility.
Moreover, alumni from DDM213, the creative minds behind Dasein Kopitiam, returned to enhance their message about the impact of ocean trash with a new installation project. Their latest work, titled Fantrashtic 2.0, builds on their previous semester’s project, delivering an upgraded and compelling visual experience to highlight this critical environmental issue.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors for their invaluable support, which made this exhibition possible and successful. Your generosity has greatly contributed to our students’ achievements.
Mindshift, an event similar to TED Talks, is designed to inspire and engage the student community at Dasein Academy of Art. This platform provides final year students with the opportunity to present their research on real-world issues that are the focus of their final year exhibition. Through Mindshift, students share compelling stories, insights, and knowledge, shedding light on overlooked facts and topics that typically escape attention. The goal is to shift perspectives and broaden the understanding of important global and local issues.
Centred around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mindshift encourages students to delve into themes that address pressing societal challenges. Beyond just presenting their research, students elevate their presentation skills to the next level by learning how to become storytellers. This experience equips them to convey their information in a way that captivates, informs, and engages their audience, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively.
The first Mindshift event, titled “Little Droplets, Big Waves,” featured two compelling student presentations focused on environmental issues.
The first student (Loh Wai Xin) discussed how global warming leads to the overpopulation of jellyfish, highlighting the ecological disturbances this causes and the broader implications for marine ecosystems.
The second student (Lau Chewvy) shed light on the issue of cigarette butt littering, illustrating how discarded cigarette waste, no matter where it starts, can eventually find its way into the ocean, polluting waters and endangering marine life.
These thought-provoking talks embodied the spirit of Mindshift, inspiring the student community to deepen their awareness and take positive action towards environmental sustainability. This event is not just a showcase of individual projects but a collective effort to share valuable knowledge and foster critical thinking among peers. By attending Mindshift, the student community is exposed to thought-provoking discussions that inspire deeper learning and spark meaningful conversations.
Dasein Kopitiam is a digital media exhibition that showcases the creative works of final-year students (DDM213). Inspired by the traditional Malaysian coffee shop, the exhibition brings together diverse ideas, sparking meaningful conversations about local societal issues in a modern and engaging format.
The exhibition’s primary focus is to raise awareness on pressing social, environmental, and cultural topics that affect the Malaysian community. Through innovative use of multimedia, technology, and interactive installations, the students aim to provoke thought and inspire action on these issues, delivering a powerful blend of creativity and advocacy.
Dasein Kopitiam features a variety of projects that tackle critical themes such as xenophobia, environmental conservation, personal expression through dress codes, sleep deprivation, and plastic waste reduction. Visitors are invited to engage with these interactive experiences, where they can immerse themselves in AR visuals, motion graphics, gamified scenarios, and projection mapping installations.
The exhibition not only serves as a platform for students to display their technical and artistic skills but also as an opportunity for the community to reflect on their role in shaping a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable society. Dasein Kopitiam reminds us that local issues, like the ones explored in the exhibition, require collective awareness and action. Just as the traditional kopitiam brings people together for conversation, this digital exhibition fosters dialogue on the changes we can make for a better future.
My Dress |Interactive Narrative Projection Mapping by Lok Jia Qi
“My Dress” is an interactive installation that explores the restrictive nature of dress codes in Malaysia. By using touch sensors and projection mapping, users can view animations that showcase how dress codes can be seen as guidelines for self-expression, highlighting how women can express their personality while adhering to societal expectations.
Here are the previews of the five projects from Dasein Kopitiam
Xenophobia | Interactive Art by Britney Tang
This interactive installation educates users about xenophobia in Malaysia, where xenophobia is often confused with racism and linked to discrimination. Using race-related question cards, AR visuals, and an interactive wall feature, the project encourages participants to reflect on their perceptions of people from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusivity and self-awareness in society.
Project C.R.A.B | Interactive Projection Mapping by Denise Leong
Project C.R.A.B raises awareness about pollution in Pulau Ketam, where littering is threatening the local crab population. Through motion graphics, projection mapping, and interactive props like 3D models, users can engage with a gamified experience that highlights the negative impact of littering on marine life and encourages responsible tourism.
Sleepy to Deadly | Interactive Game by Beh Wai Meng
This interactive game highlights the dangers of sleep deprivation, a growing issue in Malaysia. Players navigate a character through real-life scenarios such as driving and attending meetings, with the game demonstrating the harmful consequences of sleep deprivation. By using props and immersive gameplay, the project raises awareness of the importance of healthy sleep habits.
Fantrashtic | Interactive Installation by Lai Yong Xuan
Fantrashtic is an interactive installation aimed at raising awareness about Malaysia’s high consumption of non-recyclable plastics. Through the use of depth sensors and projections, users are shown the environmental impact of single-use plastics versus reusable alternatives, encouraging them to make more sustainable choices for a cleaner environment.
