The Ripple Effect

Like other projects in Jason Eppink's Catalogue of Creative Triumphs, the Light Ripple appears rather simplistic -- at first.  Press a button; blue rings of light ripple across the ceiling.  But there is more to it.  For one, an installation area "dominated by blaring sound systems, steady beats, and free-flowing social lubricants" is essential.  From the artist's description:

Most interesting (and least apparent) is how knowledge of the Light Ripple's interaction model becomes a social currency. The only clue to the sculpture's operation is a small lighted push-button which is easy to overlook in the chaotic environment. Possessors of this knowledge exhibit how "in the know" they are and increase their perceived social value by sharing the secret with their peers, which perpetuates interaction with the sculpture throughout the night.