Digital artworks: bridging the technology gap

In a drive to produce installation artworks, particularly for public viewing, that are more appealing to the viewer, artists are increasingly turning to "the digital world". Whilst the technology behind such artworks is well established, being commonly found in controllers for industrial machines, the software engineer who provides the firmware strives to make the technology more accessible to the artist. What is required, during the design stage, is an interface that will allow the artist to visualise the artwork and its operation. This paper describes the technologies and the way in which they are made accessible to the artist, demonstrating a software-based simulator built for a particular artwork. It then poses questions for the future, through which further demands for collaboration can be met without compromising artistic creativity.