From Gieske Studios to Luftschloss: Interaction Without a VR Headset

Virtual reality with a headset is the obvious answer when it comes to immersive digital experiences. At Gieske Studios we took a different path early on: interaction that needs no equipment on the body at all, yet still pulls people deep into a digital world.

The beginnings at Gieske Studios

Gieske Studios was known as a creative studio for photography, video, and CGI production. Alongside that core business, we kept experimenting with new kinds of digital experiences. Our goal: an interactive experience where users aren't cut off from their surroundings by a VR headset, but stay part of the experience with their whole body. The idea was to capture movements of the body and limbs via motion tracking and project them onto large screens in real time – so users could shape digital worlds through simple body movement.

Motion tracking instead of VR gear

Rather than replicating head movement and field of view inside a simulated world, our approach relies on sensors that capture body and limb movement in real time and display it on a large surface. The screen becomes a window into a digital world that adapts dynamically to the user's movements. Without any equipment, people can manipulate virtual objects, shape interactive artworks, or steer a shared game – through presence and movement alone.

The spin-off into Luftschloss

The results at Gieske Studios were promising enough to develop the idea further as its own venture – it became one of the building blocks of Luftschloss. Luftschloss continues that work with an expanded focus on integrating motion tracking into commercial and artistic projects, where experiences need to carry not just visually but emotionally and substantively too.

Duravit: product presentation through movement

One of the first applications at Luftschloss was a project for Duravit, a manufacturer of designer bathroom furniture. At the Salone del Mobile in Milan, visitors could explore Duravit's designs through their own movement – simple gestures to switch colors and designs, try out layouts, or trigger animations demonstrating product functionality, built together with Meyle+Müller. Passive viewing turned into active participation, and that noticeably strengthened brand engagement.

Insider Hub: the newspaper reimagined

We're currently working with the Pforzheimer Zeitung newspaper on another application of this technology at Luftschloss: the Insider Hub, an interactive platform for accessing editorial content. On a large screen, users can "leaf through" articles, pull up multimedia content, and explore interactive graphics using hand or body movement. Consuming news becomes an experience closer to interaction than classic reading.

Conclusion

What started as an experiment at Gieske Studios has matured into a standalone technology at Luftschloss that now works across very different contexts – from furniture fairs to a local newspaper. Motion tracking combined with large-format screens shows that immersive interaction doesn't need a VR headset to land deep. We're curious what applications come next.