DRIFT – Astronaut Diary

Drift is an immersive web experience about a once idealistic and highly accomplished astronaut who, after a failed mission, becomes lost in the vastness of space and unable to return to Earth. In isolation and regret, he records daily struggles, small breakthroughs, losses, and thoughts of family and friends in his diary—capturing fragments of thought, memory, and emotion.

The Experience

The project visualizes his mental state as a living field of drifting particles that evolve in real time. Each day, AI-generated text and voice unfold based on his internal condition, forming a shifting portrait of isolation, reflection, and fading hope.

Technical Approach

• GPGPU Particles: Real-time simulation of 1M+ particles representing fragmented consciousness
• AI Integration: Dynamic text and voice generation that maintains thematic consistency while embracing unpredictability
• React Architecture: Component-based structure for maintainable complex interactions
• WebGL Rendering: Custom shaders for atmospheric visual effects

Narrative as Technology

AI here is not just a tool, but part of the narrative. Carefully designed prompts preserve the core concept while embracing randomness and non-repeatability—maintaining thematic consistency while accepting the imperfect, unstable nature of memory.

The project also explores how web technology can express atmosphere and emotion, blurring the boundary between user, interface, and character. By combining real-time particles, AI-driven text and voice, and a restrained interaction model, Drift frames technology as a vehicle for interior storytelling—using the browser to evoke isolation, resilience, and the fragile continuity of thought.