Thanatofenestra is a digital version of a Japanese Buddhist altar, designed as a single device. Modern urban living comes with limited space, making it difficult for people to maintain the tradition of praying to their deceased loved ones in some cultures. This device addresses that challenge by allowing users to display images of their loved ones. The images change with the candle flame, preserving the main components of traditional practices in a compact form to adapt to the current needs of users.
Image taken in summer 2022
Hardware:
Raspberry pi 4
1 Photoresistor
2 temperate sensors
Wires
Projector
Case:
Candle
Metal Bowl
Contributors:
Ndizeye Tschesquis (Summer 2022)
Blade E. Hicks (Summer 2022 and Spring 2025)
Nancy Landeros (Summer 2022)
Original Paper:
Daisuke Uriu and Naohito Okude, “ThanatoFenestra: Photographic Family Altar Supporting a Ritual to Pray for the Deceased.” 2010.
ISAM Poster:
Landeros, N., Tschesquis, N., & Hicks, B. (2022). Learning Through Replication by Fabricating ThanatoFenestra. IJAMM. Retrieved from https://ijamm.pubpub.org/pub/boh609ma