The text big thing
Spectra-txt
No, aliens haven??t landed - but you might think they have if you take a trip into Middlesbrough town centre! Spectra-txt, as named by its creator Peter Freeman, is a huge 10 metre mirrored post covered in nearly 1000 fibre optic lights.
This new feat in engineering stands at the junction of Linthorpe Road and Newport Road in Middlesbrough town centre. Passers by can not only marvel at its beauty, they can also interact with it by using their mobile phones to change the colour of the lights. All it takes is one of the nine simple commands sent to Spectra-txt in the form of a text message to create your own amazing light show.
Designer Peter Freeman's inspiration for Spectra-txt came from the rather unlikely combination of Captain Cook's journey to Tahiti and the film Blade Runner, both of which have local connections. Captain James Cook, the infamous explorer was born in Marton, near Middlesbrough and Blade Runner director Ridley Scott is from Stockton-on-Tees.
The ??80,000 monolith was unveiled by mayor of Middlesbrough Ray Mallom on April 12th. Although only locals and visitors to Middlesbrough can enjoy the full spectacle, people from all over the globe can send commands to Spectra-txt making it change colour. In fact the very first text message sent to Spectra-txt came all the way from Tahiti, 236 years to the day since Captain Cook's historic visit to the island.
If you wish to control Specra-txt then the number to text is 07919 000077 and the commands are starvibe, pearl, boro, xxx, blue and chromapop
Submitted by: Dominic Dunn, 27 April 2004
