Transferscope — Synthesized Reality

What if your surroundings could serve as a prompt? No more struggling to find the right words—no keyboard required. Just point, capture, and create.

During my residency (Feb–June 2023) at the AI+D Lab at HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, I began experimenting with generative image synthesis using Stable Diffusion. My goal was to explore what it would feel like to use a physical tool to guide AI—leveraging the environment instead of typing prompts.

The result is Transferscope.

Transferscope: A Tangible Way to Interact with Generative AI

Transferscope is an AI-enabled device built with open hardware, allowing anyone to construct their own tool for exploring generative image synthesis.

Equipped with a camera and a small display, the device captures the scene in front of it and sends it to a generative AI model. The model then synthesizes a new image based on the captured scene and displays it on the screen. Designed to be portable and intuitive, Transferscope enables users to seamlessly blend and sample reality with AI-generated aesthetics.

Transferscope embodies today’s generative image AI landscape, utilizing open-source tools and models to mark the current state of the technology. It reflects the shift from photography to synthetic image creation, situating itself at the boundary between reality and AI-generated content—a phenomenon that increasingly permeates our daily lives.

Although the underlying technology is complex, the user experience remains simple and intuitive. This balance between advanced AI and an accessible interface makes Transferscope both engaging and enjoyable to use. More importantly, it highlights the synergy between human input and machine learning, demonstrating how AI can be a collaborative creative tool rather than just an autonomous generator.

Creating Transferscope was an iterative process—exploring both the technology and the form of the device. Multiple prototypes were 3D-printed, tested, and refined. The project builds upon ideas from unStable Mirror, a previous work exploring similar themes. Over time, Transferscope evolved from two separate devices into one, streamlining the user experience and strengthening the tool’s character.

As AI and image synthesis continue to advance, Transferscope remains a living project—growing and adapting alongside the technology it explores. I’m excited to see where this journey leads and how it will inspire new ways of interacting with generative AI.

I would like to thank the AI+D Lab team for their help, feedback and perseverance through my sometimes erratic process: Benedikt Groß, Aeneas Stankowski, Rahel Flechtner, Felix Sewing, Stamatia Galanis