LUMINEERS
With Mohammad Abdalla,
Layian Asia and Ezzeldin Kalash
We are a team of Palestinian engineers, artists, and innovators using our unique combination of skills to create new inventions for the stage.
Theatre is where we raise our voices and resist - a space to create, imagine, and reclaim our narrative. Our dream is to merge engineering with performance, bringing new technologies into cultural resistance.
While modern tools like AI are increasingly used for surveillance, war, and the genocide of Palestinians, we choose a different path: transforming these technologies from weapons into tools for artistic defiance.
Through innovation and creativity, we demonstrate that Palestinian youth are ambitious, inventive, and unstoppable - leading with artistic and technical brilliance, even under violent oppression and with limited resources.
MOHAMMAD ABDALLA
Mohammad studied engineering and acting, aimming to be the first actor inventor. As an actor, Mohammad has performed in multiple plays including * قضية ٧٤* (Case 74), at the Palestine University Theatre Festival, receiving an Award for Best Theatre Actor and Best Show. Internationally, he has performed in Norway, Catalunya and Slovenia. One of his proudest accomplishments was working for the Silwad Social Youth Center, putting his cultural and leadership skills to use, focusing particularly on young refugees and children in camps.
LAYIAN
ASIA
Layian is a Computer Engineering graduate from the Arab American University Jenin, who loves turning tech ideas into real projects. As co-creator of the Interactive Spotlight, Layian worked on the detection algorithms and hardware integration. Layian enjoys exploring anything that mixes AI, gadgets, and practical solutions.
EZZELDIN KALASH
Ezzeldin is an IT Specialist and Systems Administrator, managing both database and network infrastructure for mission-critical systems. A Computer Engineering graduate from the Arab American University Jenin, Ezzeldin has a passion for building practical solutions at the intersection of AI and embedded systems. Ezzeldin’s role on the interactive spotlight focused on the real-time detection algorithms while coordinating our hardware/software integration. Beyond Ezzeldin’s professional work, he continues to explore innovative engineering applications that bridge technology and real-world needs.
THE INTERACTIVE SPOTLIGHT
An intelligent lighting system built to transform performances by automatically tracking and illuminating the artist on stage.
The Interactive Spotlight is our first invention - the beginning of our story as the Lumineers.
The inspiration came when Mohammad Abdalla was performing on stage in Jenin Refugee Camp and experienced how outdated lighting systems were time consuming to set up and restricted the actor's freedom of movement.
On stage, light guides the story, but it usually needs a human operator.
We asked: What if the light could see?
Blending technical skills with a spark of creativity, we dreamed big and built a smart solution.
The Interactive Spotlight is a stage light that automatically follows the performer. A small camera sees the actor, AI recognises them, and the light tracks them smoothly across the stage—no external control—so the performer is never left in the dark.
The Interactive Spotlight combines accessible hardware with responsive software to create a dynamic lighting experience that moves with the performer. It's more than just a lighting tool it’s a platform for freedom, creativity, and expression.