Technology and devices needed to carry it out

Arduino Technology

The Arduino is a microcontroller which I will use in order to sense the environment by receiving input from sensors. These sensors will detect the motion of the user either by motion tracking or blob tracking. The advantage of the arduino is that it makes communicating with software running on a computer easy work(e.g. PD, OpenFrameworks).

Software

I will use a selection of software as describded above. These are as follows:

OpenFrameworks

PD or MAX/MSP

Quartz

Resources

Skills

I have studied Object Orientated Programming Java for four years and have a firm understanding of it. I hope this ability will lend itself to the learning of

C++. I have basic experience with MAX/MSP which is similar to PD. Although i have a lot to learn regarding thid program I find it very interesting and I am eager to improve my skills. I have a basic understanding of Quartz from which to begin learning its possibilities.

Devices

The devices which I will use will be

Sensors

Arduino board

Computer

Projector

Open source code

As OpenFrameworks and PD are both open source, this will allow me to experiment and implement current code.

How it was carried out

Initially, I had a general idea of the subject matter in which I wanted to work. I grounded this by brainstorming ideas of different types of possible projects. I narrowed this down to a smaller group and began chatting to fellow class mates about my ideas. This then led me to three ideas which i decided to create scenarios from, which allowed me to see possible user situations to varying degrees of detail. They also allowed me to conceptualize and critique the ideas from an early stage in the design process. From this i narrowed it down to one idea which I then expanded further and created my proposal which was sent to Mikael and approved.

Projects researched

I then carried out a more in-depth level of research. At this stage I began to draw up scenarios and want to address issues both technical and aesthetic. The following is a brief description of the research carried out on the first of three main projects which helped me overcome obstacles.

Research Project One:

Project name: Body Paint

What was used: software, infra-red cameras, openFrameworks, projection

Description: An interactive installation and performance piece, allowing users to paint on a virtual canvas with their body, interpreting gestures and dance into evolving compositions.

Link: http://www.msavisuals.com/body_paint

My research: By looking at a detailed description of how this project was carried out and what technology was used allowed me to further develope my ideas. My mains areas of interest in this project were the use of infra-red cameras in order to detect movement and also the use of OpenFrameworks to communicate and analysis the movement before projection. Another reason this project was of great interest to me was due to the use of more than one user which allows for an added dynamic.

Research Project Two:

Project name: Beacon

What was used: Thermitrack camera, Openframeworks

Description: A kenetic light installation, where an array of emergency light beacons interact with visitors, tracking their movements. Thermal imaging cameras track movement.

Link: http://www.beaconinstallation.com/

My research: This project interacted with its surroundings as well as the users. The project exploits a transfer of technologies from existing industrial products. The main reason I choose to look into this project was in order to analysis the use of thermitrack cameras to detect where the user is located, where thermal imaging cameras were adapted to track the participants’ movement through the space.

Research Project Three:

Project name: Glastenbury Pi

What was used: Thermitrack camera, Openframeworks

Description: Interactive audio / visual. The music, audio and visuals inside a tent are all controlled by the movements of the occupants.

Link: http://memo.tv/projects/pi_glastonbury_2008

My Research: This project dealth with both audio and visuals. My main interest in this project lay in the use of cameras to track movement which was then applied it to the fluid/particles visuals and also the audio aspect where movement would also trigger notes or beats. I researched this method to compare it with the previously stated methods, e.g. Infra-red.