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ITP: Big Screens
Shots of working at IAC
...
count downJumpsuitsTest 2 at IAC
Last week was another test at IAC. We decided to go with flowers 768
pixels tall, and make them seem as if they were sprouting from the
ground - very effective in that space. Yutaka prepared nine flowers,
three per screen, the easiest number to work with in that space without
overlap between scenes. I wrote mock-up code so each number key
triggered a flower bloom - now I'm re-writing this with the MPEClient
for proper ordering. Flower bloom order should be: 1,9 2,8 3,7 4,6 5.
So with nine flowers one is left for the finale. Haven't decided about
the finale yet, however. Only that there will be a composed piece - if
we get decent audio. This week I also did a run of the laser cut hands:
the veil shield and silver mesh fabric turned out very well.
A few other notes:
- 3-4s per touch won't be enough, probably more variant
- people will probably try many locations so reactivity will be important
- video set lengths (e.g. 1,9) need to be about the same
- hammer out intro and finale
- what to do about dead space on right?
-- Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:23 -0400
JumpsuitProject ProposalI am making a big decision for big screens:
processing vs. openframeworks
eclipse vs. xcode
For now, I am choosing openframeworks and xcode. I think when push
comes to shove in processing power and serial i/o, OF will out perform
processing. My work with OF began using xcode, so that's what I'll stick
with. However, in both cases I will be loosing out in terms of
knowledge and support from ITP.
I have several concrete ideas for my Big Screens project. For the most
central part, the graphics, I am still at a loss. First, I'll write a
bit about what I know, and work from there.
I would like to incorporate wearables into the project. This means
using xbee for wireless data transfer, and it means including people in
the audience in some type of interaction. This continues my central
focus: how enhancing garments can effect human interaction.
Brainstorming began by considering the interaction rather than the
visuals. The first interaction that came to mind was having groups in
the audience hold hands, and the number of people holding hands affect
the graphics on screen. After talking a bit with Eric Rosenthal,
however, I have learned measuring the number of people will be nigh
impossible as resistance from person to person varies. I could use the
length of time hands were held in the circle, however, I think it might
be best to move away from this idea. As Alex Abreu mentioned last
night, who knows how quickly people will hold hands, or how long they
will do so? It is a huge uncontrollable unknown.
The second idea, and I'm not quite sure where it came from, is to sew
two (or more) conductive fabric patches to a jacket. They will be in
the shape of hands, outlined in color thread. By placing your hands on
the jumpsuit, a circuit will be completed and your biological impedance
measured. This could be a metaphor for many things, a transfer of part
of the person or their aura, the interaction between the jacket wearer
and person touching, and so on. I like the idea of everyone having a
somewhat unique "signature" which is entered into the system, the sum
total being displayed on this massive screen.
Mind you, I am not insane
(which is probably what you're thinking right now)
For the garments, I will enlist the help of Laura Moore and a student or
two. For graphics design I will have the help of Yutaka Kitamura, a
friend studying at IAMAS (a school like ITP) in Japan.
That leaves all software/hardware/overall production to me, but I think
I can handle it. Now, back to graphics. I've had thoughts about a
sustainability theme. Trickling water, which grows to gushing river as
more people hold hands... a little cliched and direct for our audience?
As was AlexA's advice... To use generated 2/3D graphics or shot footage?
affinity suit
touched by strangers
Two figures, dressed in hand-marked jumpsuits, represent a human
physical interface to the composition. When audience members touch the
"interface" with both hands, completing a circle, part of them enters the
system, transforming into a blooming flower on screen. What will your
flower look and sound like? Touched by Strangers is an exploration of
communicating with machines through a human interface, where the
audiences biometric artifacts shapes the scene for the evening.
The key to success is not in visual granularity, but the skillful use of
responsive interactivity and audio.
Also, am I really utilizing the "Big Screen"?
Fingers Dress by Joanna Berzowska.
I am imagining a jumpsuit, with fewer hands in a less suggestive manner.
We start with nothing,
ah, after the "if you have a pacemaker, please stay away" warning.
Enter our mediators.
People touch the mediators.
Sound and graphics are generated from their touch and body signature.
Audio is generated by the audio system, not their bodies.
Yutaka and I just had an excellent conversation.
We may use his flower pieces for the video.
Perhaps do something a bit more fractal.
I think a central theme of the conversation was: what is the main
concept of the piece? The fragile nature of human communication? Which
can also be displayed through withering flowers? Why to flowers bloom?
How to flowers and poeple relate? What is the meaning of the poses?
How do different cultures approach touch? How will we use sound? How
can show an over-laying concept without be overt?
-- Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:58 -0400
The anti-importance of sizeIn recent readings, The Media Equation asserts that the content
of media is important than the resolution (video/visual). This is
echoed by Hall in Living Skins, "future improvements are not to the
resolution and technology but to the development of concepts to program
the surfaces". In approaching the Big Screen I think it is important
not to focus on the execution itself, but the content: what are you
trying to say? what subtly do you use to get the users attention? how
do you make use of such a huge area and engage the user across it?
The frame in which media is placed is also important. I find the new
Kunsthaus Graz mentioned in Living Skins extremely unappealing. In
sticks out like a sore thumb In the neighborhood, in a way I'm not sure
in fifty years people will appreciate. Personally, the architecture of
the building adversely affects my impression of the media surface and
its message. However, I digress from starting a conversation concerning
architecture aesthetics. Kunsthaus Graz is also a metaform, the
building being the canvas. So what about IAC? At IAC, lighting is a
consideration, as are those obstinate columns and so on. In considering
future metaforms, which may be dynamic in some way, it is essential to
consider all aspects: room, wall, canvas, paint, scene, content...
There are several valuable hints in Media Equation. "When displays are
large, more of the picture is in peripheral vision. This means that the
boundary between the screen and the rest of the environment is farther
in the corners of vision." Using the peripheral vision will be an
important consideration. The users eyes and attention can be captured
by designing the periphery skillfully.
Audio also is a powerful tool in focusing attention. In some ways, it
may be useful to purposefully make grainy or poor audio to capture the
users attention as Byron mentions, "When it is poor, presentations sound
unnatural, and people consciously monitor the content."
And of course, words from the wise, "making media do less than they can,
rather than do all they can, may sometimes work better".
Finally, just as personal notes, "One frame equals no subjective
awareness; two frames equals definite subjective awareness." One frame
is 33 milliseconds. Research in the subliminal is called "semantic
activation without subjective awareness".
References
The Media Equation by Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass
Living Skins by Peter Hall
-- Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:24 -0400
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