I have been gone a while. A long while. But it is time to return.
Oh how life can change. If you asked me 6 years ago if I'd even venture out and become a full time consultant/freelancer. I would have just laughed and called you crazy. But look at me now, today is the first official day of cyancdesign, interactive consultant.
So what am I doing? Well, I have my one huge client that will be the bulk of my time, but I need to be a bit discrete for now. But I'm more than happy to hear out other project that may come along. Website design/dev, multitouch app dev, anything interactive that I know I can pull off, I'm there!! And some teaming up with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to help them get a multitouch table together for this summer's big exhibit.
I'm looking forward to seeing what this new control of my time will lead to. I got a couple plans for some experiments and things to learn. I'm already slated for the next Collider at Akron U. Went to a lunch meeting for it and got most of the details already squared away. It'll be something cool to check out when it's up and running.
But already it feels like time is just ticking away. Much to do, but mostly write ups, php and openframeworks study. Yes, openFrameworks. I hear that it's worth transitioning too, I hope I hear right.
I was happy to be invited as a workshop leader for "Design Week" at The University of Akron. I would call it more of a demo workshop. I went from modification of a PS3Eye webcam, to installing CCV to loading a flash application to make an interactive wall. All in about 3 hours. So I thought this would be a great topic to write up for anyone that may have missed something in the demo or couldn't make it into the demo entirely. Read the rest of this entry »
Ingenuity Fest last week I would say was a success. Everyone enjoyed the digital graffiti wall, and the space I was in was great. I was about to corner the whole setup into an edge of the wall and use the canvas covering to make extended 'walls' that made it look as though it fit into the wall better.
Nearly 200 images were collected Ranging from 4 year olds that just wanted to use the can, to local graffiti artists that were pleasantly surprised on how much the wall mimicked real spray paint. Even though the little nuances are gone, and some techniques aren't replicated; types of flicking at the end, changing depth/hence size and being able to use stencil type objects to enhance the edges of lines.
Only problem is since it is never in use, there isn't need for much power. Definitely not enough power to run a whole festival! The power was spread THIN! In fact, the circuit I was on tripped 5 times saturday, and I was only running the display at 1/2 my full intention. I wanted another computer tracking the wall and running the FuildSolver application the projecting that onto the ceiling above the display. Then later in the night, the plan was to wander around at do some GML projections around the festival, but I was so concerned about tapping into the power and tripping more breakers, especially the ones running performance stages, last thing I wanted is to shut down a band in the middle of their set.
So next time around, Portable Generator! Must look into one. I had the power and projectors ready, even got PDAnet running with my computer and I could connect to 000000book.com anywhere I have cell phone reception.
What is next?
Um, I have one possible local project coming up around Christmas time. More on that soon. And I'm thinking this would be a great item to take to other festivals and events around town. So if you're in the Northeast Ohio area, and are interested in having the digital graffiti wall, email me at cyanc@cyancdesign.com and we can work out the details.
Also, coming soon: a breakdown of the pieces and parts of the graffiti wall... and perhaps some source code (^_^)//
Do you have the skills to draw your own graffiti tag? Record it to GML (Graffiti Markup Language) and upload it to 000000book.com the GML Archive site. Uploaded GML will be tagged with the application: Ingenuity Graffiti Wall
Throughout the bridge, see what can happen when graffiti is converted into a reusable digital format (GML). Thanks to Tony Samangy at the University of Akron for letting me borrow a bunch of eMacs he used for Collider, I'll have displays throughout the bridge displaying some of the audience's very own graffiti. In different forms. But you'll have to come see if you want to see what that means.
And weather permitting, look around outside. You may even see those graffiti tags larger than life and covering more than you would expect. (^_^)//
This isn't as much a tutorial, as it is some source code to mess around with. Less about a week to go before Ingenuity Fest. Starting to feel the crunch a bit now.
I wanted the Digital Graffiti Wall to be able to record GML. So I needed to build a quick GML recorder I could integrate into it.
And here is the result, a very simple GML recorder built in Adobe AIR, which I did because I can export out XML files directly from it to the desktop.
Well, I've been really liking the AS3Tiuo Framework. I've been using it to build the app for the digital graffiti wall, and I've used it for a little experiment with the Hype Framework... I do love me a good framework mashup!
That Particle generator app used a different type of listening events than I expected though. And I really needed to get back to using TouchEvent to interactive with specific objects on the stage. The particle generator just listens to all the Flash as a whole and reacts, it was never set specifically to anything, that is the way just using this.tuio.addListener(this); works it seems. Really nice for things like that, just listening to anything.
But I now need specifics in my programming. So I need TouchEvent.TOUCH_DOWN and whatnot now! As I'm sure you all would like that too. Well here is a simple way of getting started...
Something new I'd like to try, and I'm going to try and not come across as some know-it-all d-bag. But it seems that I just came across 2 similar applications at roughly the same time. Now, I do not know how to DJ, I have a friend that does (new needs to hop back into the social networking world). And I have Not seen either of these first hand, I've only analyzed the accompanying videos.
Keeping an eye on Engadget a couple days ago (Ok, I didn't see it first, co-workers pointed out the links to me), I first saw Token.
The interface is beautiful to me. It is colorful and vibrant. Since the screen is viewable on both sides, the audience really gets their own glimps of what is going on. I could see a DJ being in some type of elavated spot so everyone can enjoy the look of the entire interface.
The layout looks like it was well mapped out and covered everything the DJ would need in a 1:1 recreation of a DJ's real world interface. The multitouch aspect of it was seen, I noticed him be able to do multiple tasks at the same time. And the first time I watch this video I immediately sent this to my DJ friend (who also came across it and was about to send it to me first).
I like the idea of going to digital DJing to help with mobility, but not wanting to lose abilities. I hope your watching the video, listen for this line.
"if there's no knobs or buttons pertruding from the surface, the DJ'll need to look down the entire time."
I had never even thought of that. Just keep watching. When the first screen shot is show, I was thinking where is everything? Mixer, dials, knobs, be it digital, the only things I even recognized from a real world DJ setup was the crossfader and 2 blobs spinning around that I guess would be the turntables.
...and then the description of how the interface works started. The bulk of it, gestures. Gestures! An even deeper use of multitouch technology. Eliminating more space taking up widgets and changing it to multiple finger touches and types of swipes to effect the application at it is running. Changing the speed of the track by physically tapping the screen. Pinching to capture loops. The entire use of gestures is well thought out and explained, and once you learn it, it looks like something that can become second nature.
Break it down
Being lucky enough to see both these applications cross my path at relatively the same time is amazing. It makes me realize that I still have much to learn about multitouch, like many others thinking of how to build proper multitouch interfaces. Straight representation of a real world devise is fantastic, don't get me wrong. It takes a lot of skill, patients, knowledge. But there always seems to be that next step further someone will take that will make anyone and everyone astonished.
Seeing an app like GERGWERK, even in just a demo video reminds me that I always need to take a step back and ask myself, am I really thinking through the full potential of using a multitouch device? Are there innovations I'm not thinking of? Will a multitouch interface device really add value with what it is I'm trying to do? And how do I pull that off?
I would love to see either of these applications running first hand, and it makes me want to learn how to DJ. But hey, one thing at a time.
Version one has been put into use, successfully I may add.
Two weekends ago, Ingenuity Fest Speakeasy 2.0 Fundraiser. It was HOT, but it was Excellent! I was setup in the catacombs of the bridge, but I could still head the bass thumping from the DJs at the base of it. They ended up setting me up right next to Alexander Boxerbaum and Andy Horchler, the time lapse artists I worked with last year. They were showing off their 36 Views of a Bridge videos. And they had new time lapse rigs to try out, I saw the results... AMAZING! They even filmed some use of the Graffiti Wall in sped up time. Video to come soon (^_^).
So the digital graffiti wall. Honestly, I'm kind of flying by the set of my pants with it and need to lock down a few things. I've been wanting to dub it #IngenGraffiti, but I don't know if it is worth doing that, since I'll be able to use it beyond Ingenuity Fest. What do you think? Or should I be named IngenGraffiti for now, and just renamed later?
I keep writing posts and not posting them because they are work related and I guess I need to tread lightly around work stuff... Don't need to get into hot water, just gotta do what I gotta do. So here are some resources I use, and a little about why I like them. Read the rest of this entry »
Well that was a little easier than expected! Last weekend, the play: build the projection screen frame for the Ingenuity Fest Graffiti Wall Project. The screen is 4ft X 8ft. The frame, build out of PVC (which cuts really easily). I barely even had a plan, I just stood in the PVC aisle and worked it out in my head. And I only needed 3 trips to the hardware store.
Grommets were all measured and mounted by your truly. And once the screen was stretched, it naturally squared itself off. I love it when a plan (even an imaginary one) comes together.
(^_^)//
Moving forward, I play to tag anything related to this project with #IngenGraffiti and I hope you'll do the same. Read the rest of this entry »
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