Final Project Week 2 and 3

As presentation time reaches closer, we are finally finishing up our rock paper scissors glove.

There were 2 arrangements of the vibeboard, one on the back of the hand, and one at the base of the thumb to test which location would be easier for users to actually feel the vibration.

Bend sensors on the third and fourth finger in particular in order to differentiate between the 3 gesture types very clearly. We didn’t want to have to rely on sensor types that operated on a continuum; digital type triggers were simply the more appropriate to work with.

We made use of accelerometers to make sure both players are actually going to play  (ie. the computer won’t accidentally register paper/rock just because the user is sitting idly with an open or closed hand).

Wires and thread were gathered together into one cord to minimize their visibility and make it easier to deal with for the user. Also to produce a more aesthetic look.

Bend sensors are encased in a finger sleeve that allows them to be adjusted along the finger/knuckle for comfort and size of each user’s hands.

Professional players can spot the sound difference whereas most people lose their ability to predict the outcome through body languages. There is a significant difference between group that can’t see with those that can. Also, there are some slight increase once people were given tip to listen to the sounds. We concluded that in this case most people don’t realize how much they subconsciously relying on their skill on translating the body languages through their eyes and minds.

Final Project Week 1

Rock Paper Scissors Shocker

Our concept idea started off with the use of a glove to interact with a max msp window to create powerful effects such as firing balls of energy or using “force” and have users interact with the screen. Afterwards, it evolved into a rock-paper-scissors idea.

Our idea is to have two gloves (one for each user). This glove will have a sensor on the two middle fingers to send a signal to the Arduino board and let it know if the user has selected rock, paper, or scissors. Once two users have picked up the glove, put it on, and sat down, a message on the screen would appear saying 3, 2, 1. When it gets to 1, whatever gesture the users are currently displaying determines the winner.

The score will be kept on the same screen that plays 3, 2, 1 every once in a while (10 second intervals). In order to make this idea more competitive and intuitive, we have decided to include a reward/punishment system on the gloves. On each glove, we will feature a very weak mini-tazer (only powerful enough to send a little tingling shock to the user. This will be less powerful than those joke electric tazer pens or gum that you can find at prank stores). The player who loses will receive a small shock to their hand whenever he/she has lost against the opponent.

We have done research on a similar glove that detects rock/paper/scissors here: http://www.dezeen.com/2010/03/22/the-rock-paper-scissors-playing-glove-by-steve-hoefer/

We have several other ideas to build on this such as adding an accelerometer to have the game include more gestures related to it instead of waiting for the countdown.

Reading Assignment 4: March 22

Sprout I/O: A texturally Rich Interface talks about an interface that can take the surrounding environment and provide a more meaningful interactive experience method. Sprout I/O is made of shape-memory alloy and felt that, when deformed by hand, heat can be applied to SMA and it will return to its original form. The heat can also be adjusted and create different movement of the textile using various shapes. Several different materials and configurations were tested for their prototype to achieve the desired softness. They sew 3D SMA strands into both sides of a felt. By controlling the heat, the felt bends at any desired angle. The purpose of this design is to duplicate physical properties of a textile and manipulate it with actuators such as heat so the applications vary.

Quote: Our next step will be to develop a full Sprout I/O matrix and explore some of the kinds of communication this interface can foster when scaled, and more specifically how variations in the size and shape of fur strands, as well as their location, kinetic speed and feel can affect Sprout I/O’s use.

Word: Sensational  

Sketch Assignment (part 2) March 15

As our sketch assignment comes to a conclusion, we finally gathered up all the materials we need to present. Our sweater faced many challenges such as wiring difficulties. At one point the wiring short-circuited and burned some of the fabric. We programmed it so that when the pressure sensor at the center of the body is activated, the inner heart lights up. When the pressure sensors on both arms are activated as well, the outside hearts would light up as well. Here is the end result:

Sketch Assignment 2 (Part 1) March 4

During the first week, we started to brainstorm ideas for the second sketch assignment.

Part 1: Concept

• Develop a concept for a soft interface that can sense and communicate with the world in a subtle manner
• Hug Pullover, with a light up heart that ‘grows’ the longer the hug is held

• Apply the theme, wearing nature with a broad sense and a personal interpretation
• a visual interpretation of how much you like the person you’re hugging.
  (which is more accurate a representation than the being-hugged shirt we saw. just because you’re being hugged doesn’t mean you will like the gesture, but if you are presenting a hug, then you probably do like the person at least a little bit.)

• The device needs to read, or perceive sensory data from the participants
• proximity, pressure, and possibly a simple ‘switch’ connection with the sleeves

• Note: You can create part of the entire project but you need to illustrate the objects (what it will look like) and its interaction (how it will work) through drawing, illustration, animation or some other simple illustrative method. This can be conceptual and abstracted if need be. Be sure you create enough of the device to demonstrate the particular interaction.

Part 2: Research

• Research on other projects related to yours - Make sure the projects relate to your concept and not just the technology
• i will see if i can find the ‘Hug to Like’ project i mentioned
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/oct/09/like-a-hug-facebook-vest-friends(this ‘Hug to Like’ ?)
• http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/bloom-the-emotional-side-of
• http://www.behance.net/gallery/UKULE(LED)-IAT-320-Body-Interface/2314388
• http://www.bodyinterface.com/projectsprototypes/ - for many other prototypes

• Research on theories and philosophies related to your project. This may include theories on social interaction, human perception etc. The closer the relationship is to core concept the better. Please reference these properly.
• “ theories on social interaction,” i think we should focus on that, considering it’s a hug we’re talking about. that gets pretty intimate in terms of social interaction between casual acquaintances and even in friends.
• Your skin is your body's largest organ, and when its sensory receptors are stimulated, the hormone oxytocin — the one that makes you feel good — is released. At the same time, cortisol, the stress hormone, is reduced.
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4131508.stm
• http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/personal-growth/hug/hug-therapy.asp
• oxytocin increases trust, generosity, cooperation and empathy, among a slew of other virtues

• Research/experiments on your own experience in the system.
• so... reflections on our own experiences of hugs. giving and receiving hugs as a social interaction.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

Sketch Assingment 1 Completed: Feb 18

We finally completed our sketch assignment. Our presentation consisted of a demonstration of the snowball fight.

Things I've learned throughout this assignment:
- Different ways to detect color
- Best ways to choose a method of color detection
- Collaboration with multiple people using Max MSP

Our program had a few minor bugs such as the snowball moving in the inverted Y position. The snowball would also be thrown from the top side of the screen instead of where the user ends up throwing it. Most problems had to do with the y-axis of the p-window.

Here are the slides:

Iat 320 Sketch Assignment 1 Slides

Sketch assignment 1 Part 1: Feb 11

Sketch Assignment 1:

Our first sketch assignment has been released. This assignment focuses on qualities of motion and movement.We must create a projection and include motion detection to relate the qualities of a person's motion and to have the projector display a quality that would relate to that motion. The initial layout of the room is as shown:

 Projector

 /\

 /    \

O                  O

 person no.1                 person no.2                   

    

 \/

 camera

___________________________

screen/Wall

On our first week, we decided to create a virtual snowball fight. Our initial research focused on the qualities of throwing a ball and the qualities of a ball being physically thrown and its reaction to the physical world. We researched color tracking and came up with a color tracker that detects the color RED:

This helps us continue on to the next phase of the assignment.

Assignment 2 - Feb 4th 2013

This is the second reading assignment

Computer vision for artists and designers: pedagogic tools and techniques for

novice programmers

During the development of computer vision, there have been noticeable algorithms that can determine the changes in pixels. Softwares such as MaxMSP and Jitter have a much higher level of interactivity since a few years ago. These algorithms determine the level of quality of the video input. Background subtraction, frame differencing, and brightness thresholding are the three basic types of algorithms that determine change in pixels. The article also lists some basic coding technique for applying these algorithms.

Quote: “As computers and video hardware become more available, and software-authoring tools continue to improve, we can expect to see the use of computer vision techniques increasingly incorporated into media-art education, and into the creation of games, artworks and many other applications.” (475)

Phrase: Intrigued me into using Computer vision techniques in the creation of video games.

Assignment 1 - January 21 2013

Here is our first assignment for this course

Reading Assignment 1

Reading 1:

Sensing Things: Merleau-Ponty  & Synaesthesia & Human-Centredness

This article starts off by talking about our senses and how they influence the design of everyday items. Nigel talks about how our society is moving towards a culture that is highly dependent on its senses and how it feels the need for much deeper meaning in our communication. He then talks about how the sight of certain objects causes our minds to already perceive the sensation of touching or feeling these objects. Another example of this would be someone perceiving an object’s taste just by looking at it. These are examples of a concept called Synaesthesia which suggests that or senses interact by implying and interacting with each other. Merleau-Ponty, who is a specialist in synaesthesia, suggests that synaesthesia is important for designers because each object speaks to our bodies in different ways and to the way we live.

Quote: “Mainstream approaches to perception embody and make familiar a number of powerful assumptions about sensory experience.” –Nigel Power

#Design Advice

Reading 2:

Computers and the Embodied Nature of Communication: Merleau-Ponty’s New Ontology of Embodiment

The three sections in this paper attempt to demonstrate that computer systems should consider the emotions and thoughts of users to be able to bring humans closer together in a more intimate form of interaction. The first section talks about natural language technologies. Arun Kumar explains that it’s limited because it is unable to express most aspects of communication. These include tone, gaze, and body language. Meleau-Ponty and his perspectives on experience and embodiment are revealed in the second section. He explains that the body cannot respond to the external world like a machine; but instead is an instrument for interaction, understanding, and experience. The third section argues that the body is essential to our very existence, which is why we are embodied when engaging in a virtual world.

Quote: “Most of our understanding in the world of what it is like to be embodied is so ubiquitous and action-oriented that there is every reason to doubt that it could be made explicit and entered into a database in a disembodied computer” – Arun Kumar

#Scary Thought