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March 29, 2006
PCOMP : DISKO KICKS
Project : DISKO KICKS
Audience : Dancers, musicians, party people, chic geeks
Description : The Disko Kicks™ sense and analyze the wearers footsteps and "respond" to the data by playing back sounds as well as emitting light patterns embedded in the sole of the shoe.
Observations and Obstacles : I need to miniaturize the circuitry as much as possible. In order for this project to be usable beyond rough prototype, the embedded devices need to be atleast as easy to use and comfortable as a normal sneaker. just like an untied shoe lace can trip you up, so too obviously being tethered to a computer, power supply and extraneous wires. most of the electronic components will ideally need to fit into a hollowed out sole of a sneaker. I'm ideally considering using an nike airmax as pictured. However, if the circuitry and other electronics becomes to bulky for an Airmax 97, I am working on a hightop sneaker and a sockholster for inverter, etc.
Input data: array of FSRs (Force Sensitive Resistors) embedded in the instep are connected to a circuit with a PIC chip and all of the below embedded in the sole.
sounds source option 1 : perhaps an ISD 2590 since it can store and play back multiple audio recordings, and has been well researched by my 2nd group project or maybe the SpeakJet or other self contained sound synthesizer chips
sounds source option 2 : midi via serial. downside being the need for the shoe to be tethered to the sound device unless I figure out some way to communicate with wireless, more cumbersome parts.
output sound option 1 : headphone jack. bluetooth to wireless headphones would be ideal here but im getting ahead of myself
output sound option 2 : an embedded speaker on the shoe. downside wont be very loud without a bulky amp of some kind
output light option 1 : RGB LED array embedded in the airsole.
output light option 2 : luminescent thread (EL-wire) or other flexible light emitting material. El Wire best buy dot com sewn into the fabric of the upper contours of the shoe.
power : 9v battery
Posted by mikereger at 04:57 AM | TrackBack
March 28, 2006
3D : shot list for final
I think I want to create sort of a solipsistic or recursive short video for my final in the Virtual and the Real. Basically, I think the context is sort of like a music video. All shots will sync with the soundtrack. It's still very loose but here's the initial shot list:
1. long establishing shot - city scape panorama at night, lots of glowing lights, foggy from the river at the low horizon level of the shot....blurry with neon glow, pitch black sky but soft silky silver clouds (maybe travelling in slightly stuttered changing directions,
and the midground is horizontally animated by an elevated train line passing by.
2. zoom in on camera target=a 3rd floor loft apartment in a modern glass condo complex. Silhouettes of activity are apparent but defused behind the buildings windows. camera travels in through glass into the space...
3. a living room wide angle, pan/zoom to a lone feminine figure near the front window dancing with headphones on by herself, jump cut = shadows of another in the back corner as illuminated by a computer screen and low lit halogen lamp, typing away at a laptop.
4. a split screen of the 2 characters close up. Semi silhoutted girl dances, activity outside the window behind her - the city at night. other side of screen - camera faces screen of guys laptop. he is playing a simulation of the scene that just developed in what looks like Maya only on the screen the dancing girl is on the computer and the guy is dancing by the window.
anyway this is very loose, rough I know. The model objects Im working with here are:
1. The building complex
2. The cityscape Jean Marc provided
3. A female character
4. A male character
5. furniture : sofa, ikea desk, eames exec chair, laptop, various art objects
6. also I will probably use some live action video composites or other animation to fill in scenes
Posted by mikereger at 02:49 PM | TrackBack
3d:research : bodies
Rocio showed me this, and I thought this particular piece was interesting because it not only visually defies the physical rules, and says this is head space, it also seems to say something more about the disconnect between thoughts and actions. HAHAHA... it just says something at a direct viceral level, doesnt it? bang ;-~
Digging deeper Jose Carlos Casado is really amazing. Checkalack..
Posted by mikereger at 02:25 AM | TrackBack
March 27, 2006
De Rigueur : Arrive at Bar Rhumba - Dr. Rubberfunk's Remix
I dont usually blog about my extra-curricular stuff here. Every once in a while though it's hard to keep to myself especially when I'm as happy as I am with this remix of one of my latest De Rigueur™ tracks done by London's Dr. Rubberfunk. It's coming out on vinyl as a split single with Michael DeVellis remixed by (Ed Royal) as well as on a CD compillation with other great funky party starter tunes from Citrona Records. At fine record stores near you in the near future ;-)
De Rigueur's "Arrive At Bar Rhumba" - Dr. Rubberfunk's "Take Me To Westchester" mix
Posted by mikereger at 11:20 PM | TrackBack
3D: research : 3D, Motiontracking and Rotoscoping
In relation to my earlier post about wanting to explore non-standard rendering methods in 3D or atleast combine them with my fondness for the rotoscoping techniques being used in films like Richard Linklatter's "Scanner Darkly", I found this really intriguing french film "Renaissance", that combines motion tracking and 3D modelling with graphic novel style rendering/compositing to a very cool neue noir effect. Check out the "making of" section for more details. Even without understanding French, one can get a good idea of the work behind the scenes.
Posted by mikereger at 02:33 PM | TrackBack
March 23, 2006
Live Image Processing: Meditation 5 Algorhythmic quickie
Here's a quick alteration of the Algorhythmic Drawing Machine meditation. Basically I just changed linesegments to paintovals. It's not very exciting but I dont remember much about polat to cartesian math equations. I will research and play with it more after class, but hey atleast I did a meditation on time FINALLY ;-P Anyway, I plan on going back and doing the first 4 again regardless of not getting credit for them since I lost them all with my old laptop.
Posted by mikereger at 01:20 PM | TrackBack
March 21, 2006
3D: Semi-Symetrical Me Sketch for Model 2.5
This one looks like "The Enforcer". haha
Posted by mikereger at 03:59 AM | TrackBack
3D: Semi-Symetrical Me Sketch for Model2
total freakshow here
Posted by mikereger at 03:53 AM | TrackBack
3D: Semi-Symetrical Me Sketch for Model1
Heres a composite of a few layers of mirrored images of the same subject (duh) in photoshop before cleaning it up...
Posted by mikereger at 03:17 AM | TrackBack
3D: Getting Ahead In 3D ...
Modelling a real head in 3D is tricky.
First of all even if your camera angles are all level ( basically all even side and front shot atleast), and your lighting is even all around, chances are your subject will not be symetrical. Face it (no pun intended) we humans are generally not perfectly mirrored side to side nor more obviously front to back.
I just thought here it would be interesting to post my own first reflections into this realization first person POV. FIrst of all my camera angles are not level, the light from the bathroom flurecents is all you get and its actually very directional (though very grainy and greenish). Oh and I am not really symetrical.
Posted by mikereger at 02:02 AM | TrackBack
March 18, 2006
mikrosound
OK, so I spent the week before midterms staying up all night getting ready for a laptop performance at the knitting factory with fellow ITP artists...a completely new and live set of experimental music...It went ok I think and the music worked out but afterwards then i lost my laptop. downward spiral, madness, then spring break...
well, I posted some of the songs from that set as mp3s here - atleast I have that
Posted by mikereger at 03:51 AM | TrackBack
3D: I just had a little epiphany
canyons. this was lesson 5 or so, but i got caught up in it well cuz its hypnotizing.
tron-inspired, circuit-like life...pov
Posted by mikereger at 02:48 AM | TrackBack
March 09, 2006
Live Image Processing: Research for Final
For the final performance in Live Image Processing class, I planning to collaborate with Rocio Barcia. She want to do a performance piece using video, sound, and herself as a performer/body artist. My role would be more of a technician more than a performer I'm thinking at this point, as I'm more interested in working with the video and sound than performing/acting/dancing myself.
Her initial ideas are here: Rocio's Page
In terms of what I'm interested in as far as a modus operandi is the procedures and techniques for using the video and sound in a performance context. I'm fascinated with Generative art and MAX/MSP/JITTER is a great tool for settting up procedural systems for performance. Basically, I'd like to make the technical aspect of the performance as smooth and easy as possible, set up a certain amount of parameters than can operate independant of my constant control but with enough flexiblity that I can add some determinism into the mix and adjust or guide the video and sound when I feel the urge or need as well as allow for some feedback mechanisms for Rocio to interact with the sound/video.
General -
I found the Cycling74 site has some really great articles with artists using Max for Performance and Installations (including an interview with Luke DuBois. Here are some general links:
Artists features section on Cycling 74
Daito Manabe's video turntablism
David Tinapple, I just like his work
Specific to Rocio's piece -
Miranada July (performance links)
kadet Holding Patter n II : Causal)
Synaesthesia and sensory confusion-
This is an idea I often play with in my work, the notion of a comingling or confusion between the senses where sometimes certain sounds trigger visual imagery, or a scent reminds you of a person you know intimately and make you see them. Another more literal interpretation of the notion of synaethesia includes the act of tranlating one sensory data into another as in the case of fo example Aphex Twin using a scary picture of himself and translating the pixel data into sound which only becomes evident under specrtal analysis of the sound waveforms. Other exampes and some tools that can do this are linked below:
Generative Music/Art-
And here is some links to people using generative processes to make infinitely variable art.
Eric Satie: Musique d'ameublement" - furniture music!!!
Eno's Oblique Strategies Cards Widget
Posted by mikereger at 02:48 PM | TrackBack
March 06, 2006
The Sad Tale of My Lost Laptop
I cant bear repeating it again, after the police report, the taxi cab commission report, the 20 phone calls and various emails before I gave up with one final plea to craigslist:
LOST Camo Backpack / G4 LAPTOP : Reward
On a lighter note, even if I cant recover the bag and all its contents (most precious being all my freaking work for this semester), I did get a new laptop and its purrty.
Posted by mikereger at 04:44 PM | TrackBack
March 01, 2006
PComp Lab 5+6: SEROUT and DC MOTOR CONTROL
LAB 5= My tool/device project group has been using Serial Output and Serial Interpretation in order to translate ranges of forces recieved from FSR sensors embedded in shoe gels while people walk into onscreen text messages to the walker (in stage one prototype) as a test before changing the text messages into audio recordings using an ISD microrecorder chip (final prototype still buggy), so I will wait to post all my notes on that project and LAB 5 until we are finished with the final prototype.
LAB 6 = The assignment was to control DC motors from the PIC chip.
Step one was just to connect the motor to a DC power supply and a switch on the breadboard and test it by adjusting the voltage on the DC power supply. That was easy but I shoulda clamped that motor down to something. Whoa nelly.
Step 2 -5 required an H-bridge in order to get the PIC chip to control the motors direction and speed. At first I couldnt get the h-bridge and PIC to work. A couple of people pointed out that the code and the diagram on the PComp site example were mismatched a bit i.e. The PIC code uses:
motor1Pin var portc.2
motor2pin var portc.3
and the diagram shows
motor1Pin on d.0
motor2Pin on d.1
when I saw that I adjusted the code and it worked fine.
