IAT320 - Body interface :: Physical Interactive Skin >> Sketch 2 Brainstorming Idea_1

:: Using sole ::
       For now, I don't really know what I have to do with this project, so I just found one way of using our body as the input for interaction. The idea that I came up with was by using sole (sensors are to be installed on the sole of the shoe-like socks or fabrication) interaction can be then occurred. And, I found some example using the feet as input for the interaction.

:: JoySlipper ::
       'JoySlippers are cool devices that make you think twice about your mouse. Instead of using your had, the input comes from your feet and the best part is you can Do-It-Yourself! JoySlippers are made with different types of thread, neoprene, pressure sensors, telephone wire, etc. and is connected to the arduino. Not exactly items you would have laying around, but if you're into technical stuff and physical interactivity, then it makes a good weekend project.'

http://digitaltheses.wordpress.com/tag/arduino/

IAT320 - Body interface :: Responsive Environment >> Wooden Mirror

:: Wooden Mirror ::
       This is the project that I found while I was surfing through the web. This project is interesting in a way that it create digital pixels, using physical elements (wood). Also, this project was built in 1999 by Daniel Rozin.

       Usually, when I think about idea of responsive environment, I think of physical element as input and digital element as output, but in this case, it's opposite and I think that is why I feel it is interesting. This project opened up my mind a bit on how can responsive environment be used so widely. 

       And, this is link to how the wooden mirror actually works (tried to upload a movie, but it kept getting me an error so I'm just posting a link here) ::

       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZysu9QcceM

IAT320 - Body interface :: Responsive Environment >> Sketch Project 1 _ FInalized Idea

:: About our idea ::
       Our sketch project is an interactive play-ground environment, which let users to deflect bars, that are moving across the screen from one side to another. A maximum of two bars can be on the screen simultaneously. The concept of our sketch was inspired by the concept of limbo game (LimboTime), that is a type of contra dancing which dancers try to go under the horizontal pole without touching it. Our sketch has similar structure in a way that interactors have to avoid graphic bar that is moving across the screen, but in addition interactors have ability to deflect the bar, up and down, to dodge the bar, depending on how would they want to avoid the bar that is approaching towards them. Also, our target audience is people over age of 12, because, in order to interact with our sketch, one has to have appropraite height, otherwise, it would be hard to interact with the interface due to the camera setting and location of the projected image.


:: Limbo ::

                    

                                                           LimboTime

Limbo game

:: Interaction ::

       Interaction of our project is fairly simple. Basically, interactors will see bars moving across the screen and depending on position of bars on the screen, they would make it go up the screen by touching it on lower part and vice versa for making it go down. Deflection is made through interaction between interactor's body (arm) and the surface of the bars (upper and lower). 

:: Technical component :: 

       - Projector, camera, screen, black curtain(dark background), patch file, and interactor for the setting.

       - Within the patch file, there are several parts; capturing recorded images from camera, tracking 

         upper and lower part of the bar, controlling the movement of the bar, and combining bar 

         and recorded image into one movie window.

:: Research ::

       We had to do a lot of technical research due to the lack of knowledge about programming. We tried to look at anything that can give us some idea on where to start and how to work it out such as, lab files, online tutorials, and open lab. 

:: Demo ::

       This is demo of how far we could get it to work (interaction between human body and bars).

       This project was inspired by the type of dancing Limbo which is sometimes considered as a game and we chose to use this concept in order to create the fun play-ground virtual environment that everyone can enjoy in public space and exhibition area. This project suits in public area, because it does not take much time to interact with the interface and we thought that people would also enjoy seeing other people playing. Also, it could create an challenging atmosphere when people start to compare to each other's play. In fact, the limbo is the dancing/game that everyone can enjoy and meant to be played by many people, simultaneously.

Thank you for reading 

Andy-

       

IAT320 - Body interface :: Responsive Environment >> Sketch Project 1

Description:

    * Deflecting bars: This is gaming-environment type interaction which let users to deflect bars that are moving across the screen from one side to another. Users can deflect the bars downward if they push down the bars or upward if they push up the bars. This is continuous interaction that users would have to continuously try to dodge the bars and deflect the bars throughout the interaction. Interaction is done by push up/down the bars with the arms (or I should say edge of the user). Also, the setting of the interaction is as following; camera facing user and shooting from the wall (where the screen is located) and the projection is from the user's side. [the lab setting]. 

    * Sketch:

      Basic sketch of interaction

      Interaction between user and computer (image)

      Sketch from the professor to help us to start with the max/MSP 

IAT320 - Body interface :: Responsive Environment >> Idea Brainstorming

* First Idea ::
   - Camera on the ceiling, taking images of user's image from the top view.
   - Projector faces towards the projected screen on the wall, projecting images of fish, or small animals 
     up on the wall and what is going to projected on the screen will be the top view of the user and the
     images created; fish or small animals.
   - When user comes into the screen, camera will capture the position of user.
   - And the fish or small animals that are being projected on the floor will avoid that user
     whose interacting with.
   - Users can interact with the projection in different ways, such as group them by forcing them into a
     group, using shadows, or race one object with another, and many more..


* Second Idea ::
  - Camera on back of the projection screen towards the user(facing the projected screen)
  - On the projected wall, there will be three different boxes and different shape of objects falling and
    users should be able to sort them out by their shapes or size, depending on user's preference.
  - Projector is placed behind the user to create shadow of user on the projected screen.
  - Objects will be chosen randomly but choice of sorting method is upon the user's preference.