Max Assignment 1: Magic Mirror

The project


This first max assignment aims to equip us with the relevant technical skills to create a mirror that dims itself when a person gets close to it. Through the process, it intends to expose us to the different aspects of Max and its applicable functions for future possibilities. 

The sensing of the face was done with the webcam. Through the values collected, we can calculate the size of the face. Hence, the distance between the webcam and the face can be determined as the nearer the face is to the webcam the larger the face will be.  

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The challenges and problems


To obtain the collect range of values for the face proved to be a challenge for me. This is crucial as they determine the brightness of the screen the user is interacting with. Through numerous experimentation, I realized the quality of the webcam is also important for this assignment. At times, my face cannot be detected and thus affects the transition of the brightness of the screen. The brightness transition of the screen was also affected when there are multiple faces appearing in front of the screen.

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The reflection


This is my first time experimenting with Max. It was very challenging for me as I was very confused with the different functions and how to join them together to perform various tasks. The responses provided by the console was of little help to me as my technical knowledge of Max is still limited. At times, I was aware of what are the steps that were needed to be performed to carry our certain task. But I was unable to execute it as I was not sure of the necessary commands. However, I feel that this is just a learning process I have to go through. I believe Max will create many possibilities for my potential future projects. 


The documentation video for this assignment will be up soon. I am currently having some issues with premier pro. Such is life.