ADM-DIP GREEN – Development Process Update

Our aim for this week is to finish up the physical form of the flowers earlier so we can pass parts of the flowers to IEM people to do up wiring. We will also be start filming part of the video this weekend!

Considering the timeline, all 5 of us have meet up a few times over the week to make the flowers. There are total 72 flowers split in 2 cluster include 1 with 45 flowers while another is 27. The odd number was chosen after we communicate with IEM side that is easier to code in odd number.

We have gather as many cups as possible over the weeks. The cups makes are split into two process the top and bottom cups, first for the top cup it need to be cut in strips in even numbers then glue them together.

So we will fold and glue them alternately to produce the inner petals. While the other will need to wait for our final assemble. For the bottom cups, we have feedbacks from the IEM side where their LED needs to be out of the tube which is a bit different from our last prototype. More allowance is need for our final form in order to accommodate the LED that IEM side has solder.

More bottom space are given in order for the LED to be attached.

We also cut the hole differently from our previous prototype to attached to the plastic tube. For this is easier to slot in and fix the tube together. We also need to cut in strips so that we can folded in this way.

The Total amount of cups we have make! Its very fulfilling to see them coming into shape!

We will be passing them the bottom part only considering that they need to attached the LED on top so that we cannot attached both of them together first.

We also as some of our friends which they given us some suggestions.

As when the light is light up they find it that the light might be too strong and concentrated. So we though of using used plastic bags to divert the light around our flowers.

We also cutting them in circular shape and out it around the flower so that the light can be reflected around. We will be trying the user experience again when we get the workable sensor and LED lights on Thursday.

 

Final Project: Process update

My first attempt was using the 360 degree servo motor attached the Pikachu using normal thread. However I found out that the centre position of the servo motor keep changing, probably due to power shortage or something. Moreover the strength for servo motor could not help me to hold the weight of umbrella.

So I have code it the way I wanted, moving to the right then to the left and back to the original position.

 

After that I moving on to in search for stronger motor where I came across stepper motor. I bought my motor from taobao.com which is cheaper then they sell in simlim. A motor shield also needed in order to make the stepper motor work, I bought a total of 2 kinds. One is a similar from Adafruit Motor/Stepper/Servo Shield for Arduino v2 Kit – v2.3 while another is Stepper motor drive SHIELD just in case one of them doesn’t work.

The Adafruit motor shield has many advantage as is it really easy to use and can drive up to 2 stepper motors. They also provide guidelines on how to set up the stepper motor! So first was to attached the motor shield on top of the arduino and connect to a DC motor to try if it works! [I am trying on a similar Motor shield not the actual Adafruit Shield.]

Next was to try out on the real stepper motor. This time DC Barrel Jack was use as the power source as the stepper motors needs more powers. It actually can work when I plug in the usual for arduino but the light was blinking unstably which means the powers is not enough. At first I was quite confuse with the wires connect to the motor shield but in the end everything manage to work!

Video will be uploaded soon!

Presentations – Anthropomorphism. Humanoids and Androids.

My presentation research are based on the research paper:

  • The mind behind anthropomorphic thinking: attribution of mental states to other species
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347215003085?via%3Dihub
  • Development of an Android Robot for Studying Human-Robot Interaction
    http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.106.5933&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  • Anthropomorphism and Human Likeness in the Design of Robots and Human-Robot Interaction
    http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.362.4683&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  • What Makes Anthropomorphism Natural: Intuitive Ontology and Cultural Representations

    http://www.jstor.org/stable/3034634

  • Interactive Humanoids and Androids: Promise and Reality
    http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=4168019
  • Human—Android Interaction in the Near and Distant Future
    http://www.jstor.org/stable/40645712
  • Social Cognition Unbound: Insights Into Anthropomorphism and Dehumanization
    http://www.jstor.org/stable/41038539
  • Who Sees Human? The Stability and Importance of Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism
    http://www.jstor.org/stable/41613332
  • Interactive Humanoid Robots and Androids in Children’s Lives
    http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.19.1.0012

  • The Usage and Evaluation of Anthropomorphic Form in Robot Design
    http://shura.shu.ac.uk/533/1/fulltext.pdf
  • http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anthropomorphism

Final Project Rehearsal

We first discussed about how we should be doing the actual thing and details about our positioning. At first we wanted to film at the open area in ADM, however we realise that some of us will be backlighting as a result a dark video. So we decided to move out of indoor since we should test it out the real situation outside!

Posted by Su Hwee Lim on Tuesday, 24 October 2017

This was the first very not in sync video where we still quite confuse when we should move our face in. We came up with a plan of counting together and define when will we our turn to shift our face in.

Posted by Su Hwee Lim on Tuesday, 24 October 2017

We have tired 2 type of exchanging the face via live streams, exchanging of cameras and also moving with it. These are the important factors in our final live streaming. We also figure out some ways to make a smoother passing within ourselves!

So for the effect we will need the wall so that we can see the combination effects and how we can improve on it! We are excited for it! 🙂

Research Critique Hyperessay – Second Front

Second Front has it first performance art in 2006 “Breaking News” on the online virtual world of Second Life. The group include 7 members that comes from all around the world. Their performance was showcased in galleries and museums while the artiest would perform remotely which I find it very interesting! All of them would perform together at the third space, exploring new and different environment using code-based interventions in their performance.

In the interview with Second Front, Great Escape aka Scott Kildall mention that

Second Life offers a unique space for performance. Without the normal constraints of the body ― the usual center of performance – and without a traditional audience, we can try and do things that have been previously thought to be impossible.
– GREST ESCAPE

I agree that Second Life offers a unique space for the performers without body constraints. It become a free for imagination and can create  different kind of things that you would never do it in real life.

For example, they could just change their outlook before they wanted to rob the bank! Or even having purple skin and fire out of the hair which is something that does not exist in real world. I really like that our choices are reversible in Second Life, which is why GREAT ESCAPE mention that body without constrains. In real work, when we make changes to our body such as plastic surgery or even scares would stay permanently. Yet, in Second life we can make changes without any hold back because it is reversible! I find this is the reason why the artist can go wild with their imagination and explore the possibilities.

The fact that everything can be customizable in Second Life as well as the fact that just about any object can be wearable enhances my personal impression that performance art is the most “authentic” medium of Second Life in that Greenbergian sense.

– WIRXLI FLIMFLAM

Indeed it is an authentic performance which you can customise everything such as context, appearance and what you always want to do. I particularly like their The Absolutely Last (and final) Supper!

Their caption was “This mini-performance is based on da Vinci’s Last Supper. Someone gave us some bad fish and we all got sick..”. I though it was quite funny that they reenact the painting from Leonardo da Vinci “The Last Supper”. This parody totally provide a different experience as they performed the scene with action with content. So they ate the bad fish and they start to get discomfort some even jump on top of the table to vomit blood vigorously. I don’t know why but I really find it amusing.

Situation like this would not happen in real life. Even if we wanted to mimic exactly what it looks like in the painting, we would need time, money and resource to do so. Yet in Second Life, objects and environment can be created with lesser constrains. More freedom are given to the artist to play with the variables to create interesting visual surprises.

Also, many times, it’s the surprises and unintended actions that make the work really come alive!

– ALISE IBORG

To conclude, I really like how Second Front making use of the advantage of Second Life and created a platform for them and also the audience. I believe they would inspire people to be adventurous in the virtual world from the things they have done. They also bring life to the whole reenact of the famous painting The last supper performance. Second Life provides this unique platform for artist to explore and create possibilities without having and body constrain as limitation. All artist from all over the world of Second Front are connected together in this third space to perform their authentic performance taking us through a unique journey with them.

 

ADM-DIP GREEN – Development Process [Discussion on 25 OCT 2017]

The progress that we aim for this week:

Collection of plastic cups:


We have place notice and boxes at strategic area to collect from our fellow adm peeps. The collection point are located at B1, Level 1 and Level 2 beside the dustbin where mainly student would gather around. We also posted on ADM Facebook page to giving them a heads up on our project and collection of cups! Do remember to help us if you are using the plastic cups as well! 🙂

We also had plans to do up 2 cluster for our final. We will start making the flower this weekend on 28 OCT so that IEM peeps would have time to complete their wiring and coding.

Video Discussion

Presentation – 20 minutes
Video (included in the presentation) – Only include the material that is going to help viewers understand why your project is done in this particular way/ testing/prototype we’ve built (10 mins or less) More like a commercial

Interviews and surveys
Test it out on people, test it out on them and see what they feel about it and what are their feedbacks

Video Flow
We will be starting of the video explaining our concept.
– Explanation of the water ripple effect
– Though provoking questions regarding the environment
– Stop motion of our collected recycled cups piling up in stacks
(our intention of using recycled cups and process of collecting them)

Next, showing the expected outcome through rendering
– Floor plans and how it will look like for the actual piece
– The light patterns and light shows

Body Storming
– Expected outcome of when audience comes near to it and call-to-action
– When there is no detection, left alone (Randomised the light patterns)
– Just as it begin
– When its crowded
– Finally being left alone again

Ideas for video:
Water ripple effect ideas

1) Cup floating on top of water, when lifted up, water droplets fall from cup, creating ripples

2) Filming from top view over a pool of water, lift cup from water, then cover lens, then cut to putting the cup on the floor, cups will multiply radially

3) Filming the ripples spreading out
[more towards the direction of simplicity]

Final proposal and presentation Discussion

  • Think about if we are the judge who have seen the festival and selected artworks, what’s the selling point that they will want to see?
  • Why do we use this material?
  • How our proposal fits into the theme of sustainability, how it effects the piece? Feedback scenario?

 

ADM-DIP GREEN – Development Process [Discussion on 16 OCT 2017]

After the presentation, we have taken the feedback in to consideration and made some possible improvement.

Ideas Improvements:

  • Animation (Light Pattern)
    – Cater to high number of people

    – Changes according to the distance of the people to the sensor, no longer about how many people within the installation

    – Can also play with colour of light such as cool colour to prevent misleading ideas from strong colours. Each cluster can have a individual colour

    – Make it appealing for people who do not know that they are actually triggering a sensor

    – If we have people inside, even if they are going in a line, the sensor will also be constantly triggered

    – Having a smaller pattern – or even about duration, if we have 5 min of animation then how many triggers we need to set off an animation (light show) After the sensor being “ON” for 15 seconds, a programmed 1min light show will automatically be played throughout the installation. After the 1min light show, the sensor goes back to “OFF” until the next trigger is on.

    – or look into loops

    – One person will trigger a normal ripple effect

    – Two to three people will trigger a 2-3 colliding ripple effect

    – Light show can be “Rippling Out” effect and from one cluster to another

  • Add in audio for the installation
    – PING: Let the chimes vary with the ripples to enhance of the effect.
  • Audio
    – Speakers but we having problem with waterproofing and it might block out the sound if we covered it with something
    – Determine if the speaker should be directional or just ambience
  • Live cam on the top of the installation to show the overall effect to audience or it can be linked to iLight website for online viewers 

    Executing Plans:

  • Platform for Anchoring: Boardwalk/Pallet
    Boardwalk would be a better choice for us as it would cover up the wiring and provide extra shield our wirings
  • Weatherproof methods: we can use Rubber Caps on top for the LED
  • Area A1 – Think of a way to install so that it resonates with the existing sculpture

For detailed proposal:

  • Actual blueprint of installation (Pascal)
    – Walking space for audience
    – Distance between each stalk
    – Determine the number of stalks we have
  • Whole Installation Space: 10m x 10m
    Minimal Height for a cluster: 50cm ;
    Maximum Height for a cluster: 100cm ;
    Heights for cluster: 50cm, 70cm, 100cm

    The cluster has the combination of different heights to create more variety and giving a more natural appearance.

  • Determine the cost for each tower, which includes the cost of the platform

Add Ons:

  • Make use of an application for the audience to interact with the installation
    – HS: Let the audience wear ear piece each and choose the pattern they want and they will see and hear the pattern they’ve chosen

    – YY: Can make use of hashtag of our installation and different number of hashtag will result in a different colour

    We might not be using an application due to the complexity nature that might hang up the system for arduino. Considering if large amount of traffic in the web controlling the light would be confusing or frustrating to the user. We also though of what teamLab is doing putting a ipad at the installation to control however it only react to one person did not achieve what we wanted about the ripple effect. Instead we suggest to link up with iLight website that we have suggested above.

  • Application For Interaction with Audience:
    – Maybe we can have a website instead
    – With our live projection
    – Instagram hashtag triggering different impact
    – Application is too much of a hassle
  • Think about budget – for prototype – use cheaper material to determine the scale
  • Crowdfunding for each piece of light tower – so people “sponsor” each light tower and they get to bring it home with them, Customisation methods:Acrylic sheet with thickness or rasterising on the tube itself – make use of cursive fonts and putting shorter alphabets on the center

 

 

RESPONSE: Kim Goodwin, Designing for the Digital Age

In this reading the author define the definition of design was to serve human needs and goals. I really like what he had mention:

design is the craft of visualizing concrete solutions that serve human needs and goals within certain constraints.

While designer is not about expressing their point of view but understanding the problem and giving a concrete solution that meet its goal. This bring us to the next important point of Goal-Directed Design focus on achieving goals was the best way to design a successful product that developed at Cooper. It includes the four components such as principles, patterns, process and practices. I find principle are an important starting point because it helps you to reevaluate the problem and has a clearer idea on which area should the designer work. It touch on the basic by asking the designer does this product accomplish their goals and will it helps the users minimise their work. In design process, the original intention or purpose are often been forgotten along the process as we got more distraction from the constrains or evolving ideas. Principles would provides us the guidelines while creating good solutions.

Another important take off was the design process that involved project planning, research, modeling, requirement definition, framework definition, detailed design and implementation support. In research part the author said that we need to understand it before we can solve the problem which I find it very relevant. Just like before we start of our project for iLight, we went through the requirements and theme before we set of research more about sustainability. We need to know what is it about and design something that tackle the problem. This also reminds me in one of our readings discussed about Mcdonalds would adapt their product to the country’s culture. Definitely, deep research are require to understand the culture to create something authentic and personalise to this particular targeted audience which makes them become international brand.

In conclusion, I feel it is important to define our goals and think about what was the purpose before the design process. The process such as research help us understand more in depth about the problem which would help in analysing the requirements definition and goals to determine the needs. All these process would add up to make the ideas more concrete that serve its purpose.

Design serves as a process catalyst by making ideas concrete.

Co-Broardcasting Reflection

Posted by Su Hwee Lim on Thursday, 12 October 2017

In our first co-broadcasting we are trying the function of combing the both live streams. It was quite easy to use as we just need to invite the person and when they agree we can stream together.

The timing of both cross streaming was quite in sync when we can literally communication to each other. This provides us with the advantage of communication in real time without using other applications.

We are also curious how many people can be added into the live stream, however it only allows 2 people. We was trying to add Joan in to it but we failed to do so.

We also find it quite interesting to play with the view point of high angle and low angle where placing it side by side. It reminds me of our first broadcast when we place all of them in a grid.

I really like how both camera can uses angle to interact with each other. It sorts of added funny factor into the streaming.

Costream test 2 Su Hwee Lim

Posted by ZiFeng Ong on Wednesday, 18 October 2017

So we did another one that was more of a trial for our project taking the advantage of the co-broadcasting. We had plan some actions such as combining the face and try to sync together with our expression.

It was quite fun actually when both of us manage to do it. The result give a bizarre feeling, probably if we would take note of the environment lighting and make our skin tone look similar it will be more unusual.

We also try taking off our glasses together and see how the effect was like. I feel it turns out pretty cool although we have a different glasses.

Passing the object as much easier, however we need to note that we must coordinate properly in order not to expose ourselves. One of the most interesting one was:

When Makoto suggested us to do the side profile and we turn to make it look coordinated. It looks really interesting to me which something we can take note and contribute to our final projects.

From the whole process, we can take advantage on the real time communication and help each other to coordinate together. As for final project we might also need to think about we are broadcasting with 4 or 3 people when one of us can be the coordinator to help us with the broadcast. I have got ideas such as using the common object to use as the passing item and we would have it at both broadcasting locations. Also we could play scissor paper stone with the one next to us, however for 4 streamer would be quite hard to achieve.

Research Critique Hyperessay – Jennicam

Jennifer Ringley started off Jennicam when she stumble upon the new technology webcam and wanted to try and challenge herself on the programming skills in 1996. Jennicam originally it was only for her family and friends and suddenly it when viral when one of the Australian news wrote an article about the website.

Her webcam would take a photo of her bed room every 15 min and automatically post it on her website. One of the things I am really amazed was her openness about publicly broadcast her private life even when she was changing or having intimacy with her partner. However, she was portraying her real life in real just like how she would react in real life. What I mean was nowadays, the celebrity who was on frame and off the frame would act differently or not as what we have seen. Even us, we indeed have a certain image that we want others to perceive.

Jennifer also mention that:

“I’m not going to deny that there is a certain amount of insecurity that goes along with being 19 years old. It’s natural to be seeking approval, but I also tried not to listen too hard to the feedback that was either really good or really bad.

It really do matter to me how people would say about me even though I know we should just being ourselves. I agree with Jennifer way of doing, tired not to listen too hard to the feedbacks because I am the only one who know what are the things I wanted to achieve. She also mention one of the reason why she has stopped broadcasting in a podcast interview was she felt she was exhausted and she develop thick skins for good stuff and bad stuff. She still wants to connect with people and not to distrust strangers. From this I feel that she has reach the extreme point where she had received lots of comment either good or bad. In order to protect herself she in turn subjectively look at these criticism, which this protective layers prevents her to get connected with others and having this distrust.

One of the interesting points she mention in the interview was there is this guy who feel like a loser when he was doing his laundry at home emailed her that he felt better that someone was doing exactly the same thing as him as she is so popular. Jennifer finds is comforting that she was showing someone that is okay to just being themselves. Which this bring me to think about the host from Letterman’s late show said about how people feeling lonely and desperate might be the reason why they wanted to see someone’s life taking place. This kept me thinking if technology really are the one that creates the barrier between us when this problem already happen way before when social media became popular. However I really like the aspect that through this platform someone felt better after he know that actually we are all the same as human.

In overall, Jennifer giving up her privacy at a very young age to a point where she develop thick skin or even has problem connecting with people. In the podcast interview she also mention about the danger of living in public the way we do now when the public would usually over react to the things that is posted. Yet another aspect of it brings comfort to people when Jennifer was broadcasting her real mundane life. Jennicam also reflects the differences of how she put up her real life during the early days if internet and how the current society only portray the good stuff in our social media. There are various of reasons of why and how we crafted the image but most importantly we shouldn’t have expectation or definition of what success are based on what others has posted as that was just a small portion of their life.

Reference:

http://web.archive.org/web/19991013013338/http://jennicam.org:80/gallery/index15.html

http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/patient-zero-of-the-selfie-age-why-jennicam-abandoned-her-digital-life/news-story/539cd1b26016fcee1a51cfca3895a7b5