Nature of Code Midterm: Return of Cathartic Madnezz

Posted on March 2, 2013 by courtnadine

So last semester I had this whole concept of a game where people can choose the things they don’t like….things, creatures….people, whatever and engage in a Fruit Ninja, like game to destroy these things as a means for therapy. Since time was of the essence, I focused more on the interaction and customization of the game, but could not get the Kinect in 3D space to work properly in time.

For my midterm I wish to transform the squares into Vectors, add some wind/forces to the objects,  create particles/shatter effect upon destruction of each item in the array and get the kinect working properly.  I am reconsidering the use of 3D altogether for the purposes of getting it done, but we’ll see.

Please view the game in its current state here: catharticmadnezz .

 

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Nature of Code: Week 4 Particles

Posted on February 27, 2013 by courtnadine

I have been working on a cannon shoot game where the user can shoot a “bomb” out of a “cannon” to hit another object. The plan is when the ball collides with the other object, the object will explode into particles.

I have completed quite a bit of reading and watching off Dan Shiffman’s videos on particles and understand how particles are born, behave, and ultimately die. I understand the class. However, I still need to work on the interactivity of the application itself in order to make it possible. But please view a video of where it is so far. You press space bar to shoot and use the directional keys to move the cannon.

Cannon Shooter

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Preliminary Research on Biomechanical Research Topics of Interest

Posted on February 26, 2013 by courtnadine

For our Biomechanics assignment this week we had to choose three topics to do preliminary research on that were aligned with our own individual interests. My initial findings are below:

Topic of Interest #1: Optical Motion Capture 

I am very interested in motion capture systems and software to track motion, especially in children and infants in order to track their development. However, most of the research papers I found focused on adults, especially those who were older. A nice overview of this process of gait tracking via a depth camera I came across was a journal article entitled, ” Inexpensive Depth Camera for In-Home Gait Assessment”, during my research. The article can be viewed here:

http://www.eldertech.missouri.edu/files/Papers/StoneE/Eval%20of%20an%20Inexpensive%20Depth%20Camera%20for%20In-Home%20Gait.pdf

The article overviewed the benefits of using a depth camera to do this and how it can be used to track a person’s gait within their limbs and body parts and how the data can be used for preventative and actual care. Measuring gait in a person can provide data that can be used to predict the likelihood of a fall or accident and also assist in diagnosing existing conditions. If adequate and qualitative data is used effectively it can assist in allowing more members of the senior community live independently longer.

One of the interesting points that the article addresses is that since the image captured of a person is a depth image, rather than a video, it provides a degree of anonymity. Older adults in particular, many of whom are not a part of the public social media scene, would probably find this to be very attractive, since it is sensitive data and also would probably feel less invaded if a physician or other professional viewed the data.

Topic of Interest #2: Human Movement Visualization Tool (Created using processing) 

While the depth image camera can be used to capture gestures, movements, and measure gait, this data should be  analyzed and synthesized further via a visualization tool. This can be in both a human body as well as graphical form of representation.

I found a few videos and journal articles on the topic.

1) Human Movement Visualization done via laser scan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0mC3QN__Io

2) 3D visualization using motion capture system and then movement patterns 3D printed. http://datavisualization.ch/showcases/bodycloud/

I found a video of Greg Borenstein’s existing tool created in Processing to visualize walk data in a 3D space http://vimeo.com/35221911

Here are a few journal articles I found and read on the topic:

Source #1: http://people.stfx.ca/smackenz/Courses/DirectedStudy/Articles/AnnRevBiomedEng2001.pdf – Computer Modeling and Computer Simulation of Human Movement - This article covers: how the structures of the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems may be represented in a mathematical (computer) model of the body, how these elements may be integrated to simulate the dynamics of a motor task, and how model output can be analyzed.

 

Source #2: Single still style depth/2D motion image visualization, versus multiple images showing movement patterns: http://smart-art.org/PDF/MovementViz.pdf

 

Topic of Interest #3: Sensory Substitution 

Real-time Sensory Substitution to Enable Players who are Blind to Play Video games using Whole Body Gestures. — Using Tactile and Audio cues to prompt users on how to play the game via additional video cam.

http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/2160000/2159385/p147-morelli.pdf?ip=216.165.95.79&acc=ACTIVE%20SERVICE&CFID=184030550&CFTOKEN=26373987&__acm__=1361882449_233bfee546123979d728cb7cc0f36a7a

Autism is a disorder that I am interested in exploring as well. The interesting thing about autism is that it is more about perception than total loss of sense. I wonder if there is a tool that could be used to either monitor or assist those with autism have a more comfortable and functional perception of themselves in society.

Here is an article on the unique sensory perception that often accompanies autism below:

http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/different_sensory_experiences.htm

Topic of Interest #4: Child Developmental Milestone Tracking Via Toy Interaction, Measuring Gait, Strength, Pressure, Muscles

Monitoring Children’s developmental progress using augmented toys and activity recognition. This would be a continuation of the stuffed toy, ButterHugz, I began last semester. The toy is a stuffed animal designed for developmental milestone tracking.  I am interested in doing more research in different sensors that could be used to track motion data and creating a visualization for it.

http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/2130000/2125155/779_2011_Article_386.pdf?ip=216.165.95.79&acc=ACTIVE%20SERVICE&CFID=184030550&CFTOKEN=26373987&__acm__=1361883054_c6f38a72c73627ffa2cf5349ce07aa04


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Week 3: Oscillatory Motion

Posted on February 20, 2013 by courtnadine

 

This week I converted an older project to PVectors to practice passing through and creating new objects using PVector object. I learned that it is a different process. Instead of passing through values through Pvector variables within the constructor, instead, you use the command new PVector. I also added an oscillatory motion to the project so instead of the project having balls that simply move straight along the x and y axis. Now the balls move more in an orbital motion.

Please download and view the project here:

http://itp.nyu.edu/~cnc292/myblog/NatureofCode/ballgameoscillation.zip

Here’s a screen recording of the sketch:

BallOscillation

 

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Week 2: Attraction and Opposing Forces

Posted on February 13, 2013 by courtnadine

Click here to download the code and files here: PlayingHardtoGet

The video can be seen here:

Playing Hard to Get

Playing hard to get was a continuation of Week 1′s Rose Love. I took the Random Walker, added two walkers, added some perlin noise, and added some opposing mouse operations using the vectors. The title was inspired from the fact that no matter how how hard or where you move the mouse, they two line forces being drawn never initially intersect.

 

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Connected Documentary — Week 2

Posted on February 12, 2013 by courtnadine

The connected documentary provided a philosophy that the concept of mobile technology is becoming increasingly loose. Through the power of internet and telecommunications technologies humans now how the power to have all kinds of real-time data provided to them in and hand-held, on screen, or other unique format.

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The Neck: Mapping the Range of Motion

Posted on February 12, 2013 by courtnadine

I decided on mapping the range of motion for the neck: flexion, extension, and twisting because I feel like the neck is an understated part of the body that is capable of conveying physical and emotional responses to various stimuli. These responses can be measured and analyzed.

Check out the animation this address: https://vimeo.com/59458377 .

I used Poser 6, a 3D graphics and animation program, in order to map the motion. In this particular version of the animation, I did not include the angle of rotation, however, I found the average angle for range of motion for the neck, according to the Working Postures and Movements: Tools for Evaluation and Engineering text I found on Google Books. The preview can be found at : http://books.google.com/books?id=FL2eOeomjxoC&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=neck+twist+angle&source=bl&ots=QVu-9IzsqF&sig=VC8CJs7keNYcL3yDBxI6Cj1m0H4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fpAZUfSdFYiw0QHC2ICQDA&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=neck%20twist%20angle&f=false . It discusses the angles for the neck beginning on page 83. According to the source the usual comfortable range of motion t for a neck flexion and extension is about 45 degrees and can go up to 60 degrees….with slight discomfort. On the other hand neck twisting, can have a comfortable range of motion between 20 and 60 degrees.

Overall, this book is an excellent biomechanics resource that goes into detail when it comes to movement of various limbs and joints.

 

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Dr. James P. Wells: Researcher in the Biomechanics of Development Infants

Posted on February 12, 2013 by courtnadine

THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLE USED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. JAMES WELLS RESEARCH WAS  FOUND AT: HTTP://WWW.JAOA.ORG/CONTENT/102/6/313.FULL.PDF+HTML . THE FULL CITATION IS: WELLS, JAMES P. HYLER-BOTH, DAVID. DANLEY, TABITHA. WALLACE, GREGORY. BIOMECHANICS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN A HEALTHY HUMAN INFANT: A PILOT STUDY. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION. June 1, 2002 vol. 102 no. 6 313-319. <http://www.jaoa.org/content/102/6/313.full.pdf+html>

Children are a demographic that I am very passionate and excited about. Therefore, I wanted to learn more about the research of individuals  that specialize with biomechanics in pediatrics, in particularly child development.  Therefore, I looked at several papers that Dr. James P. Wells, professor and researcher at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisberg, West Virginia. Much of his research concerns the implications of biomechanics in developing infants. He performed several studies in order to obtain a better understanding of the biomechanics of a normal developing infant. I felt that since I am interested in learning how to design technology and interfaces for children and parents of children with developmental delays, that it would benefit me greatly to first learn more about the biomechanics of those without them.

What I find the most compelling and captivating  about his research is how originally, he didn’t work with human infant subjects, but instead worked with rheesus monkeys because their infant development is very, very similar to those of humans. A link to the study can be found here: http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0047248484710293/1-s2.0-S0047248484710293-main.pdf?_tid=3e8dcc0e-6f5b-11e2-ac48-00000aab0f27&acdnat=1360045025_3270021dd2642a31abbf8019a5ae665d He dissected semi-frozen monkeys in order to closely examine their joints and limbs and their growth and development over the course of 18 months. From this research process, he was able to gain a better understand of how the “center of mass” shifts as the body’s limbs proceed to grow. Years later, he moved on to human subjects, and confirmed that his comparisons were valid.

The basic methodology of the study was done as follows: 168 infant subjects participated in the study and their “body-segment length, diameter, circumference, and skinfold thickness” measurements were taken at several segment locations. One of the major points within the publication is that limb length and circumference increase with age. In turn, postural and locomotor skills are gradually acquired such as sitting up, standing, crawling, and walking as the body grows and the center of mass shifts from the head, and more evenly distributes itself throughout the body. This is usually most apparent, during the first 18 months of a child’s life. The child was observed and recorded performing the following positional behavior: lift head, bear weight on legs, roll over, pull to sit, sitting, and other common developmental milestones. The biomechanics of the subject was then cross compared with a non-human counterpart’s development: A Rheesus Monkey .

It was found that increased fat deposits in the pelvis are related directly to the acquisition of advanced locomotor and postural skills. Forelimbs and shoulder girdles cause the arms center of mass to migrate and as a result infants are able to stand on two legs and walk, as a result.

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Nature of Code – Homework One

Posted on February 6, 2013 by courtnadine

In the name and month of Love, I decided to create Roses for my first Nature of Code Homework and keep things real simple. I plan to add steps to this at the completion of every few iterations of the “rose drawings”. But in the meantime, please view where it is so far! :-)

Nature of Code Homework 1 – RoseLove

Please see my code for the class below. This is modified code from the Nature of Code book by Dan Shiffman:

class Walker {

float x;
float y;
Walker() {
x = random(640);
y = random(480);
}

void render() {
stroke(0);
float rgbRed=random(255);
float rgbGreen=random(255);
float rgbBlue=random(255);
float randomWidth=random(50);
float randomHeight=random(50);
//
// x = random(640);
// y = random(480);

fill(rgbRed, 0, 0);
noStroke();
ellipseMode(CENTER);

ellipse(x, y, randomWidth, randomHeight);
ellipse(x-10, y-10, randomWidth, randomHeight);

ellipse(x+10, y+10, randomWidth, randomHeight);

rectMode(CENTER);
rect(x, y, randomWidth, randomHeight);
fill(255, 105, 180);
}

// Randomly move up, down, left, right, or stay in one place
void walk() {
float vx = random(-3, 3);
float vy = random(-10, 10);
x -= vx;
y += vy;

// Stay on the screen
x = constrain(x, 0, width-1);
y = constrain(y, 0, height-1);
}
}

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Response to Are Cell Phones Replacing Reality

Posted on February 5, 2013 by courtnadine

For our first assignment we needed to watch the video clip from PBS entitled, Are Cell Phones Replacing Reality? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXIAM7dTTg&feature=youtu.be,  and respond to it.

I agree with the premise that cell phones and the usage of social media on cell phones and the internet are somewhat replacing reality.  People always try to show themselves in the best light possible on the internet. They post their pictures, make their commentary, status updates (that sometimes seem like their gloating, and even update their relationship statuses when they feel like it. But often what is on facebook, is definitely not the reality.

That is not to say that social media doesn’t give people the power to stay connected quicker, longer, faster, but it has the potential of giving a distorted view of reality and the long term emotional and psychological effects of regular use of social remains to be seen.

I would like to illustrate this best by addressing a personal situation a friend of mine experienced first hand of how one can totally mislead one of their personalities by primarily limiting contacting them via social media.

1. Girl Meets guy in high school.

2. Girl meets with guy a twice in person after high school.

3. Girl and guy keep in touch via social media for years and years.

4. Girl and guy decide they want to take their relationship off “social media” and use more direct forms of communication: phone calls and phone texts

5. Girl and guy are shocked to learn about the “other” side of their personalities….the negative side.

Digital communication is just that: it’s digital. It’s on or off. It’s this or that. Direct voice communication provides the opportunity to have more immediacy, tone, and gauge emotions and attitude. In other words, you can stalk somebody daily on Facebook, keep up with every status update, and you can exchange 2000000000 text/facebook message and still not know who somebody is. However, you can get to know somebody a little better, with 5 – 1 hour phone calls. Direct voice communication is irreplaceable.

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