March 09, 2006
shadowBox - 3.9.06 update
We finally got full control of servo motors, using the patterns that Min made and lasercut at the NYU ITS lab we got some cool 3d effects, especially using the fabrics on top of the box.
I rewired the arduino board and placed it on a regular breadboard. Finally workable and easily managed:
From here, our next big challenge is to fully control the lights, either using shift registers or transistor arrays, or whichever other way we find.
Here's the current arduino code to control 6 different servo motors using 6 potentiometers:
more inspiring shadow-play photos from Myanmar:
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 09:49 PM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2006
Independent Project - light & fabric testing
On friday, feb. 17th, Min and I got together to try out her lights with my fabrics. We got some nice effects, and have reached basic decisions on how to start this project.
We will build a small, frame-like sized box (5'x1'). I'm taking care of the thin piece of wood for the back, while Min will find out a good source for LED's.
We agreed on having the patterns in between the LED's and the fabrics move in order to create those great effects that we noticed, although I'm still not sure if its better to move the LED's themselves. But that might be too hard for a first stage, so might come later.
Its as if these lights act as "mini-flashlights", shining onto the different layers of fabric, through the patterns that we created. Gives an interesting 3d texture.
We haven't agreed yet on how to layer out the "grid" of lights.
Photos @ Min's Blog
I've started trying to get a Maya model of our box. Will be nice to try to visualize the shape & light positioning in order to make the right choices when we build it. I'm stuck not able to create a semi-seethrough fabric effect... But here's a VERY initial sketch.
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 05:18 PM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Mosaic / Shadows
This is a poster I walked by today. I like the style and look of the dress. A similar effect can be made using patterns and shadows. With more contrast it can look more 3D!
This is the storefront for the Angel store in Central, Hong Kong. The facade is amazing and draws your attention immediately. I was thinking if the black dividers could change, as well as the colors behind them, it could be super-duper cool. Maybe more of an interactive display!
This is inside the new Lane Crawford store in Admiralty, Hong Kong. Designwise it is amazing, ... and... they have an interactive video display (video sensing, projection based).
James Clar's work - created a visual clock with R,G,B colors refering to hours, minutes and seconds. AAARgh. Is there anything that hasn't been done already?
more ideas:
- to have a display that can sense people's names (through bluetooth) and do something with that text.
- put your fingerprint, and have a labyrinth-style display made from that image (of your print)
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2006
"As You Like It" - Set Design: Feb 5, '06
Agreed with Jessica - previous suggested set too complicated.
Needs the design to be:
- simple, moveable (tourable)
- easier to rehearse (5 weeks in Hong Kong)
- a centralized playing space (raked stage in the center, that doesn't move). This is almost like a machine or a box (not a music box-cutsie) but elegant.
Shakespeare's AYLI is a social commedy about love and the nature of man. There's no grandeur, no heroism and no tragedy. Doesn't need to evoke those feelings, nor eternity => therefor doesn't require depth as a visual effect.
Can think about projections for the background, but solely as an add-on effect (dessert menu - when we finish with the meal, we can decide if we're gonna order).
Think about making a turning rotunda, like an umbrella, which can change the feel of the scene by a simple turn / lighting effect.
For reference, look at drawings of a book called struppel peter (stupid peter).
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 09:05 PM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2006
Independent Project
Meeting with Min brought up a lot of interesting facets of networked objects and interactive architecture.
Things to think about:
- using calm technology to somehow create the presence of time in a space. Why wear a watch or have to constantly look for a watch. Time is all around us, constantly there. An idea is to think of a way to visually have time around us, just not in an intrusive manner. An idea was to use patterns of shadows -> taking it back to the roots, when sundials were used in order to keep track of time.
(A reference to this idea is the lighting-time scheme on a skyscraper in Wan Chai, Hong Kong).
- another idea was to somehow create a new way to display visuals. We were both interested in mosaics, and piecing together different pieces that make a whole. We talked about the details that are seen when close by, but making a whole clear picture from faraway. Possibly usage of different materials. Building a modular display screen, that is based on this irregularity of structure, using LED's and glass/plexi. Also possible to project on something like this. Not sure what the use would be though. Maybe just a pretty thing to look at, like a mosaic is.
- I'd love to work with shadows. Casting shadows as patterns. Using them to create visuals, possibly animations / mirror images. Visually this has always attracted me.
- An idea i've been carrying for a while with me was to have a physical object (statue-like) that's connected to the web, and surfs the major news websites. Everytime a terrorist act happened somewhere in the world, the object would shout, or create a certain sound that would be heard only by people in its' vicinity. This is interesting because it gives a sort of feel and presence to people who hear it, not knowing exactly what's going on, but realizing that something has happened.
Website references:
- Jason Burges - deals with interactive spaces
- Zaha Hadid - Front page of his website - I like the use of curtains to project the face.
- Many of the things we talked about - Interactive architecture & Design
Some pattern photos i've taken (more to come...).
Some image references from mosaics and stained glass windows.
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 10:47 PM | Comments (0)
January 29, 2006
Interactive Architecture
LED display which reacts / interacts according to sensors. The idea is to create a sort of changing mosaic that wraps a building. Content is negotiable. Could be flowers climbing up. Could be colors according to temperature. Could react to newspaper articles (if there is a terrorist attack, building changes). Many options for this.
Mosaic inspiration comes from the many subway stations in New York. Will upload some photos here, but they are so beautiful. I was just thinking if I could somehow recreate them digitally and have the display on them change. That could be amazing.
Look at this website - GLOSS project - Global Smart Spaces
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 12:53 AM | Comments (0)
Text analysis
I am thinking of a way to display text (using skills that I will learn in OpenGL). Making an installation where the text is actually interactive -> Maybe also using Virtools. Basically, the viewer will speak into a microphone, and a visualization of his words will appear on the screen. This could fit into a world that's created online. Hopefully there is a "voice recognition" patch available. Need to talk to Mike Olson about this.
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 12:50 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2006
ideas and inspirations
Just some ideas that
Interactive / Reactive architectural display. Networked buildings.
Networked watches.
Most people have watches. Personally I hate them. Why? I guess because having that thing on my wrist that constantly follows the time is just not appealing to me. Makes me feel like I'm more of a slave to time, rather than it giving me service. It would be interesting to add features to that tool, which might make it much more appealing to many people (as well as myself). In Hong Kong you can buy a special watch with RFID, so that you can use it as your Subway card (the brilliant octopus network in the MTR). Taking it a step forward, I can think of a handful of useful tasks that a networked watch could help me out with.
James Clar's work is amazing and inspiring to me. Just goes to show when you use a simple technology, but on a hugh scale, how impressive the outcome is.
http://www.jamesclar.com/blog/archives/2005/11/index.html
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)
ideas and inspirations
Just some ideas that
Interactive / Reactive architectural display. Networked buildings.
Networked watches.
Most people have watches. Personally I hate them. Why? I guess because having that thing on my wrist that constantly follows the time is just not appealing to me. Makes me feel like I'm more of a slave to time, rather than it giving me service. It would be interesting to add features to that tool, which might make it much more appealing to many people (as well as myself). In Hong Kong you can buy a special watch with RFID, so that you can use it as your Subway card (the brilliant octopus network in the MTR). Taking it a step forward, I can think of a handful of useful tasks that a networked watch could help me out with.
James Clar's work is amazing and inspiring to me. Just goes to show when you use a simple technology, but on a hugh scale, how impressive the outcome is.
http://www.jamesclar.com/blog/archives/2005/11/index.html
Posted by Gilad Lotan at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)