Bullet freeze Challenge

We received another one day assignment to set us up for our project. This was to create a bullet dodging technique as seen in the movie 'The Matrix'. We got the chance to be in a large group this time which for my group I found to work effectively as we set out to research all different ways to create this effect. I was able to find a few things that have been done really well like this advertisement. But overall the effect we found to be most useful was using a green screen and a spinning board to record a subject rotating which I found from here. This gave a realistic look and did not take long to make.

http://onmatterandmemory.blogspot.com/2010/01/note-on-bullet-time-scene-in-matrix-and.html

Just before finalising how we were going to create a bullet time effect for every person we felt we could give it a bit of a back story and have everyone doing something different to have more variety then the same effect over and over. As the amount of time we had to record in the green screen room was limited for the 3 teams all wanting to use it, we worked sufficiently by planning ahead who was to go first and what they needed for their effect. Overall I am happy with the outcome for our team for the amount of time we had. Below is my version of bullet time and the full video can be found here.

 

Project 3: Part Four

I spent 10 hours on Thursday trying to create a more accurate colour detector but do not feel that I was able to progress too far. There are a lot of bugs that do not seem to have a recognisable solution but cannot be ignored if I were to present a completed project. I decided to leave the programming as it was and to start working on the device.

The inner part of my device

I went on to show my work on Friday even though it was not completed. I made a switch circuit for the light to be built around an arm bandage of my device as the wearable part. I then chose to use the ventilation tubing from the film as an outer part of the device as I wanted to give it more of a material connection from the film to my device. Using duck tape also helped with a more home made look too. I found that the final result was not what I had anticipated on, the main reason was how much effort I had put into the creation of the device and not using the keyboard hack in my program. I think I needed to get more experience with using MaxMSP and have a basic knowledge of if my idea will be able to be produced within the time frame allocated. I found I had not planned enough of what constraints I might face as well as making too many assumptions on how what I think the computer sees things, such as how a LED shows up on a computer camera.

Demonstration video can be found here.

Project 3: Part Three

Tuesday
I have began the programming and may have underestimated how much will be required to get my project complete. I could not understand how a lot of the programming works but by the end of the day I was able to get a basic structure for the main use of my program as well as an intro. I was able to work with a few other students who were using the same effect and able to gain better knowledge of the commands for MaxMSP. I have found that some of the more simpler problems still take a while to solve which takes up time I do not have to waste. I have decided that I need to stay focused on having something worth presenting for Friday rather than sticking with my original plan. After reflecting with some of the other students I feel I may have overestimated how big the project is to be.

Wednesday
I have found the programming part of the project to be very time consuming and has left me to remove some of the less important patches of my program. I have decided to now focus on just the colour detection and have that work with the device but still have an observation and interaction mode to include human interaction. I was also given a setback today when finding out that the colour program I have been using had not been detecting colour because of my laptops camera. This means any of the programming needs to be done at Uni using the Uni computers.

Project 3: Part Two

I have been researching what it is that would relate the look of the device to the film, I have chosen to go with something robotic or home made to give it more of an imaginative feel like my character 'Karl'. For the programming I thought it should give the users choices like the ones Karl faced in the film. Depending on what the user decided, he/she would get a different outcome and live with it like Karl did. The user will get the chance to interact in a 'dream world' by having an object on screen and they can move it by moving the device that is attached to their arm. I will do this by using colour detection and have a camera pointed at the user, with a light on the device the program will pick it up and move the object accordingly to the light. 

 http://www.buzzlightyeartoysseeus.co.cc/tag/buzz%20lightyear%20arm%20toy

I was able to discuss about this idea and the teachers have approved it, if I can make the device have more interaction with the user and have reason behind why the device is wearable. I have realised that there is not much use of my device to be on the arm. On the day back at Uni I was able to resolve this issue and give my device a more user interactive aspect. It would now have two modes, observation and interaction. The observation mode will be when the user has there elbow bent and their fist as close to their shoulder. It will pause the program and turn off the light giving the user a sense of realisation about what is happening and the chance to think things through. When in interactive mode the arm is fully stretched as to look like they are in control of what is happening. The light will be on and the program will play when in the 'dream' modes but not when they are to make decisions which they will need to be back in observation mode.

I find for me to complete this project I will need to spend the next two days working on the program. I have found that it would be pointless to start creating the wearable device if the program does not work. 

Project 3: Part One

I feel I have mixed feelings about being handed this project. First off there is the horrific knowledge of knowing that there will never be time for a break and every night will be late until the end of the year. This is also why I like my course because it takes real commitment over long periods of time to accomplish something rather than a three hour test at the end of the year. Anyway this new project is more in the field I am interested in; to create a wearable device that allow the user to interact with an onscreen event and gives the same emotional engagement as the video from Project 2.

Connecting digital world with the physical

I find this being an individual project, it can be beneficial as well as less productive. I get to make all the executive decisions but now fail on getting other unique and interesting ideas for my project. I look forward to seeing how well everyone can work individually and to see the results of other classmates.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wearable-Piano-Interface/

musical t-shirt

I have started researching on what it is the audience takes away from my film by getting people to watch it and give me feedback on what they think about it afterwards.This has helped me get an idea on what will happen when the user uses my device. Since I was part of making my film and worked immensely on the main characters development I find I have to not mix up what it is the audience feel from the film and what the main character feels in the film. This I find, will be the biggest fallback in keeping the relevance between the film and device.