Experiments in Mixed Reality

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Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Contents

Course Description

This course is a continuation of DA 4261 Physical Computing with a focus on making creative work that has agency in both virtual and physical space. We continue to work with micro-controllers and introduce the basic principles of Max/MSP, Jitter, and Processing. Emphasis will be placed on individual creative interests and extensive independent research into both concepts and technical information. Readings and the viewing of current artistic practices in the digital arts complement critiques. Students are required to maintain websites that document their research and progress over the term.

Living in Mixed Realities:

"What does it mean to live, play and work in a world shaped and perceived through digital media, networks and architectures of real and virtual space? How can the development of complex communication spaces, life environments and economic models be designed as an interplay of technological, social, and artistic forces, as Mixed Realities of Art, Science and Technology.

"The design of a Mixed Reality Architecture, which connects processes in virtual space to the social environments and everyday cultural practice, poses challenges to technologists, scientists and artists alike. Basic design elements are networked structures, which allow new collaborative forms of work and Knowledge Discovery, human-oriented interaction and Awareness, media spaces, Room ware and advanced interfaces."

Links

Follies

For the first half of the term we'll shift the focus away from each student having to create something individually and towards some collaborative small projects (Digital Follies) that focus less on masterpiece and more on fun/play. The end goal is that everyone begins to sample and learn some new technology (and share the knowledge via wiki, email, blogs) that might then be put to service on an individual final project.

The class is divided into 3 small groups that each focus on one technology together for 2 weeks each and one week of implementation. The key here is SMALL scale, doable follies that make us and our audience smile.

The Follies should in some way engage in the physical world and the more elusive virtual one (web, latent data streams, home brew database, cell phone, heart rate or or or...). They should also be respectful of the location and not be disruptive to the occupants or activities of the sites.

Robert, Joe and Bang Geul will be participants in the groups, although there is no pre-determined leadership structure. Each group determines the most effective way to divide the tasks necessary to realize their ideas.

Folly Challenge

Team technologies:
To clarify my intentions when I coupled the technologies each team would use, the emphasis is on the first technology in each list. The basic stamp or arduino microcontrollers are less important and are a part of all the team's available goodies. What sets the team apart and what should make each team's work possible are the other technologies on the list. They are Processing, MAX/MSP Jitter and RFID.
Robert_Ransick 15:17, 15 September 2006 (EDT)

My understanding was that the arrangement of technologies for the first round of follies (below) was pre-determined (by us) for the sake of getting the ball rolling, and that for the 2nd and 3rd follies we'll be more flexible with the distribution of tech. Are we no longer open to a team using some other interesting technology (Quartz Composer, Pd, GPS, MIDI, MAKE controller, etc.) as their primary tech? I'm hoping we're still all about fun and learning new technologies during folly-time. Joe 21:57, 15 September 2006 (EDT)

The technologies remain the same as outlined below for each challenge as we discussed, but the teams can choose to include more items/technology for any and all follies. Robert_Ransick 23:09, 15 September 2006 (EDT)

Team #1
Processing
Arduino

Team #2
MAX/MSP Jitter
Arduino or Basic Stamp

Team #3
RFID
Basic Stamp modules

Each Folly has a defined frame to guide the teams work:

Challenge #1

Frame: "Dickinson Meet Jennings"
The challenge is to create a "bridge" between the two sites (any public space within Dickinson or Jennings) and provide the opportunity for people to glimpse/understand something about the other location in a new or unexpected way. What can the inhabitants of either site see/learn/glimpse from the other? Is there harmony or disharmony to be found or created?

Challenge #2

Frame: "Transiting Hallowed Halls VAPA"
The project is to be sited in a hallway inside VAPA. Hallways are typically thought of as transitional spaces and not destinations. Can we provide a different sort of hallway experience? Is there a way to collect, reveal or insert new data into the space and craft a new sort of hallowed hall that builds on the strengths of the transitional and becomes or embodies elements of a destination?

Challenge #3


Frame: "Liberate the Library"
The project is to be sited at the Crossett Library. In this time of rampant technological advancement, how has our relationship to what a library has historically been changed or shifted? How has, or can, our relationship to data, knowledge, books, stacks, reading rooms etc. be enhanced by new technologies? Working with the library staff each team is to create a project that provides a new kind of library experience.

Remember that for this folly Joe, Robert and BG are floats, not ints (bad C joke). They will work with any team that wants their help, and probably some that don't.

  • Team JAMRAM! MAX/MSP, Processing, Flash, BASIC Stamp, RFID (Jesse Levitt, Aurora Thornhill, Max Cantor, Ryan Moran, Angela Sheehan, Mary Casserly)


Electronics: Technology assigned to the group and check-out items.
Materials: Only found materials can be used in crafting your challenge (nothing can be purchased)
Time: Two weeks (projects must be ready/installed by the start of class.)

The project must be intuitive and fun!

An example of quick projects: interaction hacking

Final Projects

...comments from robert

Code Library

Everyone in the class will get a network home directory account. Some of them will already have one and be familiar with it from Coding Like You Mean It. We'll have a short intro to what it is and how it's used.

And we'll use subversion for our code library. It's already set up from Coding Like You Mean It. Browsable here. There'll be a short intro to this, too. I'm hoping we find some nice GUI wrapper apps.

Using Subversion for Mixed Reality.

The Tech

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