final

Create a project that is based on one of the following themes:
1)Data Gathering& Display Remix (The Post- Structuralist Author)
2)Ones& Zeros (Digital Nature)
3)Forking Pathways (Narrative& Games)
4)Off screen Interaction (Sensory Engagement and the Haptic)

As the final project must be a reflection of our theme essay my project will be focused on
Off Screen Interaction

The Idea of my project is to create an interactive exhibition which will allow people to forget their inhibitions,experiencing with their bodies what they would be unlikely to in many other public contexts

After researching a series of interactive exhibition engaging the entire body i came up with the idea of creating a proposal of my own, with the name: Modern Pollock

Modern Pollock is an exhibition that shall be hosted by a Museum such as Victoria & Albert (well known for hosting interactive artworks) due to its cost of production but also its need of a whole exhibit area for its presentation.

Its name is derived from the great artist as its existence is supported on the Pollock's basic conceptual identity of his painting.It is well known that Pollock created his drippings and therefore paintings on his act of dancing.

As a result, Modern Pollock is conducted of a platform which is consisted of grids of Suitable Energy Floor modules(which provide energy to the sound system of the exhibit's room) while right opposite to this platform there is a video wall screen which transforms people movement into color drippings such as Pollock's.In this way the viewers of the installation are encouraged to both play around with their body movement in order to create visual patterns on the wall while at the same time they are encouraged to dance,jump or run on the platform in order to produce music.Further more through the generation of Kinetic Energy (provided from the SEF modules) the viewers' engagement to grid enhances the volume of the music produced.

Execution through Research:

Notes:

Interactive Multimedia system:
Is a hardware and software system which
1)is the real time system
2)can input data by using various sensors,cameras& other sources of signals
3)Can output data by the graphics, sound, haptics, robotics and other devices

It is consisted of:
Camera, Pc, Sound system,Arduino, Screen

Ways of developing such systems:
a)Low-Level Libraries: OpenCV, OpenGL, OpenCL
b)Middle- Level platforms: Processing, Openframeworks, Cinder
c) High- Level environments:Max/MSP/Jitter, VVVV, Unity3D

Image Examples:
-Color Images of the visible spectrum
-Infrared images
-Ultrasound Images
-Radar Images
-Depth Images

Camera for Computer vision:
-Key Features:
-Resolution
-Number of frames per second
-Type of data obtained
-Ways to transfer data into computer

For the creation of visual patterns through human motion i would use a Kinect Microsoft Camera which is considered a smart camera.

A kinect Camera is a normal color camera; similar to a webcam with an aray of microphones, accelerometer,motor etc BUT it also includes a laser IR projector and an IR camera which it uses to calculate a depth map and for roughly every pixel in the color image, you can retrieve its distance to the camera.

A clear demonstration of how kinect cameras work after the alteration of algorithms ad codes by Memo Akten who is the creator of the Body Paint interactive exhibit.

The analysis and change of image occurs in OpenFrameworks:

Therefore, the Byte processing happens in OpenCV.
OpenCV is an Open Library with a set of functions for processing analysis and image recognition C/C++

Computer Vision:
Is the theory and technology of creating machines that can see

Topic included in Computer Vision:
-Play action
-Detection of events
-Tracking
-Pattern recognition
-Restoration of Images

Ways to transfer data into the computer:
-Analog
-Webcams (USB Camera)
-Firewire- Camera
-Network
-Smart Camera

Body Paint by Memo Akten,inspirational interactive exhibition

After customizing the software which is written in C++ using the open-source toolkit openFrameworks and computer vision library openCV, the human shapes and motions will be converted into colors and drips that will be projected on the retroreflective screen.

Considering the rectangular platform on the floor, as mentioned above, it will be conducted by SEF modules which convert human footfal into electrical energy.The energy generated will be perceived by the audience through the production of white LED lights and by the generation of the sound system supporting the exhibit.In this way the viewers will be triggered to cover even more SEF modules which will give the opportunity to the people of creating their own energy to illuminate the space around them.Even more experimentation of human motions will be supported through the variety of deflections applied for different kind of movement (dancing,jumping,running) More specific, less motion- lower volume-less visual patterns and less LED lights.

Projection occurs in both shots
(behind them)

Sketches of Modern Pollock

Feelings of wonderment, excitement,curiosity to viewers of all ages

The battery is related to the production of music

The above sketches visualize the Modern Pollock.They present the viewers possible response to it but also the outcomes of interaction.It is important to highlight the fact that the room will be in complete darkness as the existence of sunlight will have an effect on the quality of projection and therefore depiction of human motions through dripping colors.
The dripping colors will be:
Red,Yellow,Blue,Black,Orange and Green
As they are the colors which Pollock used more often in his pantings

Concerning the playlist of the music produced, in the opening of the exhibition there will be a dj who will be playing popular dancing songs of the last 10 years.He will also be accepting the visitors' requests on which songs they would like to dance to.At the end of the night he will have created a playlist which will be used for the remaining days of the exhibition which will combine both his own music but also the audience's choices, embracing in this way the whole meaning of interaction.