AR521/621 Site Specific Art

AR521/621 Site Specific Art

Ekandy: Virtual-Site interactive visual rhythm display

Virtual-Site Specific Interactive Art

Site specific art is influenced by it’s location (‘site’) and surroundings.

A Virtual-Site allows for easy duplication of the art object, which introduces multiple ‘sites’.

As a result, the art can respond dynamically depending on it’s specific ever-changing location.

This naturally leads to interactivity.

My site-specific dynamic interactive art creation

By using a computer and a webcam to define an art site, the art creation is influenced by the location & environment of the site, most specifically, by the people at the site.

Influence by interaction: visitors at the site 'reach' or 'move' their body to a certain part of the display, as prompted by an on screen visualization. Followed by visual acknowledgement if the goal was reached.

Interaction Concept

On screen visualizations appear based upon the rhythm of a song, beat, or loop

This concept is vaguely similar to a combination of the popular games DDR and GuitarHero.

However, by using a virtual ‘eye’ on the environment of the site (image/video input), the art object allows for a wider range of interactions. › E.g. if the user is near (larger) to the camera, as

opposed to farther (smaller) away.

Example locations:

Location Specifics

Site-specific conditions contribute to the influences upon the art object, thus rendering all the duplicate art objects as unique. They are:

Environment and backdrop of the location Lighting, stationary objects. Etc

Non-stationary objects: Humans, animals, insects, clocks, cars, etc

Musical element

Computer model/software configurations.

Technology

Interactivity:++ Motion detection

algorithm based upon a binary template (white pixels represent changes from previous frame, and black pixels represent stationary pixels) is used for determining user body movement.

Visualizations:++ Apple's Quartz

combined with QTCapture frame by frame access to the iSight camera, and a line detection algorithm provides unique and attractive visualization effects that can be placed on the video at runtime.

Quartz image effect example

Using a line detection algorithm with a Quartz built-in effect from OSX developer tools, this visualization was captured.

Interactive rhythm objects and music would be placed on top.

Another Quartz example:

Expanding upon the virtual site. Possible features:

Syncing with the virtual site’s iTunes to create a game or sequence based upon a specific song.

Movie recording capability.› Would a recorded video be an extension of the object? Or

would it be it’s own work of art based upon a specific unique ‘site’?

Snapshot capability.

Site

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Initial release (by end of BU CFA AR521/621 class perimeter):› Add-on/Plug-in for the popular Mac OSX

application Photobooth. ^ v

› Stand alone Mac OSX active/interactive game application with Cocoa developed graphical user interface.

iPhone:› Possible future iPhone deployment would

expand the possibilities of “specific sites”.› Ekandy uses the Objective C programming

language and the Cocoa interface builder within the OSX developer tools, which are shared with the iPhone SDK.

Delivery Methods

Internet: › Downloadable from my OSX software

website: http://www.2xdvisual.com/iconvault/v2.htm

› Possible inclusion for download on Apple’s website.

› Future iPhone release = iTunes iPhone App Store delivery

Benefits:

+ Visual method for learning/improving rhythm

++ Expanding/building upon the idea of ‘site-specific’ art, as well as pioneering interactive art, bridging the gap between art and code.

+++ Mac based image analysis algorithms/platform for alternative input interfacing.

++++ Traffic generator for my ‘art and code’ website, including possible incoming referrals from apple.com.

Project/object name???

I spent some time thinking about whether this project or piece of art could be permitted to have a name. My final decision was yes, it indeed could benefit from having a name.

Here are some of the names that I thought of:› Ekandy (my favorite)› Rhythm Dancing› Rhythm Dancer› iJive (ugh)› iAnything (double ugh)

Your Thoughts…

“ZOMG I love Photobooth, but I spend too much time on it already!!” –Annie

“That’s pretty cool man, sounds like it will replace going to the gym ha ha” – Mike

“Site-specific-art generator is what that is! SICK!” – Roomster

Budget

Time is money. My time is certainly money, so with that in mind, the timely completion of project Ekandy’s initial release is in order- EH