Technology

Technology requirements:

  • Surround system
  • 4 networked laptops
  • 2 projectors
  • 2 screen projectors
  • Performer
  • Specks
  • Max/Msp
  • Jitter
  • Processing

    • Max/Msp

    Max/Msp is the software that allows us to control and switch between the different stages. In order to do that we designed a Master Max/Msp patch connected to the jitter patch, and max-link (link between max and processing), and sound granulator, received the data from the motion capture system.

    Jitter

    Jitter is the visual library for Max/Msp. It is a language that gives wide options for artistic visual environments, interactive video/network based art in realtime. The visual narrative was organized using stripped videos in all the stages, changing their positions, sizes, content, blur,... according to the data that the performer were sending to Motion Viewer. So for each stage, parameters as velocity, x-y-z coordinates, were selected and according to the stage they triggered the changes that made understandable the narrative of the interactive performance we wanted to achieve in the beginning.

    Processing

    Processing is an open source JAVA based programming language that enabled us to create the graphics presented on the floor projection. The presentation was divided in 5 stages: exploration - play, chaos, stasis, chaos and harmony. We used the motion capture system in order to track the movement of the hands and relate our drawings to that movement. The stages are characterised by different levels of body tension and thus different apperance and complexity of the visual output. To achieve that we programmed the overall visuals through Processing coding. In order to enable switching from one stage to another we measured the incoming data (velocity, x,y,z coordinates) from the motion capture technology.

    Performer


    Specks

    Our group is using eleven “specks” - Orient 3 Inertial Measurement Units (ref), developed by the Speckled Computing Dept (ref) at Edinburgh University.




    The hardware informed the formation of our concept and continues to play a role in how we conceptualize tension-release. Those sensors provide us the possibility of measuring this data and translate it into visuals and sound.
    The design process thus works in two directions:
    • How to provide feedback to the audience/performer – giving the choice to work “with” tension or fight against it.
    • The specks system is ideal to explore this as it gives real-time, low-latency data without the need for lengthy post-processing involved in ocular techniques.
    • By deriving movement data and other qualities, we are able to sense changes in them, using them to affect parameters in a continuous and physically observable manner (velocity, acceleration, deviation, axis).

    More information http://www.specknet.org/publications/