Concept

I have nothing to say about this.


Medium: Pen on paper, Photoshop.

Critique: 3 Organization & Management(Software R&D) #5

I did an experiment on how to connect CCV(multitouch tracker) to Max/MSP. This experiment is done without any tutorials, simply because I can't find any. So, the development is very slow. So far I could connect the CCV to Max/Msp. Changing the sound pitch according to X and Y axis in CCV. I'll post a video when my MT mini is available.




Very interesting. I might end up doing a multi-touch music instrument or a very huge version of Jazzmutant Lemur for my FYP.

A bit too late to change idea isn't it?

Anyway, if I am able to connect CCV to MAX/Msp, I probably can connect it to MAX/Jitter, a video programming language in MAX. Therefore, I am able to control video with with CCV through MAX/Msp/Jitter instead of Flash. MAX has faster processing power compared to Flash.

But I am still comfortable with Flash AS3.

Critique: 3 Organization & Management(Idea & Content Development) #4

My idea basically about how human so obsess with technology until they become part of the technology. This installation will also portray the relationship between human and technology. Whether or not we are master to the technology or vice versa, we need technology and technology need us as users and developers.

Now my mission is to collect information about the connection between human and technology(computer technology)

I try to create a mind map like Jia Wen's, but I failed terribly.

Good news is....... I have an idea for a conceptual art about this Human-Technology relationship. I hope this can consider as my Idea development or Content Development.

I call it Technohaus(name inspired by a delivery food service in Cyberia call Snackhaus)

When i was a kid, I always buy toys for myself. My mom will scold me and say.

"You always buy toys" she said "next time, go eat your toys"

Today, here I am, eating the toys I bought. Haha. By the way, here are some of the menu that Technohaus have.

1. Ayam Goreng Elektronika. (Two pieces Fried Chicken served with a circuit board and colorful LEDs)


2. Nasi Goreng Tikus ( Fried rice served with 1st generation Apple Mighty Mouse)



3. Maggie Mee Techno (Served with different value Resistors, Diode and a couple of AAA Batteries)


4. Nasi Goreng Norkiah (Fried rice served with Nokia phone)


I am sure Martin Creed will love this concept. I know, because I always hate his work and I hate him. Err wait, maybe my hatred is somehow a form of art.

I sounded so depress. Haha.

Ok. Focus focus.

What I am trying to show here is people nowadays don't consider technology as a tool to help our effort but a tool to replace our effort and it is consider a necessity that cannot be separate from human. It's like food, oxygen, water etc.

Marshall McLuhan said in The Medium Is The Message that, Technology is an extension of human body.

"An extension occurs when an individual or society makes or uses something in a way that extends the range of the human body and mind in a fashion that is new."

One of the example of human extension is a shovel is an extension to human hands. It will help you dig faster and uses less energy compare to digging by using bare-hand. He mention about automobile is an extension of legs, now people can travel faster and longer with less effort.

A lot of people already understand about the concept 'extensions' that McLuhan mention. He also mention about 'amputations'. What McLuhan meant by amputation is basically the disadvantage of using these technology. Well not really.

Every extension of mankind, especially technological extensions, have the effect of amputating or modifying some other extension. An example, the extension of a technology like the automobile "amputates" the need for a highly developed walking culture, which in turn causes cities and countries to develop in different ways.(Todd Kappelman, 1996)

For my project I choose computer technology as a main subject. Because computer has given more extension to human than any other technology. It is an extension of eyes, you can zoom in and zoom out a digital content. An extension voice, you can use instant messaging to communicate. Extension of legs, you can pay bills online without walking to the office. Extension of hand, you can write faster with keyboard and so on.

The more extension we get or use, the more 'amputations' happened. It kills the art of penmanship. It kills how human interact with each other. It kills the environment. It kills the culture(or create a new one?). It kills everything.

And again. I sounded so depress.

Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_medium_is_the_message
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/mcluhan.html
http://www.martincreed.com/

Critique: 3 Organization & Management(Technical R&D) #3

On last Tuesday, Mr. Kok Yoong invited a guest lecturer, Mr Cheong from Engineering Faculty. He gave an interesting speech about Multi-touch Technology. He is a cool lecturer I must say. Very passionate, I feel like I'm attending some kind of Multi-Level Marketing talk.

Ok back to work.

According to Mr. Cheong, the theory to create the multi-touch is already there on the internet. but still, the actual hands on is not as easy as it looks in the theory.

Since the hardware technical for my installation is the hardest part to do. I decided to start the research and experiment as soon as possible.

I decided to start with converting a normal Webcam into infrared Camera.

"v) Infrared Camera
Infrared camera will be use in this installation. It will only detect infrared light(in this case blob from the surface). I have to modified the camera in order to make the camera detect only the infrared light and ignore the rest." - From my previous research/post.

Here is my Xbox Live Webcam that I'm going to sacrifice. :(


I follow this site to make the conversion. Credit goes to whoever they are. The site shows step by step on how to convert Xbox Live Webcam into infrared camera.

I am going to show some of the picture I took during the conversion process.

1. First, I took off the focusing ring because that’s what is keeping the front face of the camera from coming off other than the clips.


2. Open the case apart with screwdrivers



3. Unscrew everything that can be unscrewed. I lost one of the screw during this process. Too bad. :(


4. Base on my readings, some of the camera have and infrared-block filter. For this camera, it has infrared-block filter installed on top of the sensor. I had to remove it.


5. I replaced the infrared-block filter with two pieces of negative films.



6. Snap everything together and test.

Testing with infrared led. Pressure Map screen(on the left) shows that the camera detected the IR light from Astro remote control.


Now to check whether the camera detects other than infrared light. I pointed the webcam to my Macbook screen. Pressure Mapping screen(on the left) shows the webcam is no longer detecting the visual from the screen. Wohooo!


Succeed

Critique: 3 Organization & Management(Technical R&D) #2

Guess what did I bring back to my hometown.

not clothes

but

this.

Tool box, Power Supply and Multimeter

Last minute-work! Yay!

I am thinking of doing some experiment on how to hot wire a PC power supply, so I can switch it on without going through a motherboard.

I'm planning to use this PC power supply to light up infrared lights and some ventilation fans for the installation(so my slave inside the box wont die because of the heat. yekekekekeaahh!!)

Guess what?

I forgot to bring back power wire for the PC power supply.

Great.

I hate last-minute work.


This is a video tutorial on how to hotwire a power supply.




p/s: I shall update about this experiment for the next critique.

Critique: 3 Organization & Management(Gantchart) #1

Wohooo! Finally I'm done with my gantchart. (After 2 hours of planning)

Preview.


FYP 1


FYP2

Download Gantchart here. Consist of pdf and xls files. Any problem, just email me at silverfox_1088@yahoo.com. Will respond within 24hours. :)




Thanks to Jia Wen for the reference.