The title and theme of my project is kinetic responsive art. This is the term I am using to describe the subject of my piece. The genre that I am using to describe my subject incorporates old interactive/kinetic art principles with new technologies that are used within contemporary responsive, Interactive and algorithmic art forms.
I have used this term kinetic responsive art because it draws upon two main principles from these genres. Kinetic art depends on motion for its affect or for the process to work and responsive art produces a response from an environment or input.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Project conceptual description,
The concept behind my final piece is to create juxtaposition between the old principles and ascetics of kinetic art and the new technologies that appear to be governing contemporary responsive and interactive art.
I feel like I have achieved this by creating something that astatically looks low tech and very robust and crude in its appearance, but actually is technically complex.
I feel like I have achieved this by creating something that astatically looks low tech and very robust and crude in its appearance, but actually is technically complex.
Contextual information to situate my project,
The context in which this project is situated in is responsive art. This is because it generates a response to various inputs from the user and the environment that it is situated within. It also has ties within kinetic art because of the physical interactivity that is required and generative art because of the algorithms used to determine which sounds and visualizations are played.
Technical description,
For this project I have used three main technologies. These include MAX MSP, Reactivision and Flash actionscript 2.0. Reactivision is a piece of symbol tracking software which was then incorporated into MAX MSP to determine the x and y positioning of the symbols and also determine the individual number id of the symbols them selves. MAX MSP then sends this information in flash where the collision detection, visualization and audio out is generated by using actionscript 2.0.
Project placement
This project was produced as an installation piece for an art gallery or room of some type and is intended to be used, viewed and interacted with by the general public and the environment that it is situated within.
Overview of production process,
The three main pieces of software that I have used in the production of my piece are:
• MAX MSP
• Reactivision
• Adobe Flash (with action script 2.0)
I have also used some open sauce code which was take from the internet. The code that I have used is as follows:
• Actionscript code to get values into flash was taken from http://www.nullmedium.de/dev/flashserver/
• I also used a downloaded MAX MSP file that was taken from
• http://reactivision.sourceforge.net/
For the physical piece itself so the box and the mechanical side, I have used bits and pieces picked up from car boot sales, coat hangers and random nuts and bolts. This was done on purpose to have a low-tech look and feel to the project.
• MAX MSP
• Reactivision
• Adobe Flash (with action script 2.0)
I have also used some open sauce code which was take from the internet. The code that I have used is as follows:
• Actionscript code to get values into flash was taken from http://www.nullmedium.de/dev/flashserver/
• I also used a downloaded MAX MSP file that was taken from
• http://reactivision.sourceforge.net/
For the physical piece itself so the box and the mechanical side, I have used bits and pieces picked up from car boot sales, coat hangers and random nuts and bolts. This was done on purpose to have a low-tech look and feel to the project.
Evaluation,
This project I feel although has suffered from a few technical difficulties/set backs has still proved to be a successful and interesting development. I feel that the old a run down look provides an excellent contrast to the technical processes involved with the audio and visual out puts of the piece and the algorithms used behind the scene.
The main emphasis on this project was to take principles from what can be considered old methods of interactivity or non digital based inputs and have them create an output threw a digital/algorithmic process. This I feel I have obtained although the actual functionality of the piece is not as polished as I would have preferred it to be.
Improvements I would make upon this project and where it would have been heading if I had more time to develop my idea further would have been. Building in some temperature sensors onto the handle to get a reading from them user and also another temperature sensor in the room somewhere and maybe a light sensor so that I would have more inputs from the surroundings to create a more environmentally responsive piece.
The main emphasis on this project was to take principles from what can be considered old methods of interactivity or non digital based inputs and have them create an output threw a digital/algorithmic process. This I feel I have obtained although the actual functionality of the piece is not as polished as I would have preferred it to be.
Improvements I would make upon this project and where it would have been heading if I had more time to develop my idea further would have been. Building in some temperature sensors onto the handle to get a reading from them user and also another temperature sensor in the room somewhere and maybe a light sensor so that I would have more inputs from the surroundings to create a more environmentally responsive piece.
Physical Production,
Bellow are some images of the box I have constructed for my final piece. Although I have not managed to build in any heat or light sensors for the box at this stage the symbols rotate with the turn of the handle and the cylinder and are tracked by the web cam,.
This means that I am then able to take the x and y positions of these symbols and process this information using reactivision and MAX MSP and incorporate this into flash to do the collision detection, visualisation and audio out put.
Physical materials that I used were all found or purchased second hand for very little amount.
The box is a mahogany box with brass hinges which I obtained from a car boot sale.
The bar which the cylinder rotates on is actual a piece of chopped up coat hanger from my cupboard.
The cylinder is a hacked down biscuit tin that was found rattling around in my kitchen.
The handle was also from a car boot sale it was actually part of an old hand drill as mentioned earlier in my blogg.
The gears were obtained from the robotics department at Plymouth University.
And all the nuts, bolts and screws were just random bits and piece I found in and around my house.
This means that I am then able to take the x and y positions of these symbols and process this information using reactivision and MAX MSP and incorporate this into flash to do the collision detection, visualisation and audio out put.
Physical materials that I used were all found or purchased second hand for very little amount.
The box is a mahogany box with brass hinges which I obtained from a car boot sale.
The bar which the cylinder rotates on is actual a piece of chopped up coat hanger from my cupboard.
The cylinder is a hacked down biscuit tin that was found rattling around in my kitchen.
The handle was also from a car boot sale it was actually part of an old hand drill as mentioned earlier in my blogg.
The gears were obtained from the robotics department at Plymouth University.
And all the nuts, bolts and screws were just random bits and piece I found in and around my house.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Production Technologies,
After a bit of research I have found some software which I can use to implement my idea. The software is called Reactivion. This is a piece of symbol tracking software, which can identify a number of different symbols from a live web cam feed. I will use this software in conjunction with MAX MSP, which is a visual programming and processing program.
MAX MSP will be used to determine the individual symbols x and y locations on the screen and also the symbols individual id number. This information will then be transferred into flash and using actionscript I will generate some algorithms to process the information from MAX MSP.
If I have enough time I would like to also incorporate some heat sensors onto the handle of the box to take the users temperature and one in the room to help generate some more parameters that I could use within my algorithms to determine the visual and audio output from my piece. This will help create more of a feed back loop or a type of action reaction loop between the piece and the user.
By placing these sensors on the box and in the room also gives the box a kind of awareness of parameters within its surroundings and makes it more of an environmentally responsive piece as well as a physically responsive piece.
MAX MSP will be used to determine the individual symbols x and y locations on the screen and also the symbols individual id number. This information will then be transferred into flash and using actionscript I will generate some algorithms to process the information from MAX MSP.
If I have enough time I would like to also incorporate some heat sensors onto the handle of the box to take the users temperature and one in the room to help generate some more parameters that I could use within my algorithms to determine the visual and audio output from my piece. This will help create more of a feed back loop or a type of action reaction loop between the piece and the user.
By placing these sensors on the box and in the room also gives the box a kind of awareness of parameters within its surroundings and makes it more of an environmentally responsive piece as well as a physically responsive piece.
Research,
I have added the video bellow of an old music box working because I wanted to compare and contrast the video by Jim Bumgarderner with it. This is the type of contrast that I am aiming to create with my project.
this video was taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T7688c4mzQ
this video was taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T7688c4mzQ
Research,
The video above I feel is very relevant to my project because it shares very similar basis of how the old analogue music box mentioned earlier but this is set with an algorithm.
Also I would like to adapt this visualisation into my own piece and maybe have it projected so the user can see it when they interact with my piece.
Above is a video of work done by Jim Bumgardner and was taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0gs6ykCWis
Reserch,
Above is an example of a rustic looking object that I consider to be a form of interactive art. This is the type of thing I am looking to create for my final piece.
The old fashioned music box above works by turning the handle which then spins a cylinder that has numerous notches in it that when collide with the pins produce a sound.
My final idea is take this music box example and use the old aesthetics and interactions and update the technology within it. By this I mean to implement maybe some type of motion or symbol tracking with the box itself so when you turn the handle it spins a cylinder that rotates and reveals different symbols to the webcam. These symbols will then trigger a sound of maybe some type of visualisation.
The aesthetics of the finished product itself are very important to this project, as this is what will attract the attention of the user in the first instance and encourage the user to interact with the piece and contribute towards the juxtaposition of the modern technology used within it.
Bellow is an example of where I am thinking of sourcing my handle for my box. I like the look of these style handles as I feel that it will contribute to the rustic low-tech style aesthetic look that I Am looking for, for my box.
Development of idea,
So looking at more physical or older principles of interactive art like mentioned earlier with Marcel Duchamp’s rotary glass and the work done by Alexander Calder with his kinetic sculptures. I have started to form an idea that the physical interaction between the user and the piece should be taken from what could be defined as the older principles so maybe a handle or leaver something low tech and almost rustic in appearance. Which would then set in motion some type of program or algorithmic-based process.
The appearance of the piece that the user will be confronted with I feel should be of an more physically based rather then a screen or projection of some description. This will then be contrasted by the outcome of the interaction so you have so type of physical low tech input which then produces a digital sound or visualisation of some type, which has been generated by this low tech interaction.
The appearance of the piece that the user will be confronted with I feel should be of an more physically based rather then a screen or projection of some description. This will then be contrasted by the outcome of the interaction so you have so type of physical low tech input which then produces a digital sound or visualisation of some type, which has been generated by this low tech interaction.
Further ideas,
Looking at the time scale that I have it would seem that making a set of four installation pieces would be very ambitious for this assignment and technically challenging. So the idea for the over all project would be to create four different pieces that approach old and new principles of interactive art and compare them to each other and maybe one of them could use principles from both, but sadly I only realistically have enough time to create one.
The idea that I have chosen to explore more in depth is to take a piece of what is considered to be older principles of interactive art and integrate concepts and principles from contemporary interactive art concepts. So taking something that is based upon physical and mechanical technologies and using digital algorithms and processes to manipulate the input and output further.
The idea that I have chosen to explore more in depth is to take a piece of what is considered to be older principles of interactive art and integrate concepts and principles from contemporary interactive art concepts. So taking something that is based upon physical and mechanical technologies and using digital algorithms and processes to manipulate the input and output further.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
More ideas,
My second idea is to create a set of possibly 4 or more separate interactive pieces. These pieces will have a different type of interaction IE sound responsive, galvanic skin response, touch response or visual response. and each one in turn will have a different type of reaction to these input which would be either visual lights, patterns or shapes or audio music or noises.
so the skin response would maybe out put a sound to make the skin response vary depending on the type of sound played back for example.
or another example would be tracking the eye movement of a user and using the pattern to create an image on a screen.
so the skin response would maybe out put a sound to make the skin response vary depending on the type of sound played back for example.
or another example would be tracking the eye movement of a user and using the pattern to create an image on a screen.
First idea sketch,
The sketch bellow is a rough outline of my first idea combining the two ideas from the videos bellow. To operate my installation the user can switch each light on the tower on or off by stepping on the pad. The sound which the piece creates will be determined by what combination of lights are on or off. Programming out line: the program will check what lights are on a determine what sounds to play this sound will be played in a 4x4 structure as there is 4 towers containing 4 different combination's of lights that can be turned on or off.
i am also thinking that the tempo of the audio could change by either the users heartbeat or their galvanic skin response or tracking the amount of motion in a certain area of the piece IE where the buttons are with a web cam. so if there are more users the tempo will increase or decrease.
i am also thinking that the tempo of the audio could change by either the users heartbeat or their galvanic skin response or tracking the amount of motion in a certain area of the piece IE where the buttons are with a web cam. so if there are more users the tempo will increase or decrease.
My first idea,
Stemming from my last essay assignment based upon interactive art, my idea is to create an interactive room/wall which response to the users interactions within the room. i.e movement towards the walls of the room the heart beat of the participant and even the galvanic skin response or any other types of inputs.
The 'feedback' from the room/wall or results of the interaction will be in the form of audio and visual IE light and sound. this will then in turn create a response from the participant and create a type of dialog between the user and the room/wall itself.
For example if the user moves closer to one wall/room the lights on that wall/room will become brighter or dimmer and the pitch or tempo of the sound will change. the physical changes within the room/wall although user defined will also have a slight randomness too them which could in theory encourage the user to experiment with different styles of interaction with the room/wall itself in order to create a response from the room/wall itself.
The 'feedback' from the room/wall or results of the interaction will be in the form of audio and visual IE light and sound. this will then in turn create a response from the participant and create a type of dialog between the user and the room/wall itself.
For example if the user moves closer to one wall/room the lights on that wall/room will become brighter or dimmer and the pitch or tempo of the sound will change. the physical changes within the room/wall although user defined will also have a slight randomness too them which could in theory encourage the user to experiment with different styles of interaction with the room/wall itself in order to create a response from the room/wall itself.
Use within adevertising,
As shown in the video bellow interactive art has its place within the advertising industry as well as the art world. It can be used as a very effective marketing tool without the users/participants even realizing that they are being sold a brand or a product.
This video is a extremely effective piece of marketing and is a very interesting piece within the concept of interactive art. The way in which the "story" of the piece unfolds depending on the users interaction with it is interesting and creates a feel of control an individuality for the user.
video taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-NRdyUx8Lc
This video is a extremely effective piece of marketing and is a very interesting piece within the concept of interactive art. The way in which the "story" of the piece unfolds depending on the users interaction with it is interesting and creates a feel of control an individuality for the user.
video taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-NRdyUx8Lc
Sound installation,
The video bellow is of a sound installation that i found rather interesting. I like the way the users are invited to move a physical object to interact with the sound that's play depending on where these objects are placed withing the grid.
this piece was done by a group from Barcelona called fonogramosb.
this piece was done by a group from Barcelona called fonogramosb.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Intial and relevant research,
Relevant projects that have influenced my ideas are shown in some videos bellow:
the above video is entiteled "16 pillars" and was created by daan brinmann which won the René Coelho Prize 2006 at the Netherlands institute of Media Art. this piece i feel engages the audience extremely well.
the above video is entiteled "16 pillars" and was created by daan brinmann which won the René Coelho Prize 2006 at the Netherlands institute of Media Art. this piece i feel engages the audience extremely well.
Reflection,
So it would appear so far that interactive art forms are not just driven by technology as the few examples bellow have proven. However what these examples have not got is a type of dialogue of interaction between the view and the piece itself. IE a type of visual or audio conversation if you like a type of action reaction.
Marcel Duchamp,
A early example of visual interactive art would be the piece by Marcel Duchamp entiteled "Rotary Glass Plates". This plays again with the users interaction with the piece and their movement within the environment it is situated in.
image taken from http://www.abcgallery.com/D/duchamp/duchamp30.html
image taken from http://www.abcgallery.com/D/duchamp/duchamp30.html
Not all digital interaction is good interaction,
By conducting research for my essay and for my final project not all interactive art has been approached by using technology or digital interface's. For example the work of Youri Messen-jaschin with his installation piece named "Vertigo I" 2002. This piece pictured bellow plays on the users interaction with the room and the vertical lines that he had placed in and around the room.
image taken from http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=messenjaschin&title=Vertigo_I-1018709509t.gif
this installation relies on the users interaction with the space that the piece is situated in. depending on where you view the piece from in the room the result of the piece or the feedback the piece gives is different.
Another example of a type of interactive art that does not rely on technology to be considered interactive is the kinetic sculptures like mobiles for example. ("A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal. Each rod hangs from only one string, which gives it freedom to rotate about the string.") quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_(sculpture).
an example of these kinetic sculptures would be the work done by Alexander Calder. his piece entitled "Red mobile"(1956). the piece show below can be considered interactive art as it reacts and interacts to the environment that it is placed within by responding to the air flow of the environment.
image taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Calder-redmobile.jpg.
image taken from http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=messenjaschin&title=Vertigo_I-1018709509t.gif
this installation relies on the users interaction with the space that the piece is situated in. depending on where you view the piece from in the room the result of the piece or the feedback the piece gives is different.
Another example of a type of interactive art that does not rely on technology to be considered interactive is the kinetic sculptures like mobiles for example. ("A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal. Each rod hangs from only one string, which gives it freedom to rotate about the string.") quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_(sculpture).
an example of these kinetic sculptures would be the work done by Alexander Calder. his piece entitled "Red mobile"(1956). the piece show below can be considered interactive art as it reacts and interacts to the environment that it is placed within by responding to the air flow of the environment.
image taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Calder-redmobile.jpg.
The problem,
To be truly interactive does this need to be at a physical level or at a visual level, or would the ultimate combination of old and new practices to create an immersive environment of physical, visual and technological feedback be the best way to resolve the issue?
This is the question that I have put forward in both my essay for this brief and now for the practical part of the assignment.
so it would appear that interactive art has took on a roll of being driven by technology in recent works. as a result of this have the pieces lost any physical interaction? or has the technology made the interaction process more versatile?
The area that i would like to look into and work with could be considered as physical computing. The definition of Physical computing defined by Wikipedia is "Physical (or embedded) computing, in the broadest sense, means building interactive physical systems by the use of software and hardware that can sense and respond to the analog world." quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_computing
Is this the future of interactive art pieces? And if so would the use of computer software and hardware help or hinder the development of the genre which is interactive art?
This is the question that I have put forward in both my essay for this brief and now for the practical part of the assignment.
so it would appear that interactive art has took on a roll of being driven by technology in recent works. as a result of this have the pieces lost any physical interaction? or has the technology made the interaction process more versatile?
The area that i would like to look into and work with could be considered as physical computing. The definition of Physical computing defined by Wikipedia is "Physical (or embedded) computing, in the broadest sense, means building interactive physical systems by the use of software and hardware that can sense and respond to the analog world." quote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_computing
Is this the future of interactive art pieces? And if so would the use of computer software and hardware help or hinder the development of the genre which is interactive art?
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