|
RESEARCH PROJECT 2000 - 2001B.A . MULTIMEDIA - RMIT HOME | 1999 | 2002 | | INSTALLATIONS | OM 303 | STUFF | LINKS |
|
IMAGINARY SPACE TRAVEL -AN INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION
ABOUT THE PROJECT | NON-LINEAR STORY STRUCTURE | PROJECT STRUCTURE | TIME LINE | EXPERIMENTAL INTERFACE RESEARCH | RESOURCES | SOFTWARE | ++ EXPERIMENTAL INTERFACE RESEARCH ++
REAL-TIME VIDEO COMPOSITION ENVIRONMENTS /\ In real-time video composition environments the final video output is effected by a number of different processors which are capable of receiving multiple inputs and sending multiple outputs. Real-time video composition environments process video in real-time. VIDEO PROCESSORS /\ In my design of an interface to a real time video composition environment I have decided to make each processor a different unit in the system and treat it individually. Processors can receive information, translate information, send information, retrieve information and serve information. Although all processors work individually, multiple processors may be included in one unit and optimized, allowing for faster communication between processors. Processors all have parameters controlling their individual attributes. These parameters can have controllers assigned to them which can be manipulated, because of the real-time processing in a system like this, all the parameters of a processor should be able to be controlled in real-time. RESEARCH ON SYSTEMS INVOLVING MULTIPLE PROCESSORS
CONTROLLER TYPES /\ INPUT DEVICES: A mouse has at least 4 controls that provide real-time input to a computer: x-axis movement y-axis movement and mouse press and mouse release. A keyboard provides an array of press commands. Mouse and joysticks provide variable information that allows parameters to be interactively changed much easier. Press and release style controls provide static control change information. The input they provide can trip flags or toggle switches within a processor. Standard computer interfaces such as the keyboard and mouse give us vast amounts of press style controls and not so many variable controls. Also our standard interfaces are very small and compact and require minimal body movement to generate input. EXPERIMENTAL INTERFACE Experimental input controller designs allow for different physical interaction to take place. A Wacom tablet for example is a very practical and intuitive interface using the metaphor of a pencil as the control device. A Wacom tablet also allows for extended control from its brother the mouse, giving pressure sensitivity and extra programmable buttons. A light activated switch provides the same kind of information as a mouse button or key press but the physical movement to activate that sort of switch is much more flexible. A light activated switch in any physical space gives your interface a control still conforming to a set (x y) position but an infinite depth in the z plane (where the light shines along). An array of these type of switches can be used together to create switches that reference any co-ordinates in xyz space. RESEARCH ON EXPERIMENTAL INTERFACE In a system, a controller controls the parameters of a process. Variable Controllers: Examples of variable controllers are:
A low frequency oscillator gives an oscillating value that runs at a specific rate.
An LFO of a switch turning on and off at a rate of 10 times per second would look like this:
An LFO of your heartbeat may look like this:
LFOs are internal system controllers and can not be manipulated physically without the use of another control interface. Controlling the rate of an LFO with a slider is an example where a controller must be assigned to another controller. MIDI (MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE) is a controller language designed in the eighties to allow electronic musical instruments to control parameters specific to musical composition. Midi allows for pressure sensitivity and variable controls to be sent between units. Because of the nature of music there are a lot of variables that translate into data structures that control instruments and sounds. As with musical compositions, video composition also has a lot of varying units with individual controls. Musical and video instruments can be networked and synchronised with each other in real-time environments using midi as the standard in communication. Using MIDI in an interface allows for a possible of (128 controls on 16 channels) that is 128 * 16 = 2000 + simultaneous controls. Midi is however a dated control language and would never allow all 2000+ controllers to be accessed at the same time. Midi is limited to the amount of information it can send which is seen as a real problem in today's the electronic music industry. However it is still the only standard that instruments can communicate though. LPT.The printer port (LPT) on a PC, when assigned to EPP mode, has 13 bi-directed parallel input lines running directly to the computer. It can be extended to 56 possible combinations with inexpensive hardware. Very inexpensive, but relatively out of date cards can be added to your computer which provide you with extra LPT ports. The LPT port is a great interface port that you can provide on/off controller information to very cheaply and reliably. The Laser Harp is an LPT port interface Examples of sliders, switches and motion equations: Knobs Mouse Joysticks - Buttons Pressure Pads Gates Flags Relays Chips - LFOs Cartesians Co - Ordinates Sequences Maps
++NON PHYSICAL INTERACTION TYPES++ /\ By non-physical interaction, I mean not needing any physical contact between the controller (Human in most cases) and the interface. NON PHYSICAL INTERACTION - BETWEEN HUMANS AND HUMANS.
Although we can communicate with each other without being in physical contact, the interfaces to most new technology, communication is still very physical in that it requires physical contact. NON PHYSICAL INTERACTION - BETWEEN HUMANS AND MACHINE. /\ Touching wires to any part of ones body would be touching the machine. Therefore interfaces based on EEG machines would still be classed as having a physical interface to the human. The following 2 types of devices allow for an interface where a human does not need to physically touch any part of the machine. Yet physical movement or presence is still needed Physical interaction occurs with light activated switches to an extent, in that some form physical movement is needed to break the beam of light. Distance and Proximity detection devices rely on physical movement or presence also. The following 2 types of devices rely on other types on non- movement related energy forms to be activates: *Electro-magnetic field detection devices need an electro-magnetic presence, not a physical one. * Sound activated switches rely on sound waves. The only machines that I have come across in my research that we can truly effect without any physical movement are machines that measure our electromagnetic presence like the Kirlian camera, the Theremin and electromagnetic analysis machines. Heat detection devices are also interesting, as they rely on the presence of heat radiation. But here, our electro-magnetic presence and our heat is generally accompanied by our physical presence. The most exciting machine I have seen and operated non-physically is the "Energy Wheel" described in Harry Stines amazing book - "MIND MACHINES YOU CAN BUILD". NON PHYSICAL INTERACTION - BETWEEN MACHINE AND MACHINE. /\ Software and modern digital electronics can enable machines to communicate non-physically, by simulating physical switches and by using ultra fast controlled electron movement. However this kind of interaction all happens within the internal stuctures of a machine and is generally all physically attached. The devices that we use to non-physically interact with machines are all very interesting in their own ways, they allow a machine to have sensors and receptors to the outside world, we program these machines to process information according to what these receptors measure. Machines talk back to us manipulating our own receptors. When we program machines to produce triggers for other machines with receptors, we create the building blocks for artificial intelligence: Individual units that communicate with each other and respond accordingly, forming complex systems of logical intelligence: Object orientated designs: Processors within processes: Non-linear systems and sub-systems. SEE SYSTEMS RESEARCH SOME EXAMPLES OF INTERFACES THAT MACHINES USE TO COMMUNICATE WITHOUT HAVING TO BE IN PHYSICAL CONTACT ARE:
INTERACTION - MACHINE TO HUMAN /\ To allow machine to present us with information we have spent a great deal of time creating interfaces that we can relate to and which extend out to us here in the physical world. Interfaces we assign to machines, like sound and image generation systems have been commonly used only as passive communication devices where we receive but cannot give information back. This can easily result in mass idea-sending and brainwashing from one source. In any case the interface which enables a machine to present information to a human must directly stimulate at least one of our senses. Machine to human interface can include:
Lets not forget that there are also many undesirable side-effects that interface from a machine to the human body, including radiation damage, air pollution and magnetic field interference. A good human-interfacing machine will only selectively use the intended effects of human sense, body and mind manipulation. Also See: Visual Trance ++EXPERIMENTAL INTERFACE THAT WILL BE BUILT IN THIS PROJECT++ /\
HARP CHORD INTERFACE IDEA:
|
