Software: Pharos

Found this software via the Mirrie Dancers project here in Shetland. They are using the software to take in user generated videos and output to lots of LED light units (each with 36 individual LED's inside I should add). These lights are installed to different structures around Shetland.

Anyway the software seems to be generally used for large scale projects and architecture, lots of arts related projects much like Mirrie Dancers.

Lots of info and hardware/software available from them on their site: Pharos Controls

Research: Interactive LED unit

Work by Ross Colquhoun. An interactive LED unit that includes motion sensors. Quite like how you can see all the 'gubbbings' inside, through the perspex top.
A process of the build on flickr is also very interesting Interactive LED Unit Build Process (Set).

Research: LED dance floor

A project from some MIT students, Looks really interesting and must have a good read through the info on the site, also includes lots of photos, videos and downloads of software etc. Brilliant resource for the display. http://www.scotttorborg.com/disco-dance-floor/

Now add interactivity...

Love Sport - Love Ping Pong

These are all cool, but Ping Pong! Awesome fun.

Research - United Visual Artists

"United Visual Artists have created a new site specific work for the Oyane Plaza, in the Roppongi Hills district of Tokyo, to mark the opening of UK-Japan 2008. Contact is a responsive floor based installation which allows visitors to use their kinetic energy to generate audiovisual forms that will interact with the user, and communicate with each other. Contact marries advanced computer vision techniques, physics simulation and a unique display surface to create an experience that aims to highlight the results of peoples interactions with each other, and their environment."

Saw this installation piece in the video posted previously for openFrameworks (post). Shows brilliantly the sort of idea I imagine for the screen again, and also for the type geometric graphics I envision and used in examples for The Art of Ping Pong - some fantastic images below and video (its great shows how the interaction with the shapes work) on United Visual Artists site.

Software - openFrameworks

"openFrameworks is an open source C++ toolkit for creative coding."

made with openFrameworks from openFrameworks on Vimeo.

Software - Processing

"Processing is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions. It is used by students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool."

Notes: Free, multi platform, online resources:

OpenProcessing
Processing @ Vimeo
Processing @ del.icio.us
Processing @ Flickr
Processing @ YouTube

Video below made in processing, by previously researched company: Postspectacular (see research post)

Happy 2010! from postspectacular on Vimeo.

Research - Moment Factory

Fun, interactive wall display in Canada, by Moment Factory. As people walk past the wall it is animated with a range of different graphics on the large LED display.

"The installation includes tracking devices and low-resolution LED displays and is capable of showing many different visualizations based on the presence and movement of people...generated by 35,000 LED light bulbs."

Wow.

(via FormFiftyFive)

Research - 21.19

Some seriously good work by Australian studio 21.19. They must be fans of Ping Pong as they have this great self promotion piece (below) and on the front page of their site you can play some pong.

21.19 Self Promotional film from Adam John Bracegirdle on Vimeo.

Below is quite an interesting still from the video, how they have traced the path of the ball, mapping out where it is making contact with the table.

Thinking for 'The Art of Ping Pong' to have two cameras motion tracking the ball? - one from the side (like below) and one from top to sense exact x-y-z position of ball on table?

Software - Max/MSP

"Interactive visual programming environment for music, audio, and media"

"In use for over twenty years by performers, composers, artists, scientists, teachers, and students, Max is the way to make your computer do things that reflect your individual ideas and dreams."

Notes: Loads of tutorials and examples on YouTube.

Software - vvvv

"vvvv is a toolkit for real time video synthesis. It is designed to facilitate the handling of large media environments with physical interfaces, real-time motion graphics, audio and video that can interact with many users simultaneously.

vvvv uses a visual programming interface. Therefore it provides a graphical programming language for easy prototyping and development.

vvvv is real time. where many other languages have distinct modes for building and running programs, vvvv only has one mode - runtime.

vvvv is free for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires a license. Get the latest version from the Download section.

vvvv is being developed by the vvvv group."

Notes: PC only. Interesting examples of use @ vvvv on Vimeo

interactive multitouch bar from tonfilm on Vimeo.

"interactive multi touch cocktail bar. video tracking using infrared light. software is vvvv."

Research - LED touch sensing

"Multi-Touch Sensing through LED Matrix Displays

Using an LED display bidirectionally to optically detect finger touches"

Video example/test posted by Jeff Han, Computer Sciences New York University.
More projects about multi touch and tracking (below human tracking) on his profile at NYU here.

Research - Postspectacular

Postspectacular have some fantastic work exploring software and interactivity. One project for the launch of KEF Muon speakers (video posted below - link) they have a large LED floor which is reactive to sound. It looks fantastic!

I wonder how an array of LEDs like this can be set up to track the location of the ping pong ball?

Kef Muon – sound reactive installation from Moving Brands on Vimeo.

The Concept Video

The Art of Ping Pong - YCN/Anomaly Commendation 0809 from Jono Sandilands on Vimeo.

Welcome to The Art of Ping Pong

'The Art of Ping Pong' is the outcome of a brief to encourage people to play more table tennis and was set as part of last years YCN awards. At this stage the project is a concept which uses specially built technology to record where the ball makes contact with the table during a game. This allows player interactivity and game play to create original pieces of artwork, which are printed and displayed during further gameplay at an event. The concept project received commendation.

I am currently developing this project and applying for funding to build the table.

During the next stage of development for the project I will be documenting my process on this blog.

There is scope for collaboration, and would like to hear what people think.