Construction: Table option 2

So after a test with projector at a slight angle above - it confirms the tracking camera and projector would need to be directly above the table - if the inside table, original idea (see here) is not plausible. Would need a transportable rig to firmly hold the projector and camera and the idea would be to have two large tripod stands with a gantry frame/ rig over table.

Source website: http://www.cokerexpo.co.uk/lighting.htm

Learning: Daniel Shiffman

A bit more advanced & in depth than the YouTube tutorials I have been working through. Looks great!
http://www.learningprocessing.com/

Suppliers: Perspex

If I go with a backlit projection from within the table I will need to source perspex sheeting to allow light to "shine" through. For a uni project I used a company in Dundee called Stockline Plastics (website).
Have also found this site: http://www.theplasticshop.co.uk/

Research: Projectors

Update: This may help (http://www.projectors.co.uk/) And to clarify what I will be looking for: a big image from a short throw distance. (Ultra short throw projectors) (also more here)

Update 2: This one seems to be just about perfect - will worry about price later (most likely out of budget).


My plan is to have a projector within the table (rough plan/model coming soon) The problem I may face is there may not be enough depth in the table for the projector to fill the entire surface of the table. Need to look at the technical details of the projectors to get info. I imagine this post will update over time and the following (cheaper) projectors may not be 'eligible' for the table.

Optoma Projector

Acer Projector

HD Projector for games consoles/laptops etc

Research: Printers

One of the main ideas of the project is that after a game the piece of art is printed - I originally thought it would be printed on A2 but that would cost way too much - It would be quite neat to have them postcard sized and there are a few low price standard photo style printers around, they also allow borderless printing.

Canon SELPHY

Polaroid PoGO

Resource: Table Dimensions

Source - Wikipedia

Note to self: Control mouse with webcam

http://camspace.com/ (windows only, boo)



http://webcamxtra.sourceforge.net/

"Myron is the cross-platform, cross-language, open source, video capture and computer vision plugin. One core C++ object gets cross-compiled as a handful of high level language "wrapper" libraries. The wrapper for Java and Processing is called JMyron. The wrapper for Macromedia Director is called WebCamXtra. The aim of the project is to keep computer vision free and easy for the new media education and arts community."

Research - Webcam Motion Tracking

AS3 Motion Tracking from Justin Windle on Vimeo.

A demo of simple motion detection and tracking in AS3, used to control a swarm simulation. This piece was originally installed in a gallery space where the movement of visitors influenced the ever-changing generative composition.

http://blog.soulwire.co.uk/code/actionscript-3/webcam-motion-detection-tracking

Research: Build your own multitouch surface computer

There are a lot of homemade DIY touch screen mock ups and tests out there. These are never quite perfect but maybe something to consider and test?

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/maximum_pc_builds_a_multitouch_surface_computer

Maximum PC's Multitouch Surface Computer from Maximum PC on Vimeo.

Long time no post - Research: Touch Screen

It's been a busy old summer. Looking to get back into the project over the cold winter months.

Just a quick thought about the display of the table - and how to track where the ball hits in a different kind of way & saw these touch panels which can adapt an existing screen into a touch screen.

Link: Virtual Village

"Transform your PC monitor into an interactive display screen with this high quality and accurate widescreen 22” touch panel. The 4 wire panel is the most popular version and can be used by a large variety of contact types, i.e. gloves, stylus, fingers etc.

Ideal for use as POS (point of sale) or for giving directions or instructions – touch screens are an eye-catching and technologically advanced way to communicate in pretty much any business:"

Hardware: Phidgets

Portage: Crossing Points (click for micro-site which, with I worked on with the help of Paul Mackinnon of Dundee University) when setting up the exhibition, which is currently on in Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland, I heard one of the artists speaking about a "Phidget"...

"What are Phidgets?

Phidgets are a set of "plug and play" building blocks for low cost USB sensing and control from your PC.

All the USB complexity is taken care of by our robust API. Applications can be developed quickly by programmers using their favorite language: C/C++, C#, Cocoa, Delphi, Flash AS3, Flex AS3, Java, LabVIEW, MATLAB, Max/MSP, MRS, Python, REALBasic, Visual Basic.NET, Visual Basic 6.0, Visual Basic for Applications, Visual Basic Script, and Visual C/C++/Borland.NET."

Website: http://www.phidgets.com/

Research: UVA Speed of Light

Previously blogged (here) United Visual Artists installation at the Oxo Tower Wharf, South Bank, London, in April this year. http://www.uva.co.uk/

"Speed of Light celebrates the tenth anniversary of broadband in the UK. Stripped back to its essentials, optical fibre is a thin strand of glass, with nothing more than a flickering beam of light traveling along it. United Visual Artists have used this beam as the starting point for the work."

More info:
Speed of Light

Research: Distance Lab

"Distance Lab is a creative research organisation bringing together digital media technology, design and the arts to redefine and overcome the disadvantages of distance in learning, health care, relationships, culture and other domains.

In addition to conducting academic research, the Lab works with briefs from industry and governmental partners, providing advice, generating ideas and building prototypes that inspire and can lead to new innovative products and services."

www.distancelab.org

Book list: Interactivity & Design

As a reference, can't see me getting my head around all these books... times like this when you miss the uni library...

Processing A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists by John Maeda

Processing: Creative Coding & Computational Art: Creative Coding and Computational Art (Foundation) by Ira Greenberg

Making Things Talk: Practical Methods for Connecting Physical Objects by Tom Igoe

Creative Code: Aesthetics and Computation by John Maeda

Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers by Tom Igoe

Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers by Tom Igoe

This next one looks like a good place to start.



Programming Interactivity: Unlock the Power of Arduino, Processing, and OpenFrameworks by Joshua Noble

Im sure this list will grow...

And here it grows:(6/5/2010)


Learning Processing: A beginners guide to programming Images, Animation and interaction by Daniel Shiffman


Note: Look into Arduino
Book:

Getting Started with Arduino by Massimo Banzi

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 - 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?