How virtual snowflakes looks in the real world...

More pictures at Flickr: by Timo Arnall

More pictures at Flickr: by Jon Olav Eikenes

Jørn pulls it off, together with hired gun Thomas.

Installed the applet on a cube, running Apache webserver with php. The snowgenerator applet stores the coordinates of the snowflakes in a xml-file for the presentation-software to grab and project it on the wall back in Oslo.

OpenGL Mac OS X Screensaver

What this might look like. Projected through the glass with film, onto the wall.

Jon Olav and Andrea have started writing code.

The Jon Olav mailed me the first versions of the generator. Now we have to get the XML-file going.

What do they look like? Or does it matter? What looks best?

The way to do it...

The most secure, low-maintainance and stable configuration should be client on web that can write xml-files. Server containing the xml-files and the snow-animation file, getting values from the xml-file.

Client (Write)
XML (document)
Server (Read)

At least in theory, this should be possible using Processing and proXML .

Mock-up of the snowflake-generator webinterface. We can place the java-applets in this one to test it. We may also take away some options. We do not really need the different angle-tools if we write the java-applet so that only some angles are possible to draw.

A draw-window, preview-window and a namefield could actually be enough.




generated snowflake of name and shape:

New projectgroups. Andrea, Castillñano and myself are researching how the snowflake generator should work, and where it should be located.

I've got the server/client examples in Processing working between two macs in the same network. The java-applet in the client seems slow, doesn't recieve info from the server fast enough. Andrea tried to hook up to my server (in stockholm) from her pc (in oslo); no errormessages, but no updates either. Only first initial value got through. Using port 8080 to get through the firewall at aho.




testresults:
1:- Server and client on same mac: runs smooth and fast
(server: dual 2,5 GHz G5)

2:- Server and client on different macs in same network: runs, but slow. loose about 10 frames/sec compared to server.
(11Mb via IP/server: dual 2,5 GHz G5/client: 1,67 GHz G4)

3- Server (mac) and client (pc) on diffenent networks: runs, but either only first frame recieved by client, or it runs extremely slow. no errormessages, so the client did get contact with server.
(max 0,4Mb UL from server, IP, port 8080)

The slowness/delay on the client when running server/client on different machines on same network may not be a problem for us. In the Processing example script, the animation is running on the client with input values received real time from the server. If we set up the Snowflake Generator the other way around - with the animation running on the server instead of the client, the clients could act merely as input nodes that feed the server (or a database on the server) with values. This way we eliminate any problem with slow network performance, and the java-applets being unable to update fast enough via IP.

Also found a couple of flash-based drawing interfaces on the web. These are both interfaces where you can draw or arrange something that are stored on a server. The first example uses Macromedia Flash, ActionScript, PHP, Flash Remoting, PHPObject, XML server interaction

http://tordevries.dvdt.us/leditor/
http://www.pixeltees.com/make/?&c=20051118-020953-2139963560

Sara compiled our thoughts in these posters

File as pdf: click here

Sara put together this areamap. This is our suggestion.

1. Snowflake generator
2. Nostalgic photos comb w sound
3. Walk in snow-sound
4. Projection of snow falling
5. Sale of products
6. Snow angel
7. Artificial Snowball
8. Warm air paraboll
9. Mail sowman course (cancel)
10. Exhibition flood & mud & wintersong (not christmas)

Stig and myself testing IR-camera and motion tracking in Processing.

IR: The Apple iSight can see infra red!





And we got the motiontracking to work in Processing with iSight:


import processing.video.*;

// Variable for capture device
Capture video;
color trackColor;


void setup()
{
size(400, 300);
framerate(10);
colorMode(RGB,255,255,255,100);
// Using the default capture device
video = new Capture(this, 400, 300, 12);
trackColor = color(255); // Start off tracking for white
noFill();
smooth();
strokeWeight(4.0);
stroke(0);

}

void captureEvent(Capture camera)
{
camera.read();
}

void draw()
{

loadPixels();

// Draw the video image on the background
image(video,0,0);
// Local variables to track the color
float closestDiff = 500.0f;
int closestX = 0;
int closestY = 0;
// Begin loop to walk through every pixel
for ( int x = 0; x < video.width; x++) {
for ( int y = 0; y < video.height; y++) {
int loc = x + y*video.width;
// What is current color
color currentColor = video.pixels[loc];
float r1 = red(currentColor); float g1 = green(currentColor); float b1 = blue(currentColor);
float r2 = red(trackColor); float g2 = green(trackColor); float b2 = blue(trackColor);
// Using euclidean distance to compare colors
float d = dist(r1,g1,b1,r2,g2,b2);
// If current color is more similar to tracked color than
// closest color, save current location and current difference
if (d < closestDiff) {
closestDiff = d;
closestX = x;
closestY = y;
}
}
}
// Draw a circle at the tracked pixel
ellipse(closestX,closestY,16,16);
}

void mousePressed() {
// Save color where the mouse is clicked in trackColor variable
int loc = mouseX + mouseY*video.width;
trackColor = video.pixels[loc];
}

Andrea, Stig, Sara and myself goes through a couple of concepts. The bottom line is to create a feeling of mismatch between "good 'ol days" when winter was white and snow was for real, and the cybersnow. Technology vs. Reality. Nothing beats the real thing.

We have four diffenent elements:
1: SnowAngel simulator
2: SnowBall simulator
3: SnowCrystal Generator
4: Postcards


SnowCrystal Generator
- webpage (& terminal at projector) , people can draw a branch of the snowcrystal
- full crystal generated in the preview-screen
- write your name + email
- save.
- snowcrystal + name placed in database and animated on screen (w/creator name)
- more people generating = more snow on screen
- if no one generates snow = melting/rain no good :-(

sketch of interface:



SnowBall-/SnowAngel Simulator
We also decided that a dedicated space behind the cantina would me suitable for the snowangel-/snowball-simulator. Light could me blocked out. A room would me built. Less security needed.



Sara and Andrea scouted locations for snowcrystal-animation.





Postcards
Also discussed postcard-concepts. Why have them, and what should be on them.

Notes by Andre. Class meeting.

Winter project
Main theme: WINTER IS GONE!
We meet Wednesday at 1300 U2.

Each group will present their ideas and research according to:
∙Activities (priority)
∙Location (map)
∙Describe the concept
More concrete

Title
Some detail
∙At least one visualisation
∙equipment
∙Accounts
∙Research the blackboard-ideas with your group-number on (in red).

The groups: 1. Castilnano, Camille, Line, Noni.
2. Anette, Jørn , André, Jon Olav
3. Stig, Andrea, Sara, Joakim


The ideas on the blackboard Monday.
∙Sound satellite dish (parabol ) (1)
Activated by doing stuff
Sensor activated
∙Snowstorm on TV (2)
With sound of real snowstorm
∙Cold hallway
Sound of cold winter
Snow/feeling of snow in steps
Cold light
∙Arcade machine (2)
∙Podcasting(downloadable radio program) (2)
∙Falling Snowflakes generator (1)
as desktop background on every desktop computer at school?
Another place?
∙Interactive snowball fight (3)
Computer game at school network
∙Big ice block melting and making inundation
As a comment to global heating
∙Jiging(fishing through a hole in the ice)
∙Projecting a fireplace in the cantina (or some other place..) (1)
∙Speakers around in school with winter music and winter sounds
∙Artificial snowball with LEDlight inside. (2)
Throw on a blink. Motion tracking on the hit. Projector show animation on blink.
∙Neglsprett-machine.
∙Angles in the snow. (3)
Motion tracking and projector
∙Pictures old days (3)
Dias on wall?
Video old days?
∙Old days stories (1)
Interview old people
∙Stick your tongue on to a cold piece of metal.
Instruction manual
∙ Artificial Sledging hill
∙Walking on snow(2)
Sensor on floor and the sound of snow
∙Snowman workshop (1)
∙advertise outdoor events that require snow and call off the events because of no snow

Map over building, and timetable for other ongoing events.