Course Overview

1
Course Overview

• Glenn Bresnahan
• glenn_at_bu.edu

2
Course Delivery

• Classes held over Access Grid
• Instruction delivered from both BU and UNM
• VR distributed using DAFFIE
• A variety of other collaboration tools, esp. VNC

3
Lesson Plan Materials

• http//scv.bu.edu/newvoices/syllabus.html
• Lesson plans as Web pages downloadable Word
  files
• PowerPoint lecture materials for most segments
• Ancillary files (homework assignments,
  documentation, etc).
• Reference material pointers
• To be completed Fall08

4
Lesson Plans
5
High Level Summary of Semester I

• Create a context and framework for collaborative
  project using Native American aesthetics
• Introduce concepts of 3D graphics and VR
• Creation and manipulation of digital images
  (Corel)
• Imagery and iconography in Native American arts
• Principles of audio and digital audio processing
  (Audacity)
• Principles of digital images and vision
• Principles of 2D (cell) animation
• Using 2D images and digital audio in a VR
  environment (DAFFIE)

6
High Level Summary of Semester 2

• Animating 2D images
• Video texture maps in VR
• Programming using Logo
• Principals of computer programming
• Computer generated 2D images/animation
• Controlling 3D motion in DAFFIE VR
• Principles of computer graphics
• Native American art and artists
• 3D modeling and animation using Maya
• Generating complex 3D objects
• Generating 3D object animation
• Putting it all together using DAFFIE
• Final project

7
Semester 1 Syllabus

1. Introduction Maria, Glenn, Felix, Greg (2
   classes)
2. Collaborative Art Project - Felix (6 classes)
3. Introduction to Virtual Reality Glenn (1 class)
   
4. Corel Painter I Laura (3 classes)
5. Principles of sound Glenn, Robert (2 classes)
6. Digital Audio Manny (3 classes)
7. Native American imagery Greg (1 class)
8. Using Digital Media in VR Erik, Robert (3
   classes)

8
Semester 1 Syllabus (continued)

1. Field trip to Chaco Canyon and discussion Maria
   (2 classes)
2. Principles of animation Erik (1 class)
3. Corel Painter II Laura (3 classes)
4. Building a virtual world Graph Paper World
   Erik (3 classes)
5. Planning final project Maria, Felix (2 classes)
6. Principles of digital images Glenn (2 classes)
7. Final project work Felix, Erik (6 classes)

9
Semester 2 Syllabus

1. Introduction Glenn, Maria (1 class)
2. Animation Erik, Laura (3 classes)
3. Logo Glenn (9 classes)
4. MIAC Trip Maria (3 classes)
5. Computer Graphics Erik (2 classes)
6. Maya Jim, Laura (5 classes)
7. Guest Artists Maria, Patrick (4 classes)
8. Final Project Planning Maria (2 classes)
9. Maya, Sound (UBIK) and Final Project Jim,
   Manny, Erik, Laura, Robert (10 classes)
10. Final Project Showing Maria, Glenn, Jennifer,
    Erik, Laura, Robert (2 classes)

10
VR, Principles of Digital Media, Programming

• Introduction to VR (lessons 1.1, 1.3)
• Principles of Digital Audio (1.5)
• Principles of Digital Images (1.14)
• Programming with Logo (2.3)

11
Intro to Virtual Reality (1.1, 1.3)

• Demonstrate examples of virtual worlds
• Introduce the concepts of 3D displays, VR,
  computer graphics, animation, and DAFFIE software
• Stereopsis
• Principles of animation
• Fundamentals of mathematical / geometric modeling
  and digital representation
• Projection and perspective
• Computer rendering

12
Intro to Virtual Reality

• Projection and perspective
• Computer rendering
• DAFFIE VR

13
Intro VR - Numerical/Geometric Models

• begin ./table/items ltdefaultgt
• setxfm
• 1.000000e00 0.000000e00 0.000000e00
  0.000000e00
• 0.000000e00 1.000000e00 0.000000e00
  0.000000e00
• 0.000000e00 0.000000e00 1.000000e00
  0.000000e00
• 0.000000e00 0.000000e00 0.000000e00
  1.000000e00
• putprp cull 1
• begin ./table/items/cube polygon
• setxfm
• 1.500000e00 0.000000e00 0.000000e00
  0.000000e00
• 0.000000e00 1.500000e00 0.000000e00
  0.000000e00
• 0.000000e00 0.000000e00 1.500000e00
  0.000000e00
• 2.000000e00 -1.500000e00 -1.250000e00
  1.000000e00
• defpnt 1 -1.000000e00 -1.000000e00
  -1.000000e00
• defpnt 2 -1.000000e00 1.000000e00
  -1.000000e00
• defpnt 3 1.000000e00 1.000000e00
  -1.000000e00
• defpnt 4 1.000000e00 -1.000000e00
  -1.000000e00
• defpnt 5 -1.000000e00 -1.000000e00
  1.000000e00
• defpnt 6 -1.000000e00 1.000000e00
  1.000000e00

14
Principles of Digital Audio (1.5)

• Basic physics of sound
• Understanding the fundamentals of waves
• Mathematically functions and graphs
• Physical properties of sound waves
• Composition of complex waves from sine waves
• Representation and transductions of signals
• Biophysics of human hearing
• Characteristics of real sounds
• Analog and digital representation and recording
  of sound
• Field and studio recording techniques and
  equipment
• Digital audio manipulation and editing

15
Principles of Digital Audio (1.5a)

• Mathematical properties of (sine) waves
• Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period and
  speed
• Representation function graphs/plots
• Principles of sound
• Vibrations resonance
• Physical properties of sound (frequency, speed,
  sound pressure levels)

16
Principles of Digital Audio (1.5a)

• Biophysics of human hearing
• Real sounds
• Absorption and reflection (reverberation)
• Compound frequencies
• Signal transduction
• Converting between SPL and current
• Analog and digital representation and recording
  of sound

17
Principles of Digital Images (1.14)

• Introduction to the physical properties of light
  and the interaction between light and materials.
• Describe the biophysics of human vision and the
  foundations of color perception
• Describe the representation and storage of
  digital images

18
Digital Images - Light

• Light as electromagnetic radiation
• EMF spectrum
• Light as a wave / particle
• Physical properties of visible light
• Frequency, wavelength, speed etc.
• Absorption, reflection and refraction of light
• Color and pigment, reflection and absorption of
  different wavelengths
• Spectral properties of materials

19
Digital Images - Vision

• Basic biophysics of vision
• Photo-excitation of rods and cones
• Role of color absorption in cones and perception
  of color, i.e. RGB color mixing
• Retinal response, fatigue and flicker fusion
• Role in perception of motion

20
Digital Images Digital Images

• Representation of color as RGB triads
• Representation of images as a 2D array of pixels
• Pixels and resolution
• Storage of digital images
• Image file formats
• Compression
• Computer display architecture and display
  technologies

21
Logo Programming

• Computer programming and algorithms
• Procedures, naming, iteration, conditionals, data
  structures (strings and lists)
• Computer generated images
• Turtle graphics
• Generating 2D animations
• Texture maps
• Controlling DAFFIE objects
• Turtle3D

22
Programming Constructs

• Procedures
• Arithmetic operations and math functions
• Variables (naming)
• Iteration
• Recursion
• Conditionals and logical operations
• Parameters and scoping
• Data structures
• words (i.e.strings)
• lists

23
DAFFIE Agents Turtle3D

• Turtle3D - Logo/DAFFIE interface
• Control a 3D DAFFIE turtle
• Turtle World
• General mechanism to manipulate DAFFIE objects
• DAFFIE Robots

24
Logo in VR Turtle3D