ANIMATE ARTS SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL, PART II

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ANIMATE ARTS SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL, PART II
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CONCEPT
An interactive installation in which viewers
attention exerts selective force on perpetually
recombining graphic elements. The basic
installation model consists of a digital
projector, a motion camera to record duration and
region of viewer attention on the screen, and
software to process attention data while
assembling and animating the graphic elements via
genetic algorithms driven dynamically by viewer
preferences.
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CONCEPT
(NOW WITH MORE AMBIGUITY)
An interactive installation in which viewers
attention exerts selective force on perpetually
recombining graphic elements. The basic
installation model consists of a digital
projector, a system to record duration and region
of viewer attention on the screen, and software
to process attention data while assembling and
animating the graphic elements via genetic
algorithms driven dynamically by viewer
preferences.
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DATA FLOW
OBSERVERS
TECHNICAL DILEMMA How to collect user input?
ATTENTION COLLECTION
OBSERVER ATTENTION STATISTICS
GENETIC ALGORITHMS
FINANCIAL DILEMMA How to pay for expensive
equipment?
GRAPHIC ASSEMBLY, SIMULATION ANIMATION
PROJECTOR
PROJECTED ANIMATION
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INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS
DATA FLOW A large number of viewer decisions must
be recorded to feed the genetic recombination
code and drive visual change FEEDBACK A
responsive interface is necessary to suggest to
the viewer that interaction is taking place and
encourage further investigation AMBIGUITY The
viewer must not immediately recognize how they
are influencing the visual system. This
requirement is at odds with data flow and
feedback demands.
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POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
REFINED FACE-TRACKING OR POINTER-BASED
INTERFACE ? WIIMOTE OR INDIRECT WEB-DRIVEN
INPUT
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REFINED FACE-TRACKING
APPROACH Break the screen/screen into rough
regions, and code image processing software to
look for faces over a certain area. Changes to
the installation design could encourage movement
around the screens, and thus encourage decision
making. Installing the work in a high-traffic
environment could also increase data
flow. ADVANTAGES Highly ambiguous means of input
unexpected, largely unprecedented, encourages
exploration of influence DISADVANTAGES Technicall
y complex, expensive hardware Highly ambiguous
means of input some viewers might never notice
interactivity Regions of attention would need to
be rather huge, reducing possible choices and
thus reducing data flow
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THE WIIMOTE
APPROACH Give viewers access to a Wiimote, set up
pointer-based system encouraging investigation of
on-screen objects. Use observation times to
establish viewer preference statistics. ADVANTAGE
S Directly interactive, fun Lots of data to work
with Interactive ambiguity may be retained
software-side. DISADVANTAGES Complexities of
multi-user implementation (limited to 4?) Game
association influences viewers approach to
interaction Cursor-based interaction is tried /
true / tired
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WEB BASED INPUT
APPROACH Scrape data from RSS feeds, IRC
channels, Message Boards, etc. Map prevailing
patterns/words/events to selective pressures
within the visual system. ADVANTAGES Data flow
lots to work with DISADVANTAGES No direct
interaction changes viewing experience Imprecis
ion of word-image mapping Mode of interaction
would need to be explained, thus compromising
ambiguity Shifts intent still gallery based?
Web based? New / different questions?