❦Interactive Media: Life after PD Studio

Autumn Dragon: Jumping Java, sleeping Python. Natal Android.

2011-10-27T04:13:00.002+01:00

Where has the DragonDreamer been? This summer saw me whittling away at a super secret project with Dr. Mikael Fernstrom at the IDC in the University of Limerick. All in good faith and I am very delighted and grateful the Wizard of Technology has taken me under his wing! Sorry Gandalf and Dumbledore, this lowly elf/muggle has to keep grounded to life! Can't tell you what the project is since I am under NDA :P

Moving on. I am currently frying my brain (not a Silence of the Lambs reference O_o) cleaning the rust off my Java. I learned basic Java in college as part of my MSc in Interactive Media. I-Media is more like 4 years of Digital Media (the undergrad version) crammed into one year with a big thesis at the end. Bit of difference between a thesis and an F.Y.P. (Final Year Project). Is it just UL that uses these initials (?) since other college students get confused when you say it and they think Eff Why Pee is some sort of FYI or LMAO internet slang. I must say I am quite the report writer and have a fondness for footnotes and Mendeley to keep track of those pesky journals and PDF articles.

I helped recruit one or two product design and architecture students into the course this year after I gave a big breakdown of the course - what you learn, and how great it is to be an I-Media Elf (I like to call us that because of the Wizard). The Wizard passed the baton to a young hip Italian to run I-Media, who will someday inherit a similar title, perhaps as the "fashionable sorcerer". Vinny says so (patent pending?).

Back to the point, Java, that oldschool barely comprehensible language for English majors was of great importance in my upskilling from designer with a thing for markers, pencils and modelling-foam. I had Ann Ledwith of the Computer Science department to thank for her patience and teaching ability. I found it helped me when I started learning ActionScript 3.0 (part of Flash and Flex) particularly for my thesis. Why am I doing going back to Java after Whykay (my sister) - a solid and superb Java user from her Sun Microsystem days advised me to learn Python instead? I mean Mick (a very powerful Pythonista and sorcerer in his own right) has a poem on the wall of his bedroom from the founding members of the Python language who make fun LoLs of Java.

Truth is I have begun my journey learning how to make Android applications. I installed the Eclipse IDE for the first time. I found the Android plug in for it (ADT) after a little bit of frustration. The URL provided by Android Developers Forum was...broken. Finally I found out I could install it by selecting "Archive" and Eclipse installs it from the zip file of the ADT package.

fuuuuuuuuuu (CK IT :P )

I'm not fond of book learning, but books are a helpful resource when a video or blog about a similar topic isn't available. The Index page was of great help to me when I had the ActionScript 3.0 Animation/Cookbook books.

I was surprised and deeply impressed when I found a set of Android videos, by Travis who runs mybringback.com. The screencasts were as good as any Lynda.com or VideoCopilot tutorial I've seen and followed. Lynda's videos are by paid subscription by the way. I trawled through many a video during the second semester in I-Media. Of course I can't afford both that and my wix.com portfolio page subscription at the same time.

It gets better, Bucky of thenewboston on Youtube is another philanthropist education guru. He asked Travis to do a full set of Android tutorials for thenewboston and for Free access. They both believe to an extent Education is a Right and normal people who have the drive and initiative can learn this wonderful technology that is becoming such a big part of our everyday life. I agree. Travis comes back and gives him 200 excellent videos on Android basics on a USB key. Now that impressed me so much I donated on Paypal to mybringback.com. A monumental first time the DragonDreamer donated by credit card/paypal if you exclude The Red Cross and the Japan Tsunami Aid. Well done Travis and Bucky! Currently I am about a fraction through the videos after I hit a snag and my app force closed itself after getting past the splash screen. oops. 30 videos and counting...

Application Design 101

This is a long enough post, and I must bid goodnight. Can't call myself DragonDreamer if I don't sleep! I have Karate tomorrow evening so I must make the most of the day!

Future: must have a look at Arduino, Processing and Android together. *Ignores Pure Data and GEM for another while until my fear subsides. I really need to learn electronics properly so that I don't fry components or shock myself T_T

RiverFest, Sun, and a stuffy Space

2011-04-29T21:02:00.000+01:00

MayDay MayDay! Summer is here! People surged to the Kilkee and the Lahinch for a bit of sun and enjoyment. The restuarant business is slow on these weekends. But with RiverFest around there is excitement all around.

I haven't been hacking anything in a long time. What I want Most of all is a 3D printer or Cupcake frosting printer ala MakerBot. I don't know if I can put one together but if there were a kit on my doorstep I won't stop until I get one printing out chocolate and frosting.

The FabLab talk by René Bohne in the Absolute Hotel on Wednesday was impressive. He is with the Media Computing Group in Aachen University in Germany. They had an exhibit at the Shanghai Expo last year with shadow play that created your own buildings which can be saved and viewed online on a gallery. There will always be a place for interactive installations and media, but sometimes I feel they are presented as more or a luxury once off piece in a lobby or space than an integral feature of a building/domain. Some day I will do a Karate interactive installation that will share the experience of a Karate class or learning.

FabLab is where resources and machinery are available to people who register/book a one hour slot online to bring their idea to reality. A fabrication that allows them to ask for help from people with relevant skills and the tools to do things. Tools like Laser Cutters, CNC machines, 3D printers.
To be honest I have had very little chance of using a 3D printer. There were occasions when I fixed up and exported an STL type file and helped set up the platform for the process to begin. Came back the next day and cleaned it up and melted the support material to leave us with the piece. It is precise and different to whittling away at a piece of plastic Foam modelling material with savings in time and effort.

I never considered using the services of Ponoko or Shapeways. But I am impressed by the technology and service.
BBQ tomorrow and music in the park. Nice! Limerick needs festivities like this to up the morale!

Limerick is darker times

2010-10-19T02:58:00.003+01:00

Since I am so young I don't really remember Limerick in dark times when the dole is the norm or derelict shops is common rather than being fodder for development into another establishment if not a decent café.

There is a thriving market (Milk Market) as said during the recent Connected Limerick meetup hosted by the Interaction Design Centre (IDC) and IxD. But the I Love Limerick campaign is also not understood by visitors to their site as mentioned by a French man during the meetup. I Love Limerick is very much something the Limerick person can associate with and doesn't exactly invite outsiders to join in the pride/festivities. Some of it is lost to the outsider. My opinion is that the content is similar to the Cork Community Television media. I don't know what the viewer-base is like country-wide, but my guess is the Rebel county has a good number of viewers if content is being generated regularly.

video of the monthly artisan crafts market at Limerick Milk Market by MunsterImages on Youtube

Am I proud of Limerick or bring from Limerick? Yes and No. Limerick is home and I will never be ashamed to call it home. However I am ashamed of what it has become. Looking at the sorry state it is in now. Look here at Boards for some of the recent closures that make this one of the worst summers at home (not just because I stayed cooped up in a lab doing my thesis :D but looking at the broader aspect: neighbours of ours - beside and across from the Hong Kong Restaurant that have closed after decades). There is also the lack footfall in town that isn't nightclub driven... A number of times I have heard people say they never step foot in Limerick (city) with almost a hint of pride on the fact. Something must be wrong there. Of course I know they need only traverse one area to another that doesn't require stepping foot into city boundaries.

Limerick-ians I bid you godspeed over the next few years: when pedestrianisation does what it said it would, and maybe we'll have our city cinema and Limerick festivals that aren't too niche or rip-offs to the family ticket. The creative groups are operating, but where/when will the performers flex their wares? Time for the workhorses and showponies work together.
Or we will get some of the mess from the UK The Apprentice with zero sales last Wednesday evening. (what a joke! the Product Design students had a field day with the drama and entertainment :P send them off to the product designer and get a product the morning after = talk about undermining the work we do and effort required in Customer/User needs, analysis, and effective concept communications between designer, marketers, engineers,scientists, etc. stakeholders.).

Worst Decisions on The Apprentice.

Anyways on a lighter note, Starter and Main Course for a tenner at the Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant between 4:30 and 7:00pm daily Limerick-ians.

Flash <-> Arduino + Steering Wheel + Foot Pedals

2010-08-31T16:46:00.002+01:00

Thesis complete :D Well I still have to finish the write up and two hardback copies (hundred quid for the oldschool book binder down the road, but he does a good job).
So I did my presentation today for the IDC staff and the external examiners. Exceptionally nice about it too.

I am glad it went well. So I think I will post up the n00bie code I did for Flash ActionScript3.0 and Arduino connection later. It's still all in one FLA file so it ain't a class or anything. Still barely got my head around using those things to be honest.
Maybe I feel bored because the lull after the work and t is still 11AM. I haven't been up for 9AM in a long time. Summer has not been pretty :) But I get to rub it in the face of friends going back to school/college as I take a few days off to do the things I love. one = karate, two = movies, three = games, four =sketching, five = reading (no more manuals or code thanks for a while).

These guys did a great job for tutorials to connect Arduino to Flash: Developsigner and Kampermann.
One thing I never figured out was why SerProxy/TinkerProxy2 didn't work on my macbook pro with Snow Leopard. But worked fine on Leopard in the college MacPro desktop.

But here it is step by step:

Arduino <=> Flash using TinkedrProxy2

[1] Arduino connected to computer by USB
[2] Uploaded Standard Firmata (version 2.1) onto Arduino from Files>Examples>Firmata>Standard Firmata within the Arduino 018 environment.
[3] configure the "Serproxy.cfg" file from the TinkerProxy2 folder. Change the Arduino board serial number to the one you see in the Arduino environment. Usually is called something like /dev/cu.xxxxxx
or /dev/.tty.xxxxxx where xxxx is like A100N100 for example.
.
.
.
It's also case sensitive methinks. Because I helped one of the classmates connect some replacement Arduinos (Arduino NG 128 - where you need to press that reset button before uploading a new sketch, bleh...). And an upper case I is different o lower case L. And the same for the upper case W in the second board that didn't have a broken USB port.
.
rant over back to the steps.
.
[5] Download as3Glue and there are some very good examples from protolab by Bjoern Hartmann.
[4] Run "Serproxy.osx.app" (on Windows is "Serproxy.exe) in Terminal (or whatever CommandLine).

On Mac it shows this. So ready to connect from Flash

[5] when you run the Flash app (publish SWF) it'll connect to the socket server to receive and send messages to.fro the Arduino. The socket port should be 5331 in the Actionscript3.0 code. AS3Glue's examples should have it.

[6] optional, but for my project which loads video and audio files into Flash, I had to add the project/Flash output folder to the Trusted Directory. There is a tool from "as3glueexamples" > "tools" > "addtrusteddirectory" . Launch it and choose the file or folder to add it to Flash's global trusted directory.

[7] For my project I connected some game steering wheels and foot pedals (cheapish ones for thirty quid). Sliced the wires, and connected them to the Arduino AnalogIn pins. The steering wheel and pedals total 3 potentiometers. Firmaa is smart enough to send signals to Flash so that the values within the onReceiveAnalogData function{ } gives values in the range 0 -1023 (to make the 1024 range of a pot.). I mapped these ranges to my needs, like e.value is the analogue value from Arduino in Flash.

so e.value/4 is approximately 255. Some values I needed a range 0.0 - 1.0 so e.value/1023 works. too

Tha'ts the basis to building something in Flash. The values coming in within the ArduinoEvent function.

Many of my operations had to stay within the onReceiveAnalogData function to make use of the e.value. But assigning a variable to be the same as the e.value made it accessible outside.

Here is the main components of my Flash app:

I. Arduino-Flash communication code from as3Glue.

II. Video import and streaming.

III. Pixel Bender filters to work on top of the video. Analog input values to be used for dynamic filter parameter control.

IV. Dynamic audio. Load sound file for engine revving noise. Analog input values are also used (alongside video filter control) to control sound events and incorporating pitch bend to convey pedal strength and perceived acceleration.

V. Steering wheel crosshair control and the X-axis.

simple for the code monkeys out there, but I am a n00b and only started programming this year.

I brought in some cool tricks from Kevin Luck's code for audio sampling and playback and some filters from Pixel Bender. I controlled parameters in the audio sample code and also in the Pixel Bender Shader object. So the end result is the pedal revs the MP3 audio (of a medium engine rev sound) and messes with playback speed and pitch. More speed = VROOM, less speed = Vrrrr

The filter distorts the video (using ZoomBlurFocus from Daniel Allegretti) and causes a tunnel vision type look.

But what of the end result? I finished the footage of my driving scenario with After Effects for some humourous hazardous objects. There is of course no change of scenario/narrative outcomes

watch the zoom! Extreme tunnel vision for the adrenaline junkie

yes that's a Pikmin :P

But what's it all for if it isn't a fully interactive virtual world like a computer game with an interactive virtual environment with cars and Pikmi to hit into and score points. Well if you give tht much control over to users then you might as well buy a high end Driving Simulator, you know the ones with the three LCD screens with surround sound and force feedback on the steering and pedals and chair tilt. The kinds they use for clinical testing.

Mine give the examiners and the users a good laugh and they saw potential in the simplicity for Focus. Focus in testing reactions/perception/motor skills despite the lack of direct control of the video (yes it's is a video footage which means it's not a game). There are crosshairs overlaid on the video for showing User steering input for my testing purposes. But users felt this made it like a Flight Squadron game.

Slides for the presentation are on SldieShare and are pretty self explanatory methinks. I didn't even show the last slide to them for the references (blanked!). But yeah, I got some good feedback on what to add to the thesis to complement the presentation.

Nuts to that, it went well. I hate presentations though.

Mind Driven :Arduino <=> Flash

View more presentations from Vincent Lee.

DAWN2010 officially starts tomorrow evening with a Music Technology concert at 8pm at the Irish Chamber Orchestra Building across the river on the Clare side of the UL campus.
Karate time!

MindDriven on vimeo

Left Foot, Brake, Right Foot, Accelerate. this aint karate or flying Ryanair.

2010-07-02T16:26:00.001+01:00

I guess I should give a little background on the title. Last week my karate instructor Sensei Mike Hogan from the Clare Shotokan Karate Club gave an analogy for the way we step in karate. One foot starts like an accelerator pedal, then it lands and stops like the brakes. Off course the two feet are interchangeable and karate people move in such a way we might even reverse faster than going forward while still breaking another's nose at the same time. Oops.

We have wonderful things called legs, and when they move the body move. It's a trade secret! Don't go spreading the word. It's good to have a certified physio in the club sometimes with a sense of humour.

And we don't go taking off like a plane, be it RyanAir, Aer Lingus, Atlantic Airways whatever. That ain't karate because we don't make unnecessary shapes or wings or rudders in karate. So next time you are kicking, don't go flailing those arms like you are preparing for take off!
_____________________________________________________________________________

Well back to this other thing occupying my day time and some evenings. Got me some foot pedals. Freecycle was quiet and hunting for a second hand one is better than buying something for he sake of taking it apart.

I acquired a bag of assorted potentiometers from Maplin ages ago before I went to Hong Kong. Computer and Controller Cookbook by Tom & Kelda Riley, published 1983 showed me exactly what I needed. Two pots for the foot pedals, and a pot for the steering wheel. Awesome. I am liking this little knob for all its wonderful applications in life. Variable resistance at its finest in a small package.

Mad Catz Foot Pedals. I am not hacking the steering wheel yet.

Underside. eight pads = eight screws (hopefully!) Here comes the flathead screwdriver.

(A while later) Finally. that took a bit of welly. Injured myself in the process! Always poke away from the self.

Closer look at the Foot pedals... I see springs!

Here we go: the teeth doing their thing turn the cog and then the Pot.

The potentiometer. So many wires? Ah right, the ground and Voltage + is connected to the other Pot. for the other pedal! Everyday's a school day for this NooB :P

So there are three pots for my messing with the breadboard now. Hooked up like this-ish. Now I need to really go do some programming.

I should really put back the Pot. for the steering wheel back into the wheel. Now for the instruction manual on putting it back together (reverse assembling)... my blurry pictures from when I took that piece of garbage apart! I think I counted 27 screws and I had to use a hammer and flathead screwdriver for the "Microsoft" name hub cap which was hiding 4 screws. Grrrarr design for disassembly it was not(!).

This newer Mad Catz foot pedal was easy peasy though, despite all the glue used for the rubber pads under it. only 8 screws.

This weekend. A small bit of soldering, and more research into the cog. psychology for using this tool for onscreen interactions. I'm thinking Brain Training on wheels and Euphoria.

TRACE ON

2010-06-12T05:35:00.000+01:00

PDuino and PD seraport used for Arduino to talk to PD...

Found AS3Glue from protolab (Stanford HCI)
which will let Arduino talk to Flash via Actionscript 3.0

http://protolab.pbworks.com/

Options:
1. Arduino to PD
2. Arduino to AS3.0 to PD

What is needed?

My concept. Start with:
Pot(1) steering wheel.
How can I use this for interactivity?

Pot(2) foot pedal - accelerate.
increases playback speed.
trigger audio (rev engine)

Pot(3) foot pedal - brake.
slows playback speed

Diagrams/Details for footpedals from this projectblog.

note: playback speed in PD/GEM using fader…
possible in Action Script 3.0 which can receive the message then relay to PD/GEM.
Option 1: playback speed in PD/GEM
Option 2:playback speed in ActionScript 3.0 then relay to PD/GEM? (delay issues?)

Analog input Button/trigger (1)
As Selector on steering wheel.
As horn for beeping?
What is its use in Narative element of the story? Stopped in middle of road. Two people chatting unawares? Honk to move on? Honk - sends unique signal, Unique signal logical true == load next .avi, if false goes to loop this segment… has message prompts. Best sketch out some scenarios/chapters.

Steering wheel for selection of scenarios? 1-2-3 ?
A lot of Video work?
One scenario = 1 -3,5 minutes? A scenario menu like a DVD menu.

Message in interactive narrative? Surrealism journey? Or easy-going ride to safe reward?

Reward: photo snapshot at end like Japanese photobooth?

Problem: webcam easy. Take snapShot and overlaying with JPEG difficult?
Then displaying Snapshot fullscreen - CONGRATULATIONS.
Make a face...3-2-1. SNAP! A novel feature but not something I'd call important to this stage of the project.

Let there be Light (again)

2010-06-06T02:26:00.000+01:00

Work wise. I think I spent a lot of fun times going through hobby shops in Hong Kong.
But had to reel back to the local places for a couple of fancy Japanese wire strippers.
Looks like the Analog In Arduino examples work. The is a knob. Turn it. Light goes on. Light dims and brightens. Big Whoop. Now to look at some C++ tutorials because programming is not ncie to me. Should be using Python :P

The Pot. works (potentiometer). I must go hunt for some pedals in the Golden Arcade tomorrow (Monday). A bit of programming to do tonight. And browse the Arduino Playground for connecting to PD/GEM or ActionScript 3.

A Hammer and Screw Driver Later

2010-05-28T01:09:00.000+01:00

Read a poster earlier.

Then I tried to reason with that Microsoft steering wheel (from the old days of USB 1) with a screwdriver. An hour later, I decided that after 27 screws and no sign of it opening nicely like an abalone strewed to perfection in Hong Kong, I will have to get out Mr Hammer.

Smack Smack Smack. Hmmm... Use the sharp end. Like opening clam shells. Finally the silly hub cap with the Microsoft logo popped off the front of the PC steering wheel! I look and there are 4 F-off screws screwed on tightly. Give it a welly with the screwdriver.

Now I have the parts I need for hardware hacking. Next stage, Get a reference hacking book and learn basic electronics which I keep forgetting despite general Physics and general electronics engineering in school and early college. >_<

Found the potentiometer (descriptive word worth 5 points!) and thank Mikaels for learning me what to connect to the Arduino. An analog input to be read by the Arduino (fresh from the UK RoyalMail today). Now. To the Arduino Playground and youtube! Some basics need to be learned before trying to do a flying sidekick :P

The day after recovery

2010-05-19T22:11:00.000+01:00

Wel the websites are up and running. All is left to do the thesis. THe brother returned from HongKong/Shanghai. And I can't wait to be over in Hong Kong. I better invest in a nice Logitech steering wheel while I am over there to do my prototype. With Mick Twomey around, maybe the electronics/connectivity can be explored? I have to get a draft (50% content) for the thesis done by the time I am back on he 18th. Got my cousin Chowie to look into getting me a wifi dongle while in Hong Kong. He arrived there yesterday. And apparently 30 degrees with pollution is too much!

Will this impact our training regime in the mornings? We can't let our karate/jujitsu get too rusty now. I haven't trained in two weeks and the joints were aching today in the warm up :P

Well anyway back to the important part of today. The Google IO screencasts were on and some interesting things about html5 were on.

Here is a list of sessions. And yes, the Pacific Day Time thing is pissing me off too. I gets the confusion at times like this. Can someone tell me they are 5 our 6 hours behind the Irish?

Chrome and Chomium are becoming strong browsers, and with pokeball-like icon aesthetics to boot :)
PikaWebChu I choose you!

The sister Whykay says I should get into Android App development if not Ipod Apps. That is a fascinating option, and a good reason to root my HERO. Too bad I can't update the firmware because the Hong Kong HTC site sucks. The UK are on 2.73 and mine is still 1.5 :( I think the only way is to root it. But not when I don't want to HAXors and Phail ... or sorry I randomed off there a minute.
Anglo-Irish english please. Didn't wanna feck up my phone and have it as an expensive paper weight.
I tried not to get jealous when my friend obtained a Desire. No matter what, I have a soft spot for the HERO. An example of emotional design done right.

So app design? Possible, when my thesis is finished and if I can't find a job, I will have to start my own projects :D

Spring is Over, Summer is Here. Let the games begin!

2010-05-17T21:13:00.000+01:00

An update to he IMedia Page. Semester 2 is up and running.

Well, I've spent the last two or three weeks, accumulating enough hours to complete a game of Pokemon a few times, working on various projects that will be graded tonight/over the weekend.

A lotto learn yet, but hey, not too shabby for something thrown together on top of other things like umbrella dances and reports. Perhaps I will finally find time to play computer games once in a month :) What has the world come to that I rank Karate above completing the latest in interactive and immersive media? Loving this blog though. I spent the last few years trying to make a good fist.

Quite a number of skills picked up or fine tuned this semester. Too bad I gave the Arduino and Processing a miss (I blame the lack of an Arduino breadboard on my lap for one excuse :P ).
But here's gold, for me anyway. I do like After Effects, but if I can use that in conjunction with the little boxes and connectors of Pure Data I'd be happy. Not to mention Flash/Action Script. I seem to be getting the starts of a love/hate relation to Action Script 3.0. I mean, some things online are pretty snazzy. But it can be so bloated or temperamental I wish a flying side kick can Bruce Lee it to the max. That made no sense, that is because I had no sleep last night playing with AS3.0, PD mixers/phasors/photoshop and Dreamweaver, then a shower, brekkie and straight back to the college. Darn the feds for kicking us oout at 3am :P The product designers have 24 hour access because they have it in writing... DesignED 2010 exhibit on the 26th. I look forward to it. Just to see the sleek models, and if there is one good concept in the bunch it'd be cake. (Cake not a lie, GladOS).

Time for Bed soon! about 17 hours of hibernation will set me right again :)

Go Go Brolly Brigadiers! & My College Stuff update

2010-05-09T23:21:00.003+01:00

Well the umbrellas are now retired from crime fighting and monster mashing.

The Wizard must be running out of pixie dust and needs to replenish for the next onslaught ;)
Wait... there's a whole summer left to go! Well, two more from today wouldn't hurt, courtesy of Aladdin (Ala) Kishk:

Some pretty powerful imagery there, and all you need to do is apply some instant sex to the photos :)

I must say I learned a lot in this prject in different ways to the last one. in previous work I found we really needed to keep an eye on details such as equipment, extra resources, the physical object we are mediating or interacting with (projector screen, white building). But this time we had a couple of good leaders, and succeeded through team effort. It really ws blood and sweat especailly for Lette who is finding blisters on her paws from the drumming! And for the Umbrealla Brigadiers who gave their calves and ankles a stretching. Even I who did karate regularly for five years was finding my legs were ACHING. The sweat soaking into the mask was proof of that ;)

Interacting with the street, and even with the kids during the performance was fun. I guess we enjoyed ourselves and the audience did too. Today in the second performance, we had a smaller crowd, but we got a bigger applause. I guess I let loost and felt my neck veins/carotids pulsing too scaring some of the audience. No wonder they call me the Terrier in the dojo. And a dog remained barking when we finished. :P How brave.

This is the final word form the Umbrella Brigadier Elf - [Lee].
[Lee] has returned to I-Media Elf form and hung up the crime fighting mask. Because KickAss does a much better job. And I don't like wearing spandex... I like loose clothes like my karate suit.

The Finale of Púca ar Scath

video courtesy of Gabriela.
______________
On another note, I forgot to share a link to my Literature Review from Friday night. So here it is, which is actually a skeleton of my thesis.

I have much to do yet. Before I decide to drive around UL with my new replaced Kodak ZX1 (I nicknamed it Zeddy, who is now part of my family along with Flippy)
and taking hours of footage of driving routes and patterns;

I want to find out this week what I can do with PureData extended (PD) since it likes video input, loops and calls. Who knows. I am still a "Noob" with the programme with boxes, and I never got anywhere with MaxMSP last semester. Will look for inspiration from these student patches from the Emily Carr Art College.

What is the point with all the videos? Well, one thing I remember from the Autumn: "branching narratives". How will I tell the story of
"The Sunday Driver as a Hero" ? I am liking this title. Everyone keeps giving out about the sunday driver, but if a messagegets out, the Sunday driver is the reall hero, and not Collin McRae or Michael Schumacher... I will call my project partially successful. T-Minus 3 weeks till Hong Kong. What will I make?

New Post it Note! Driving without the Dross.

2010-05-02T23:37:00.001+01:00

OK, we all know I have a thing about post it notes. I can make origami cranes out of them.
I can bully my classmates with them, with or without messages of secret innuendos or random glee.
I can tell myself important things emphasising through the use of colour format.

Now I can remind myself what to blog using these. Combine with a Moleskine and I think ideas are easier to scribble down than ever before.

Here is a page where words kept getting reiterated during my interview/chat with Alan Ryan. One of the best driving instructors in Limerick by the way. Not because of his 20 years experience, but by his dedication to the job.
And 64 instructors currently in Limerick, I bet half of them are part-timers teaching on weekends making the extra buck. It all comes down to experience and that what sets them apart. I find driving shares some aspects of martial arts that can define the task as requiring respect.

Karate begins and ends with a rei.
Rei is to bow. To bow is an act of respect. Karate, like driving begins with control, followed by experience, followed by repetition, followed by increase in skill. With this combination of skill and control, one can easily get lost to an attitude of power high horse. Control and power, and if this builds an ego, it makes for an aggressive behaviour.

Aggression in Karate and in Driving are low points in our lives. Someone said to me, once you get an ego after getting a black belt that is when you have lost that black belt, A black belt is called a shodan, meaning first or beginning degree. It is the beginning of the true journey of learning a Way. But then, not everyone is suited to that privilege. Attitude and personality can come hand in hand. Some people are in a rush even though they have nowhere to go, even n a Sunday drive. Their little glass box gives them a private space like the computer that connects them to the internet. They can say whatever they want.
Sometimes if only driving is as difficult as martial arts, you can filter out the serious ones with even a slight inclination to following the way. The ones who turn up to training during RAG week ( I have no intentions of calling it by the rebranded version as a testimony to the amount of unethical carry-on by my so-called fellow students that left me jaded to the event after 5 years) shows that this is true.

This is a blog of my thesis. But my thesis is going to be a personal part of my life for the Summer. It is a different beast to my FYP. But I kindly welcome it to be tamed. And the outcomes: maybe another well pedicured footnote about the reasons that lives are lost on the road or lives ruined because of speed and aggression. Maybe Lady Luck had her hands full that day and her evil twin took over. But I hope it will be something I can be proud of.

Summer is here

2010-05-02T23:05:00.001+01:00

Well, I'll begin by saying I thoroughly enjoyed 500 Days of Summer. Haven't seen it since it was in the cinemas. It holds a strong place in the minds of three good friends who were sharing the same broken feeling around at that time of year. After that I channelled all my energy into my Boxdine Take Away FYP, and also into Karate until it was exhausted to my own detriment. :) It was a good experience that made all the challenges this year pale in comparison.

Well, I called to the product deisgn studio this weekend around midnight. I was doing some housekeeping on the Richie Vinny Page and saw the lights were on there as I was leaving the CSIS. Chatted with couple of familiar faces and they filled me in on their ordeal. It felt like yesterday (that WAS me) when I heard their plight. They had the same problems as we did in 4th year. What can I say, whether you are 21 or 31, when your own tutors had no faith in you and you couldn't lie to them/yourself that your project was a gift to the world, how daunting can the 26th of May become?
Someone once said I can't say on behalf of the whole class or say "we". But you see. I CAN. Because through those four years together, and whatever we experienced, no one else can understand :) It is something special that no other course in UL might have, except for the architects of course. Why are product designers a strange bunch? We like our long hours. We like using our secret weapon (B.$. mode alpha desinger X) when things don't go our way. But most of the time, we are honest, and our critical eye are as sharp as a knife on the minutest of detail, which can be our own undoing.

All you can rely on is the group you had faith in at the beginning of the year/course. ;) The product designers this year are under that same pressure. The system is flawed, there is favourtism, there is bias, there is always the chance the guy who did the least amount of work in the year stil gets a better "grade" than you. And there is probably a chance in the real world that once off art piece will make more money you can ever earn with whatever feasible contraption you invested a few hundred hours into which at the time helped you cope with Life and its problems.
And that is the place I found myself Summer of 2009. But luckily, Lady Luck smiled as I embarked on this course in Interactive Media. If my first choice in Marketing haven't fallen through, I wouldn't be happy now.

Life is a funny thing. I have witnessed two occassions in total where work/training is the place to escape to from life's other problems? Maybe... just doodling, will turn to sketching, and will become a concept, and become something that is yours.
So designers, whatever it is, once in a while try sketching not for the sake of sketching, but for yourselves. How does this message come from one more sitting of a movie? Now that was, a good watch. Have a good bank holiday Monday and may the sun shine brightly on your stars good people.

/ Vinny Lee_ I-Media Elf

Dissert Time (I want ice cream with strawberry syrup, now watching Strawberry Panic for a guilty pleasure)

2010-04-24T23:11:00.001+01:00

Dissert ppt review milestone 01 may

View more presentations from Vincent Lee.

Well, friday went well despite being wrecked by karate grading for my momentous 1st brown belt (5 years of it now since starting at Zero in college), getting two ours sleep as I load the content of my report into the slides and remembering to add the bookmarks from my Delicious to the linkys and videos.

I am very happy I am beginning to find some direction in this trawl through a plethora of technologies I don't understand or dream of touching at this stage. Dream drive is possibly the most interesting thing to bite me on the nose since Lighthouse Elemental when I found out how to use masks and puppet tools.

The problem was guaging where some of the details in the middle went? I know I didn't stick with/conform to Thomas' will to implement E Prime and his friend's book Understanding Driving: applying cognitive psychology to a complex everyday task. It has interesting sections about why we perceive things a certain way. And a section on drivers returning to driving from illness. But hey, NOT ANOTHER DRIVING SIMULATOR >_< snore.... zzz

I have a lot to learn, and I am glad I didn't go diving into tools blindly without knowing what I want to try and do with it:

- measure heart rate in driving conditions/scenarios?
- make it fun for adults. Safe DRIVE code? Like kids and the Safe Cross Code
- console some of the issues and anxieties to do with driving by making it fun and interest in the real thing? Like Guitar Hero and real guitar playing...
- Make people aware of ignorant driving practices? Dumb and Dumber style :D

User-centred Design

2010-04-21T16:45:00.001+01:00

Just back from a talk with a guest lecturer Frank Long of FrontEnd UxD consultancy.

Frank had a background in industrial design, graduating from NCAD in 1994.

Interestingly the talk had some nice examples of what type of work they are doing since physical products aren't made in Ireland. Lots of software and Out of Box Experience (OOBE) work. I like the examples from DLink wireless routers packaging design and as a design project they had it redesigned according to their own specifications which could have applied for "127" products. It irons out all the main bugs in the crappy scale and left with only minor niggles to fix for the packaging, manuals, content... Not everyone can be Apple, Belkin or Seagate :)

Lesson from the talk: know the target users, and their physical/mental ability.

Couldn't attend the workshop redesigning some medical device packaging and the OOBEx, too much work to do this week :(

I would like to do UxD work too :)

SPIRIT - our part in Lighthouse Elemental

2010-04-21T00:10:00.009+01:00

So it's been a week since the Plassey House outdoor installation @ UL took place.

The project was a tremendous success. It came with some serious pressure and altercations on top of detrimental effects to my physical and mental health. OK I am seriously exaggerating. But it was an amazing learning experience. I wonder do all masters students get such exposure to the outside world works and commissions. Well we are lucky for the Wizard to give us these chances I reckon ;)

One thing that I won't forget is that he was worried we may have been emotionally scarred for life if it went wrong because it didn't really have a safety net except that it was a big student project. The same feelings for the last installation over the Living Bridge for Michael O Sullibhan. What if it all went wrong? Nobody would be impressed. Luckily a plan B or C is always a good thing.

The Barco projector is fried. So at least it served it's purpose and duty in the line of battle before fizzling out at the end of our SPPIRIT footage. I am quite proud of its electron fairies for their loyal fight to the end. And it actually didn't look bad, like the spirits broke the projection in their peak of lust and lech. They were... mauling eachother's faces off.

One thing I am sure is, I am getting quite proficient in After Effects, and have some personal projects lining up some time for the karate club as a goodbye gift from my 5 years training in UL. It will be quite an emotional time for me to leave actually...
A major part of my memories of college (friends, allies, events, love, loss, goals, hurdles of injuries). Who needs drink when you can have adrenaline?

K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid, first uttered to me by Christy Gillick over in the Schrodinger. Deep down a man of warm heart despite what many undergrads see. But it'll be the best advice anywhere. That is what we did with the content in SPIRIT. they were puppets! Mikael gave the idea, but we turned it into something feisty and uncomfortable for the audience. Many thanks to James Pike because apparently the screams were those of a pig's slaughter from creative commons. Altered to mask the squeel per se, but enough to make my hairs stand on end.

Now for some proud moments, snaps from Lette's flickr photos

too bad the top is missing. Never included it in the projection graphics y'know?
Group decisions. Next up, a proper DVD of the Re-edits and footage. :) one for the portfolio :)

Dream Drive or Sim Drive?

2010-04-20T23:21:00.004+01:00

Well, the dissertation is at a crossroad.
I see there are a few driving sims out there already. One is a Driver Test (Driving test Success) "practical" software. Nt so practical because it can't even use a steering wheel/pedals. And looking at a flat computer monitor is different from having the side windows, and what about looking over the shoulder to check your blind spots?

I do like this though. A Dream-like time lapse animation altered in after effects video.

Dream Drive from Jed Smith on Vimeo.

from Jed Smith

I find that a simulator that can let people explore Venice/Rome to be... boring. And even more difficult to do if based on real life. Rather a surreal but still coherent journey that would wow the user/explorer that can create a smile. I will see this as therapeutic as looking at video animations on Vimeo, but add the dimension of User Interaction and Agency (their effect on the virtual world to evoke change based on their on actions/whims). This could be do-able POSITIVELY says the Smiley Ball on Aladdin's desk.

2010-04-19T23:48:00.005+01:00

I sometimes wonder what it'd be like if I had gone into transport design and less so product design? Would I be sketching radical fancy shapes inspired by this hubless wheel? I love these things! Although possible, you don't see them around due to... well they'll get robbed for one thing.

I remember at NewDesigners in London last summer (09). The transport designers had all the wow factor in their presentation, space, models, boards. But when you look deeper, hey were all colourd and no real depth. There was nothing new being brought in except for shapes and colours. But stil very impressive. Like WTF!

Old enough but still stand strong in awesome factor.
images from this blog

you know you want one!

Research into careless driving

2010-04-18T17:48:00.004+01:00

I am formulating a list of open ended questions to ask people on boards.ie
and I plan to ask my old driving instructor too. I personally believe he may be one of the best in Limerick and has taught most of the South-siders awareness and observation to attain their driving licenses.

I have gotten about 60 lessons off him over the course of two years mostly due to the fact I religiously got one lesson a week for two years, and my parents didn't allow me to drive their cars at home/they didn't make time to sit with me while I got some practice. I also failed three times in these two years.

My instructor said I was his only student to have gotten three different test centers every time I applied for a test in Limerick. Here is the chronology:
1st Test @ Woodview: 10 lessons totaling 10hours driving experience.
Result: failed for stalling the engine (maybe among other things) during a 3 point turn on a narrow-ish bending road in a housing estate when a Nigerian fella in an L Plate red Ford Fiesta was beeping me as I tried to finish the turn.

2nd Test @ NCT Centre 35 lessons totaling 36 hours driving.
Result: Failed (instructor was surprised) for speeding (3 Xs) especially in Roxboro. Went up past the 50km speed limit on the straight road going downhill.

3rd Test @ Quality Hotel [edit:now called Maldron Hotel](SQS Test Centre- temporary contractors) at roundabout towards Cork Road about 50 lessons totalling 52 hours driving.

Result: Failed. It was a new route and temporary test centre that appeared about two weeks before my test. Got a second letter that differed to my original Driving Test itenerary. Instructor tailed the examiners there for two days to get a better sense of what routes they like to take. I got one lesson before the test. Problem was I failed for [OBSERVATION] or lack of. Gave me three Xs for not checking the mirrors. I blamed the new route as he brought me to roads and turns I never went to before (where the heck is the next right? How sharp is the turn? Why is it during rush hour traffic?)

4th and final test @ Woodview Test Centre.
60 lessons totalling 63 hours of driving.
Result: Home Sweet Home. Passed with flying colours.
People often fail in the housing estates when they go above 30-35 km/hour, go too fast over the ramps, or speed past the Beware of Schoolkids signs.

My turf, home ground, good morale. That battle was won before it started! :)
Got my pink Full Driver's License. Got insured. Free as a bird.

Now the question people ask is why spend a small fortune (€30 per lesson, then the price spent applying for the damn test) that could have bought a cheap car? I think overall it is worth it. My instructor has taught my two older siblings. And the outcome is observation and awareness is high on my principles of driving. It's one thing to know how to operate the tool (the accelerator, the clutch, the brakes, the steering and indicators). The next is to use them appropriately.

We don't need any more boy racers/re-offenders who think speeding down the roads dismissing the prescribed limits. Sure people are impatient and 50 km is a low limit, where it should IMO be 60km. They should also reduce the 80km limit in small country roads where two cars can barely pass by each other. Newton says F= ma, whatabout two cars in opposite directions crashing into eachother? 80km + 80 km = 160km. Wouldn't want to be in either car during a head on collision. You'd end up inside this

It's difficult raising people's awareness on the importance of awareness and observation. And the longer they've been driving the more confidence they have even if the have had bad habits. They've just been lucky there haven't been more Near Misses or Accidents. I am under the idea that one nudge on a pedestrian and I can get sued, especially those who cross the road thinking they have right of way (This isn't Seattle people...).

Maybe the pedestrian needs a lesson in awareness and observation (simple Safe Cross Code) as well as the driver. Less accidents and near-misses people :)

Belated Reflections - looking back on past success to inspire the next success

2010-04-11T21:33:00.006+01:00

So this has been sitting on DRAFT edition for long enough.
I mentioned I would put up a completed video of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (quite a mouthful) installation.

Title: Second Irishood.

A name we gave to evoke times past and childhood.
The tradition and culture and talent is so fragile it can easily be lost to time.
That is why we presented the performers in sepia, faded jittering appearances.

The Projection screen was a great boon to the interactive space. Well, it wasn't interactive in the intended way on the day when Flash/ActionScript broke. But we found people, especially children were excited to try and engage with the piece when they say the glow sticks. Some were afraid to touch anything or feared breaking something.

It is felt the space itself was well executed. The black and white lines, although not overtly noticeable, were enough to draw the audience in a track. It is a journey to the traditions that could one day be lost if we are not careful with our heritage.

Anyway, I am most disappointed that the footage of some of the audience who danced to the piece by our lead and example - including G's impressive performance, was lost as the footage was unsalvageable and black as the soot of a coal mine. Typically the sound was also barely audible.
Of course the audience were still happy to experience it after we told them that the interactive aspect with the webcam-glowsticks was actually not working. A problem with one other group that day.

Comments:
"how does it work?"
"what are the fluorescent sticks for?"
"Second Irishood - how nice :) "
"very mesmerizing, the music isn't it?"
"Follow what's on screen like this?" *proceeds to tap out the complicated footwork routines ;)

Lesson: always have a back up plan for pretty much everything you do. This includes cameras for documentation, patches for programmes that work, back up laptops for the day, back up cables, checklists and tagged/labelled, back up man power for when the coder, scripter, animator goes AWOL (happens often enough), spare sets of equipment for the ones that break down, material for design/craftworks, the list goes on...

Easter Sunday - Chocolate binge done, now for some typing :)

2010-04-04T17:16:00.003+01:00

Outdoor Installation Teaser from Vincent Lee on Vimeo.

After a dozen hours of After Effects (Adobe CS3) I finally figured out how to blow up a building/ person/ text title. Thanks to www.videocopilot.com

Sure following the tutorial is the easy part. Making it work for your own ends it another beast.

On other news. Highly enjoyed the Open Coffee event a few days ago. Met some interesting people, some acquainted to Luigina, Mikael, Gabriela. Damian B. also acquainted with my sis Whykay @Dublin's Open Coffee. What a small world I suppose ;) Some things DO run in the family. Funny he made the connection. ;)

Talking to James Corbett and Shane... (can't remember surname and he dashed before I got his name card :P) and heard a bit about 3D Camp and Bizcamp. Events that are usually on in UL (haven't been to one yet but definitely sound familiar), but 3D camp is in Tallaght this year. Bizcamp is on May 7th though.
Heard a little bit about technology, OpenSim, Virtualworlds (things to do with SecondLife). Still not understanding much of it though, but I wonder if I can use it in this Mash Up that will make people THINK about their driving behaviours? Coincidentally James was also at the 3rd Dimension Studios (from Blackrock, Dublin) talk in the UL/the Absolute Hotel.
He mentions Nick Polley (who now also runs 3DS Max courses aside from his company's projects) was hiring/looking into VirtualWorlds as the next step for interactive websurfing/virtualisation. After all their very impressive portfolio for interior design, architecture, 3D renderings/animations left a big impression on me. like... wow!

Solidworks, eat your heart out... I haven't touched that program since last summer although there were a couple of things I'd like to clean up for my portfolio from my days in Product Design student days.

I chatted briefly about augmented reality which looks like the current craze. I mean ther was last week's leak of Nintendo's 3DS (a DS with autoscreen 3D), and also Panasonic store in Limerick had a temporary display of an auto3D TV - wasn't tere yesterday though :(

Bernard was ill that day (turned out it was the same Bernie Whykay mentioned, and in the email fr a meeting with the Imedia class). Himself and John Jennings from Tip IT (AKA TIT, couldn't help ourselves... :D ). I am curious on what kind of collaboration we are planning. Multimedia and technology based?

one more from yesterday. Me as a Designer

2010-03-09T12:28:00.005Z

What are the feelings since coming into college over 4 years ago? In first year I remember being uncomfortable with the arty farty, the talk of Don Norman this, Frrog Design that, furnitures them, and Dolmen there. Well, it's good being aware of them, I even have an Oxford dictionary of design in case people keep referring to obscure art movements from Berlin that I may not be basing my projects on. Or when people carry hour long discussions on the Sagrada Familia in Spain (a country I haven't visited since I was 8, but will do so again someday). Oh well, back to the here and now. I love culture, but alas work needs to be done.

After four years of product design, I have gained some skills, been proficient at some, only dabbled in others, still honestly hate the bandsaw, still never even seen an arc welder despite reading about it in one module or two on manufacture technology or machine design.
Played with 3D CAD in the form of Solidworks and found strict rules to follow as well as a rigid hierarchy tree make it not suited for design but only engineering (I wish the college would invest in Rhino or Solidthinking) but lets see how well 3D Studio Max goes this semester? I haven't played around with GoogleSketchup yet, but it looks friendly enough.

Still getting better at photoshop/illustrator. I felt there is a much stronger creativity and expression than ever before, perhaps because getting good at something only takes practice and 4 years of product deisgn without touching a Wacom/graphics tablet was like running on crutches. Highly recommended, just look at Aladdin, his thing has been through so many projects and is beginning to show its age ;)

OK, I haven't made physical 3D model since my FYP, when sanding, spraying, cutting was the craze in my 60 hour work weeks (as the deadline came - 70 hours was likely).
Good times, and I smile on them now as the sun shined during most of it... and we celebrated with a trip to the pontoon and barbecue after the exhibit. I hope for a similar even over the summer for a refreshment to the dissertation work. After that, no procrastinating ;)

But I think I have been messing around with origami cranes, and altering my Moleskine notebook with OCD passion was with logic. Hacking is all the norm now, as we looks at mala/plasticine, Sugru. Now I wonder what I can Velcro to the ceiling as a prank for April Fools?

Finally, I am not hopeless at coding, since languages can be learned and I always find the loopholes and quirky ways to do things. Must be related to computer games.

Granted I haven't gotten my head around CSS, I hear it takes time. And right now with my limited grasp f Java I am to tackle Action Script 3, Arduino, Processing... If I get good at it, it will be dangerously good. In fact by the time summer comes, I hope to be able to FutterWacken vigorously as the Hatter did in Alice in Wonderland. Good watch.

Now, onwards to a meeting with Kate and Thomas from the Schodinger Building to talk about driving simulation and psychological behaviour. Hope it is inspiring for both parties.

Usability

2010-03-09T12:19:00.002Z

Not much to say except that I should read more papers that aren't related to ethics of a librarian/book store. ixnay on the oodle May.

How about the ethics and morality in driving? When driving is the cause of risk/damage to self/others? Vroom Vroom

FYP why brain?

2010-03-02T01:02:00.002Z

I remember when I first took up the Dissertation proposal, it was a driving simulator related project for Thomas Waldmann. Although he was more interested in applying his friend/colleague (Professor John A. Groeger) 's book on cognitive psychology theory in the driving task, I am more interested now in changing people's behaviours.

Frankly, I may be sick of aggressive drivers/impatient drivers. I see them everyday if I am unlucky enough to be going home at rush hour instead of the usual post-8PM routine like the rest of the elves. How can this interactive piece/artifact calm these darnedest of creatures before they become a hazard not to themselves, but to society?

Pbservation and Awareness has always been a rule of the game, but safety means not in aggression. It is a simple lesson learned in martial arts not jsut Kara-te. To be peaceful, avoid danger, despite the ability to strike first and kill/maim. That is why Pisceans/passive drivers are sometimes the safest drivers. They advocate empathy with others and upholding their safety before abusing the accelerator pedal.

This artifact, maybe it will punish recklessness and award safety? That's harsh, because 90% of the population wouldn't pass a driving test that is stricter than Singapore (!)
Or better yet, Warn potential dangers in obstrucitons/narrowing of paths, or warning of rapid deviation from the prescribed speed limits to warrant for "safer" driving.

Can you Live with the Shame?

Map this Mobile

2010-03-01T10:19:00.003Z

I'm a mobile. Including ubiquitous computing/technology. I bring my toys everywhere i go. Enhance our daily activities. Upload our thoughts,interests, snapshots, updates, receive feedback and work/have fun out of it.

Think of transferring a Pokéball in the Pokemon series. A time-space matter transporter when a new creature is caught and you can only have 6 members in your team, the new one gets transferred to Professor Oak's PC storage, an animal digital zoo if you may.

Map this Body

2010-03-01T10:13:00.003Z

So mindmaps are supposed to be due/ Nothing crazy, just some etchings that escape the Moleskine. Next up, Mobility and Usability.

Onwards O'er the Studies

2010-02-10T15:43:00.003Z

Well, after a little mishap in training made a slight bulge in my foot, I am well enough to walk, since it is only a sprain. I am intrigued in the rise in glucosamine use for joint care. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucosamine And it isn't some placebo effect since I used one product (recommendation by the Doc) with green mussel extract. Joint pain in the wrists from prolonged computer work, and karate padwork was much relieved.
Anyway less about health since my project isn't about therapy (yet).

Flash, there is little time to learn, but since it is probably the most fascinatingly rewarding tool I used since I last played with Solidworks, I hope those subscription for Lynda.com come through soon, as I am after all a Visual learner.

When I finally get used to some of the syntax and coding environment in Action Script 3 I will have to update Semester II with a flash site (a html one is optional - time permitting). Animations shouldn't be intrusive but should be part of the experience of browsing my Moleskine/Sketchpad.

Discussions with G.P.Q. (GuannNan,Peng + Qing) I have joined their alliance of the Role of the Body. We haven't decided on how to split topics. I have already had some study of designing for the 5 senses and design for pleasure (I remember borrowing books in the library half a year ago).
So it's best I study on body language and gestures, or even the cognitive aspects of Doing. What we perceive and think before we do something. I am more interested in the examples to illustrate rather than some mumbo jumbo I am bound to forget like most of the material from 1.5 semesters plus in the Past ;)

A draft of the research

2010-02-05T12:09:00.001Z

Principles of Interactive Media CS6922

Research Topic – The Role of the Body

Intro

In this research, the role of the body is investigated within research areas of cognitive psychology, interaction design and human-computer interaction, and emotional design or design ergonomics.

Future application of this research to contribute to the interactive dissertation project; driving simulator. There fore it is the background work behind the project in parallel with the learning outcomes of the various technologies that will bring about a prototype of the working concept.

Possible collaboration or crossover with the Masters dissertation project: Milford Hospice exercise bike. This is especially true for the emotional aspects, rewards and outcomes aspect, therapeutic aspects and of course the ergonomics of within human anthropometrics.

Currently the topic for presentation may only include myself only as the members of the Milford Hospice project team may focus on other aspects of research such as ethics and mobility.

Lesson one. READ THE MANUAL. Lesson Two. First learn Lesson One

2010-02-01T17:59:00.002Z

That's right. As of Today is Spring, cycle Evening Time of GMT. Read the Manual, has come back to haunt me/us. Luckily adobe had some very useful video resources for Flash newbies. Next since the theory of the tools is familiarised, one is to apply them with purpose. For example, why make a tree grow when I have no concern for tree hugging on my richie.idc.ul.ie web-homepage?

PD/Pure Data has a primer/tome. I wonder if it'll make more sense than the non-user friendly nature of Logic Pro's manual. Actually the only manuals I have ever been fond of in my 22 year (almost) lifetime thus far are strategy guides or walkthroughs for the most complex pieces of narratives in computer gaming. Sure you save the world, but there is always that icing on the cake that is nigh impossible for the simple gamer to achieve successfully especially in today's complex systems possibly fueled by algorithms that seem simple, but make Pokemon the addictive substance that flares up a Pikachu's cheel sockets.

Driving Simulator

2010-01-30T16:47:00.000Z

so here I am trying to condense my dissertation proposal from before Xmas. It hasn't changed since, rather I learned a little more on the technologies behind the project I hope to do a mash up/crossover with. I saw this episode of the Big Bang Theory while on the plane to Tokyo.

Sheldon learning to drive using a driving simulator. Not what I had in mind, but funny.
Have the book Understanding Driving: applying cognitive psychology to a complex everyday task. Only 53 pages into it (not a light read, if you want to try understand its theories and examples, as well as some note taking). Will keep them in mind for later when the prototypes finally starts/gets made.

Today's Piscean scope says....

2010-01-28T12:07:00.000Z

According to the horoscopes, they say I am a visual/kinematic learner. I learn be seeing and doing. So Monkey see monkey do., Good day to start learning Flash/Action Script through copying tutorials, maybe even some Processing just to see how the GUI or API works. Late for class today, rather I missed the brainstorming due to a school meeting for my little brother with his teacher. Interesting how a few years brings changes. Today is a good day! Karate tonight too, makes it better. Now, onwards technology.

Spring is Here. Master the Masters is Go.

2010-01-27T18:00:00.000Z

Six months have passed since product design and "the Studio" ruled my life. Now I am part of another capitalist nation called the iMedia Lab. The "i" stands for Interactive. I will chart my progress towards the Masters degree and the completion on my thesis here. Until then, I'll keep the fun/crazy stuff on the tweetcloud or maybe the facebork. (smiley icon for happy face here) n_n