Precedence Studies

Concept/Design Approach:

http://www.wefeelfine.org/

Hey, they even have a book now! http://wefeelfine.org/book/

Jonathan Harris' work inspired me and open up my mind to the beauty of collective data. The visual representation of the data are simply beautiful and smooth. I really like the concept and the style of WeFeelFine:

From the application, they introduce a few methodology to view the data. For example, murmurs, madness, montage, metric etc. Each different category shows different approach of conveying the data.

Another project by Jonathan Harris that caught my eyes is I Want You To Want Me:

http://iwantyoutowantme.org/

This time they used touch screen which allows the user to navigate the information. Same as the previous project, he used different methodologies to show different data and representations. I think both are amazing and effectively translate the story and details with impressive visual.

Other than that, his another work, The Whale Hunt. I like the way he tell the story by using the technology. He recorded his heart beats and take every photos for 5mins. If he gets excited and the heart beats faster, it will take more pictures. All the photos are compile with the data and visualize in a very stunning interface. Is like a non-linear movie telling story. As usual, he provided few modes for user to choose to view the information. Creatively awesome.

The Whale Hunt.

Technical:

This is the project that trigger me to use my Arduino to create a physical interface that affects by the virtual world (web). The creator said that:" .. every time somebody visits my website, a LED light blinks once in my room, and i get a warm feeling of a visitor :)" I would like to create a physical environment/ art piece that affects by the web-based information.

http://hacknmod.com/hack/website-visitor-blinker/

Other than that, some of the similar methods are use for different approach and i think is interesting to research on too:

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/01/tweetawatt_our_entry_for_the_core77.html

http://subzonepen.blogspot.com/2009/01/arduino-webcam-servo-project.html

This is the approach that i trying to achieve, visually but i would like to use colors to represent different time, space:

This is how the virtual world affects the physical environment:

or another different approach of the physical feedback:

Refined Proposal. Part 2

Research & Analysis

After much research and thinking, here are some of the technical aspects that I am going to look into for my installation:

Backend (Data Collection/Analysis):

MySQL

I think i will use MySQL for data collection, management and storing purposes. It is a database management system. Besides that, the software is Open Source which means anyone is able to use and modify the software.

PERL

Not sure do i need this, but from the precedence study one of the artist did use this to collect data too. I think i will have a look at Perl cause it seems have an user-friendly interface. Perl is a general-purpose programming language.

Other than that, i think PHP and Java are important for the backend part too.

Frontend (Visual):

As for the visual part, I think that i can explore 3 possible softwares:

Processing

This is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation and interactions. (Quote from the site) Slower than C++ but able to run on the web.

Open Frameworks

This is an open source simplified version of C++ for creative coding. Faster Java but does not work on the web.

Some example of what OpenFramework capable of:

made with openFrameworks from openFrameworks on Vimeo.

Adobe Flash

And of course, Flash. Which i am more familiar with.

Physical Computing/Presentation:

Arduino

An open source electronic prototyping platform, very flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. I choose Arduino because of its capability to receive input from variety of sensors and able to affects its surrounding.

I think i going to use this in the physical interface part of my installation. I did some experiment with Khairul Anwar about the basic tutorial using my Arduino Duemilanove:

We did the basic tutorial and that little board amazed us. Definitely worth to explore more.

Since Khairul Anwar's post about Arduino experiment have more insight and ebooks about Arduino, i shall cut it short here. Check it out.

Refined Proposal. (Idea #3) Part 1

Topic

Can computer (digital interface) express feelings and emotions?

Technology metaphoric as a wormhole, a hypothetical tunnel connecting two different paradigm of time, like a time machine intertwine the past, the present and the future in a linear experience of time.

Background

Scientist suggest that for aliens to travel through space from one galaxy to another galaxy, it takes more than a million light years. Is it possible for U.F.Os to even reach our planet earth? They believed that aliens travel through wormhole. A wormhole is a hypothetical hole or "tunnel" connecting two different points in spacetime. It takes less time than the normal journey by bending the space but wormhole are highly unstable and might collapse before the spaceship can travel in.(Check this out) Did any alien really landed on our planet before?

The invention of mechanical clock in the thirteenth century inaugurated a new representation of time which embodies a homogenizing representation of time and place. (Lorenzo, 1995) Technology giving us more time, rendering us closer to being perpetual, by minimizing the time needed to achieve a goal which allows us to take time for granted and “rendering us less vulnerable to what occurs in time, to the vicissitudes of time” (Lorenzo, 1995). Ever since the advancement of technology, it has started the social and cultural transformation. We have then building our own interconnection between individuals in the cyberspace and not in the real-time situation. Do computer or the technology able to extend the feelings and emotions within the realm time and space? We are just one screen away from each other.

Problem Identification

In this technology driven era, we take advantage of the technology and neglect the basic human to human communication ways. People nowadays are indifference or lack of emotion and feeling towards each other, this phenomenon can be associate with computer. Why? We are like a computer now, we just accept and deliver information, avoid error and hassle. Always looking for the best connectivity with the internet and not the connection between human.

- What are the capabilities and possibilities of technology in expressing feelings?

- What are the impact of technology on the timespace and meaning of human beings?

Project Title

Wormhole (working title)

Ideation & Concept

For my project, i want to create an installation that uses web interface and physical interaction which affects the both platform and maybe vice versa. The web interface will be like a wormhole, which metaphor as a time tunnel that connects two different paradigm of time, space and dimension. The data of the user will be track and the input of the user affects the physical interaction which signify each user's decision to take the past, present or the future.

Aim & Objectives

- To explore human's feeling and behaviour about different paradigm of time

- To experimental with Benjamin Walter's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction theories

- To explore the possibilities of the capability of technology to convey emotions

- To research on the role of technology as a medium or channel in the digital culture

- To explore on the impact of technology on the time and space and meaning

Motivation

I always love to explore on media cultural or social behaviour kind of thing. So by doing this installation i think it will strengthen my understanding towards the topic. Besides that, experimenting with the technical part is quite challenging and interesting too. I hope to learn a lot and growth as a digital artist. And the best part is just to have fun in my FYP by doing something i love to do.