My Degree show for "TRAP"

For further finishing during my degree show, I went for laser cut for my tangible object. DaRRang~~ Here is my final look and feel for my installation:

My Final Presentation

Finally..Here it goes...My Final Piece...

"Trap" Your Choice, Your World
[view video]

Compile and finishing...

Time for compilation and finishing. I went to print out the visual for my tangible object and work on it. Besides, I also finish up all the sound effect adding into the project. Throughout the project, I really learn a lot and gain different experiences throughout the process especially in this interactive installation. I found that we lack of related resources like equipment for this installation. Besides, the awareness toward electromagnetic radiation field is being neglected. I hope that through my installation it could successfully raise up the issue and aware public about EMR. And now, it time for presentation preparation. All the best to my fellow classmates and hope my project workout nicely during the presentation later on. 

Tangible object

LAST TEST OUT!!

This morning I have done my last test out at IIS by using CCTV, 150w infrared light and reactTVIsion. It was successful as well, but the 150w infrared light has made the whole tabletop became red in colour even the screen. It made my interface hardly to be seen. So, I try to replace the 150w infrared light with the infrared light from IIS(Interaction Incubation Room) and test out again. After several time of test out by positioning the lights into different position and it worked as well. Yes, finally...Hope it still work nicely during my final presentation.

Using 150w infrared light- Make installation getting red in colour

Marker successfully tracked

Set up with 150w infrared light

Using IIS infrared light

Multiple marker tracked

IIS infrared  lights positioning

Test Out again and again

I will never give up, try again. This time we try to replace CCV with reacTIVision as the fiducial tracking software. Meanwhile, I get a 150w infrared lights for the test out which borrow from a uncle. Finally...It worked successfully and the tracking was so stable. Now the problems have solved. I found that reacTIVision is more stable in tracking fiducial marker than CCV and the CCTV is also one of the key elements that making the whole test out successful.Great.

CCTV in the house

This afternoon, I went to Jalan Pasar to look for the wide angle web camera. However, I couldn't get any after went through all the shoplot at there. By not giving up, we keep on searching for possible shop and finally we went into a CCTV shop. We being told by the sale person that the CCTV could actually function as web camera and it is not only wide angle yet it can capture images that is 30 feets far from the camera. A DV converter is needed in order to connect the CCTV to the computer and the converter can be get at Low Yat Plaza. The sale person is so friendly by demonstrating and explaining the functionality of the CCTV to us. At last, I decided to buy the CCTV and take a try on it. After getting the CCTV, the next thing is to get a DV converter. With the help of my classmates, another test out take place. This time we replaced the web camera with CCTV. It is a infrared CCTV, so infrared light is needed for the detection. Before setting up the infrared light, we try to use the CCTV to detect the fiducial marker and we found that it is even more stable than a HD webcam. However, there are some changes after we set up the infrared lights where the marker tracking with CCV was become slightly unstable. We have tried out different method by figure out the possible issue that may cause the unstable detection like lighting issue. We even dismantle the CCTV in order to reduce the brightness that emitted  by infrared lights within the CCTV itself. It is still not working, but one thing that we can sure is CCTV could captured clearer images compared with web camera. 

Dismantle CCTV

Add film negative on the lenses to filter normal lighting

Marker successful tracked with CCTV without infrared light

Test out at home

Test Out again

Here come another test out and today Sweii's friend drop by to have a look on the project. After explained the encounter problem to him, he suggested me to get a wide angle camera since the focus range of PS3 eye is limited. The marker was blurring because of the limited focus range and it causing the marker id hard to be tracked by CCV. Meanwhile, he told us that one or two infrared light should be enough for the set up instead of using 4 infrared lights. So, I should get a wide angle camera as soon as possible in order to test out again before the final presentation. Where to get the camera? He suggested me to look for it at Jalan Pasar. 

Equipment set up

Equipment set up

Equipment set up

I need some SOUND EFFECT..

After finished all the animation, now is the time for sound effect adding. So, today I have booked the sound recording studio for my sound effect recording and my classmate, Chun Khong has helped me to record all the sound effect that I need for my project. He is so professional in complete all the recording task without any hesitation. 

Test Out again

Before the tutorial session with the lecturers, I set up everything for the project test out. Again, it fails. CCV couldn't get to detect the fiducial marker. The fiducial marker couldn't clearly capture by PS3 eye. It was so blur. It is because of the lighting? The camera itself? So depressed. What if I couldn't execute the project as proposed previously during the final presentation? During the tutorial, Sweii told me that she will try to ask one of her friends who has experiences in creating tangible interface to has a look on the project. Hope he get to figure out a way to solve the problem.

Mr. Tabletop new house..

Finally I get the approved from the college to storage my cabinet at IIS and today I just set up the cabinet at IIS with the help from my classmates. After set up the cabinet, here comes my first test out on the project. It is really not an easy job to position everything. The distance and position of the mirror that reflected the projected screen on the tabletop is very important. Besides, the position of the PS3 eye is also one of the considered issues in setting up the whole project. The test out was unsuccessful because the camera couldn't capture the fiducial marker on the acrylic and it only worked when the camera being move closely to the fiducial marker. The problem that encounter after moving the camera close to the glass is tracking area being limited. The reflected infrared light on the acrylic glass has causing blind spot are for the marker tracking.

Set up tabletop

Set up all the equipment for test out 

Test out by positioning every equipment

Keep on working...

There is no tutorial for this week, so I keep on proceed on my animation and scripting part. It is almost done for the animation. There is no big problem for my scripting and hope it won't have anything error occur.

My Tabletop Done...

Wow...Finally...I just get my wooden cabinet from Mr. Carpenter. It's look so nice and solid. However, it really cost me. RM 430 after discount. It's ok as long as I get to present my project nicely on it. Besides, I get it free for the acrylic glass. The cabinet was being dismantled after uncle teach me the way to set up the cabinet so that it will be easy for me to bring it to college. It is very easy to set up the cabinet with electronic hand drill. So, the next thing I need to do is to write a request letter to the college in order to get the permission to storage my tabletop at IIS. It will be more convenient for me when doing my test out at IIS instead of keep dismantle the cabinet every time.

My Wooden Cabinet

Finally...It's work...

Oh my god..It's work. The scripting is workable now. After received the mail from Sweii, I experiment with the source given and it fail at the first time. The flash file couldn't loaded by Adobe Flash CS4 and it solved after figured out that it is actually needed Adobe Flash CS5 to open the file. Meanwhile, the scripting for animation play was solved after discussing with Yi wei. The animation gets to play after a fiducial marker tracked. Now, the things I need to do is finish all my animation and finish the marker tracking scripting.

Successful Connected!!

Scripting Found!!!

I was trying out some scripting sources I researched before but it was unsuccessfully. One of the problems that occurred is Flosc fail to connect with Adobe flash. Been trying out for many times and it is still unsolved. However, there is good news I get from Sweii yesterday through email. She told me that Karen found a source that can be used for my project and it is succesful attempt by Yiwei in terms of connecting and sending the signal/data from camera to flash. It's was such a extreme good news for me. It is using CCV and UDP-Flashlc-Bridge to send the data to flash where CCV and UDP-Flashlc-Bridge need to be run at  the same time in order to successfully connected together. Hope it work.

Meet Mr. Carpenter...

One and a half month left to the deadline. It is time to send my mechanism for construction. I was meeting up with my father's friend who is a carpenter that been responsible in designing and constructing all the cabinet for my house. I brought the mechanism plan together and explained to him the actual size of cabinet I need for my tangible interface tabletop. There's no problem in constructing the cabinet but uncle told me that I might need to find the acrylic glass by myself because it is quite expensive to cut a small piece of acrylic glass. He also suggested me to get the acrylic glass from advertising company. Luckily, I have a relative who work at advertising company and he said he could get a piece for me.

Explaining mechanism plan

Showing the actual size and material for the cabinet