Mickey Mann from Matti Niinimäki on Vimeo.

MATTI NIINIMÄKI, aka Original Hamsters, has been hacking away with the fantastic new, open-source animation package Animata. Using OpenSoundControl (OSC), he can control live animation with two other open source tools: “Pure Data” Pd (which opens up all sorts of other sonic and control capabilities) and the Arduino controller platform. The proprietary but beloved Max/MSP works, too.

Translation: if you want a Mickey Mouse ViewMaster controlling live animation (top), Animata is your tool of choice.

Matti is really doing us a huge favor, as a lot of the OSC calls aren’t actually documented yet. Full tutorials here, found via CDM comments:

How to Control Animata With OSC from Max/MSP and Pure Data [Original Hamsters]

You can see some of the results in the videos here. The students and faculty of Finland’s University of Lapland all hang out on Vimeo, too:

http://vimeo.com/groups/ulapland

I think the ability to use Animata’s smart tools for setting up puppet-like characters should be especially nice. And yes, someone rightfully took issue with me calling this “3D,” but technically speaking, it is a 3D engine, even if the elements being used here are 2.5D or even 2D. Now, that said, I’d love to see some real 3D models in this engine, too – not to knock the deep creative possibilities of working with 2D models, but both should have some potential.

Pure Data to Animata with OSC from Matti Niinimäki on Vimeo.

Related posts:

• Video Tutorial: Make Your Own Video Mixer, with Free, Open Source Pure Data
• 3D Animation, Made Real-Time: Open-Source Animata for Mac, Windows
• Pd, Open Source Patching for All Platforms, Now Easier and More Visual
• Ohm64 Controller is Here, Looks Fabulous, $599
• iPod / iPhone Touch as Visualist Controller: Free, Multiplatform with Pd (Pure Data)