Last time we checked, the VVVV “How to Project On Complex Geometry” article was in its infancy. Now it’s been renamed as How To Project On 3D Geometry (why?), and stands as a great overview to the subject, with some specific patches for trying various setups in VVVV, and discussion on the technical aspects of advanced techniques such as virtual 3D and multi-beamer setups.
I just recently got my BUG developer hardware from Bug Labs and have begun to work with it. The idea: a Linux-powered, open source mini computer with little modules you snap on and off like Lego bricks to form whatever gadget you want. It has a lovely development environment, connects intelligently to the Web, and has some significant power behind it, but the real usefulness is in its modules. That makes today’s announcement more important, because the BUG gets some really interesting modules:
Unfortunately, that’s all we know, because pricing, specs, availability, info, and even photos of most of this aren’t yet available. Fortunately, I live a short subway ride away from BUG Labs, so I hope to have details.
Add these to current modules with accelerometers, proximity sensors, GPS positioning, a touchscreen, camera (still/video), and even a new vonHippel module that turns this into an I/O device for sensors and robotics (and can even connect to Arduino).
Bug Labs Announces New BUGmodules and Applications at CES 2009 [Bug Labs]
I think there are powerful possibilities for what BUG describes as “hardware mash-ups,” and in the context of the CDM sites, unusual new concepts for performance, installation, and mobile art. The only challenge I see is that even with these snap-on modules, the capabilities of the Google Android platform or a small laptop pose a considerable threat. That’s not to say it’s an either/or choice, though, as there are strengths and weaknesses to each, so it really depends on the project. I hope to show off a bit more of what this means practically and creatively soon, and you can bet I’ll be watching for more module details – particularly that projector.
In fact, BUG, any chance of the projector as a hackable standalone, too, and some sort of video out on the BUG?
Who’s von Hippel? Why, it’s Eric von Hippel of MIT. Here’s what he has to say about democratizing innovation (well, beyond what you have to buy his book for). It really cuts to the heart of what this gadget is all about.
Projection consultants Projector People weighs in on the McCain “overhead projector” attack; they’ve got an excellent round-up on the issue and all the coverage it has inspired so far as projection overlaps with politics:
A $3,000,000 Projector? [Projector People Blog]
And yes, as noted in comments, several of our Friends of CDMotion do VJ the planetarium here in NY, the Rose Center at the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side.
I realize I actually missed this line from the Adler Planetarium:
“To remain competitive and ensure national security, it is vital that we educate and inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.”
I just enjoy the “national security” bit. I expect what they mean is that kids get inspired by planetariums and go get careers in the Defense industry … I’ll let you make of that what you will. But if you take it literally at face value, maybe the Adler is thinking about teaching kids about space so that we’re ready to push back the massive alien Earth invasion the next generation will have to face. (That is, unless we’re lucky and it’s someone like the Vulcans, like happens in the Star Trek world.)
In other woulds, we should immediately make up “Support a VJ, or the Aliens Win” t-shirts.
Attention, visualists! We’ve reached a historic landmark: we’re a political campaign issue! A projector controversy on a nationally-televised Presidential debate? Believe it.
Background For those not in the US, for some time candidate Senator McCain has been attacking “earmark” funding as “corrupt.” This is a system by which federal funds are included in Congressional spending bills. That spending has indeed grown recently, and in some cases has fairly been criticized for wasteful spending. Senator McCain has been a worthy opponent of such spending. But now that the election season is on, he keeps slamming scientific projects, like funding research into bear DNA. I’ve found that to be a puzzling example of special interests and corruption, unless there’s a bear conspiracy I don’t know about. And since the US spends hundreds of billions on wars and the military and bailouts of failed banks and insurance companies, a million or three on bears is a drop on the bucket. I imagine some bear biologist grant recipient wincing each time the subject comes up. (Neither party has defended the project, so this is effectively a bi-partisan mauling of bear researchers.)
Well, now the Presidential election has entered Create Digital Motion territory, by moving from bears to projectors. McCain has singled out Senator Obama’s support for an earmark to overhaul the Adler Planetarium’s projector:
He voted for nearly a billion dollars in pork barrel earmark projects, including, by the way, $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?
Well, Senator, the correct response from a Create Digital Motion reader would presumably be — $3 million projectors? Obama for President! (Suggestion to Obama: kickstart the economy with a new deal of a Projector-Based Economy! Oh, yeah … we’re trillions of dollars in debt. Maybe not.)
Amusingly enough, this has ignited a blog frenzy in which the specifics of what projector we’re talking about becomes political discussion. Fact-checkers had a field day with this one, because, needless to say, that was not $3 million for a 1200-lumen Dell to be tacked to the ceiling. The Adler Planetarium themselves respond, correcting Senator McCain on a number of points. To paraphrase:
Live visuals are all about projection, but perhaps part of the reason visual work hasn’t become nearly as commonplace as music is that screens and projectors are tougher to come by than speakers and PAs. Naturally, the appeal of a really high-quality mobile rig is obvious – especially one that can work outdoors.
Yesterday, I got to meet with Open Air Cinema, a young Utah-based company that’s already made a name for itself running events like the TriBeCa Outdoor Drive-In and LA Film Festival Outdoor Screenings. Their products have typically run at the high-end. But they’ve got a new “consumer” line that could be just what VJs and visualists need to have an on-the-go projection solution.
Create Digital Motion by Create Digital Media, Ltd. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
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