Softness of Things

Interactive Image Generation

Posted by | Art, ITP, Programming, Softness of Things | No Comments

This week I took advantage of Lara’s thesis projectand used her controllers to create a simple way of generating some cool images. I modified some code I found on openprocessing.org to create the curves. The videos are sped up to 3x speed. I found they looked better that way.






I used two of Lara’s sensors. The color is controlled with her plush dual sensor ball and the length of the curves and speed at which they come out is determined by her stretch sensor. It takes at least two people to play with this. I wanted to use a couple of her other sensors to control more of the image, but they were undergoing some formatting at the time. I’ll have to play around with em later.

Sound Map

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Connnected with another project idea I had, the idea behind this was to use the sound of my environment to slowly reveal something. The noiser my environment was, the more of a picture I’d see.

I started grabbing pictures at 5 minute intervals, starting at 15 minutes and ending at 60.


Originally, my idea was to turn on text to speech on my computer and have everything I copied or typed whispered out in a creepy computer voice. That only worked well when there wasn’t too much sound. Above a certain sound level, the sound was washed out by the environment so that only 1 or 2 people close to me could hear it. I wanted to do it in class, but most of my classes these days are presentations and not really stuff I feel comfortable interrupting.


extension

Posted by | Art, ITP, Softness of Things | One Comment

Think of this as am embodiment of my desire to reach beyond my limits and grasp the supposedly unattainable. (lol)

If I had to do it again, I’d make the bones of the fingers about twice as long, use sturdier gloves and perhaps choose springs that aren’t so tight. I made it by modifying this tutorial I found online.


sharing umbrellas

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Well, I’m home and pretty dry now. Didn’t take too long either. How did I manage that in this weather, you ask? Well maybe you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway.


I didn’t have an umbrella, if that’s what you’re thinking. At least not my own. Nope, I umbrella hopped.


On the way home, thinking about the task to “experiment and put myself in a space that’s out of my comfort zone,” I had a brilliant idea. It was raining pretty hard and I only had a soft hat as a barrier. So I started asking people going in the same direction as me to share an umbrella with them til the end of the block. I wasn’t going very fast, so it was pretty easy to wait until someone passed me and ask them real quick. I tried to use the same words every time.


“Hi, would you mind if I shared your umbrella til the end of this block?” I had 10 blocks and 4 avenues to walk and it was pretty late, so not many people were about. I asked about 12 people and got 8 affirmative responses. I avoided 1 couple sharing a small umbrellas because that’s just ridiculous. Two of the people who said yes had big family umbrellas. All concerned seemed more or less amused, even those who said no. Or maybe especially those who said no. Male or female didn’t seem to matter. 3 of those who said no were male. Some people made small talk. Most were carried out in silence. At the end, I said “thanks” and walked in a direction that they didn’t.


This put me out of my comfort zone as I dislike disturbing people. I have no real problems with strangers though. If there’s any specific insight I wanted to gain… perhaps it was ‘are new yorkers as friendly as i think them to be?’ Being a New Yorker myself, I assumed yes. And was correct.


Good stuff though. I made it home w/o being too wet.


smellycone

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When I was younger I used to make “smellgood” cremes comprised of mixing all sorts of cremems, perfumes and body safe scents. So, this week I decided to make some sillicon that smells good. And I did! It smells really nice. I added some concentrated air freshener, creme, soap, and a bit of perfume to a bit of dragonskin mix.


The only bad thing is… when I smelled it directly, my chest constricted and I had trouble breathing properly for the rest of the day. Smells awesome though. Feels pretty good too. I think I just need to air it out.



Suicide for the Masses

Posted by | ITP, Softness of Things | One Comment

The Suicide Package

For those in dire need of relief from life. If you’re going to do it. Do it right.


Nothing is more pitiful than a failed suicide. There are many reasons for wanting to kill yourself. And just about as many ways to do it. However, why then, do so many people fail at it? Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of what comes after. Our product is designed to help.


When you send us your information, we create a customized package that caters to all of your needs.


First of all we erase the fear. Contained in the box is a set of legal documents accompanied with a set of simple instructions in order to set your worldy affairs in order. Confused by the word beneficiary? Not sure who’ll take care of your kids? Funeral arrangements? Don’t worry. 15 minutes will set your mind at ease.


Also contained in the box is a set of custom engraved pens and ultra fine parchment for writing a suicide note. We’ve also included a small dictionary of key phrases in order to help stimulate your mind while writing. Like, “goodbye sweet prince” or “avast ye world.”


Location, location, location. We will scout out and recommend prime locations (if you’re not doing it in your own home) for the act. Privacy garunteed and chances of been found vary, depending on your preferences.


For the deed itself we’ve included a wide range of options. Based on your pre-filled questionairre we will include options for swift and silent, long and painful, messy and cruel, and far more. We aim to please! Assassins are also available should you choose to take matters out of your own hands. Just give us a call.


Example Kit

For a 16 year old male from north new hampshire.

  • Will
  • Suicide Note
  • 3 sample suicide notes, quoting famous writers of the 16th century
  • Bubble Bath, lavender
  • Candles, black, unscented
  • Bloodletter Knife, serrated
  • Topical Anesthesia
  • Instructions on capturing streaming video and automatically uploading to youtube.
  • Data Erasure Toolkit


a movie and some statistics: waste for the week

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Consumption from Milena Selkirk on Vimeo.

picture-9.png

I worked with Milena for this assignment. We were inspired by a scene from the Disney classic animated film Lady & The Tramp, where Lady and the tramp share a bowl of pasta and decided to use it as a metaphor for energy. See the original clip here.


I tried to calculate my waste in terms of weight or amount. I found out that pretty much everything I used this week was recycleble. That’s nice, though it seems to be more by design than accident.

  • ~10 lbs or assorted paper & plastic recycleable garbage
  • ~500 gallons of water used ( calculated using this )
  • not sure how to measure electricity use but i have 2 game consoles constantly plugged in (if off most of the time) and my computer is on/plugged in almost 24/7


a system

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The assignment was to create a system. I worked w/ lara, elie, and milena to destroy worlds and conquer… oh wait. To create a game system where there’s a certain input and 3 outputs.


The Input

One sheet of paper with a short poem on it.


Rules

• Each person in the team chooses a role
• Everyone can only perform tasks associated with their role
• Every teammate must participate to create the output

- Everyone must pick a role
- Each person must perform their role
before the end of the task
- If manager, you must direct and order
teammates, they can not operate unless you
say so.
- If you choose to take a break, it must be for
the entire duration of the task and can not
help your teammates.

• 3 goals are revealed after the roles are
established
• You can change roles after each goal
• You have 3 minutes to complete each goal


Roles

• Colorer: Color, black out
• Word changer: Change any word on the sheet of
paper
• Cutter: Cut, shred, destroy
• Attacher: Use paper clips, glue, stapler
• Folder: Fold paper
• Printer: Print paper with any content on it
• Manager: Direct teammates who must follow your
instructions
• Gopher/Take a break: Fetch whatever teammates
request or decide to take a break during the task


Outputs

1. Make a duck.
2. Make a poem/story about your duck.
3. Exhibit your poem/story and your duck.


Group Thoughts

We are inviting the mind as a process itself.
Specific goals have a blur once put through
the relative, interpretive mind of the human.
How many ways can you think of representing
our goals with the items that are given to
you?

A closed system verging on emergent.
It has a start and a finish, yet the flexibility to
give different results. Such as the possible
combinations of roles that can exist in each
group. The team can have different
capabilities which will result in different
interpretations of the tasks.


Mental connections

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Thinking about how people communicate, how they connect. Over time, it constantly evolves. I’m attempting to create a digital-mental connector.

It’s here.

she is the queen…

Posted by | ITP, Softness of Things, Writing | No Comments

she is the queen…
and the troops are coming to get her.
roaring and thundering through
the night, they ride down the
backwood ways. she is the queen and
her hair
flows like silver. shutter windows close
as the hooves come crashing down.
she is a queen and
her blood will flow like water.
little does she know.
soon they will show.


inspired by carolina