the first prototype can
Just finished putting together the first prototype IR spraycan for our tracking project using Johnny Chung Lee’s Wiimote Whiteboard software and a custom flash program. Virtual grafitti install to allow artists to create digital pieces – more info to come soon..
Next up are the pens!
Had a hectic morning but things are starting to slot together for the business. It’s satisfying seeing the hard work starting to produce results. Despite getting soaked by the rain on the way into work, I’ve been cheerful all day!
Just found out that our sonic art installation, Junction is now running for an extra week – with guided sound walks happening tomorrow (Saturday). Great! Met another artist today – Julie Kaye (http://www.cannedcreative.com/) who has some very exciting ideas about some potential upcoming work.
Had a bit of a play on the office Wii at lunchtime – good for a bit of a break from the keyboard, and to have some banter based bonding with other members of the co-working community. Took part in a 4-way bowling game – came 2nd, not too bad 
I am really enjoying the atmosphere in the Old Broadcasting House now: it seems to be filling up most days – sometimes a pain if you can’t find a desk, but a really buzzing environment with lots of ideas being shared / work being done. It’s nice to be able to come here as a seperate environment form home – although I do enjoy working from home too.
Got my new Moo.com cards throught today too – only sent off the designs on Wednesday! Very impressed with the service, although they seem to have messed up my design a little bit. Time for a complaint email / discount request!
Carriageworks again tonight, looking forward to it.
So i started my new job today. Working as stage tech / ‘casual’ technician at the Carriageworks theatre, Leeds. The Leeds International Film Festival is on, and tonight I was helping op some of the video gear, and the sound + lighting in the main venue.
The people there seem friendly and I am really anjoying getting back into theatre tech. Once the pantomimes come about next month, then I’ll have some fun rigging lights and sorting out sets, props etc!
In other news, Outpost seems to be going ok, meeting some clients on Friday, and seen a call for work with a tight deadline on. It’s interesting setting up your own business, and trying to juggle it with other sources of income whilst you’re trying to get everything up to speed, and, hopefully be able to survive solely from the income of the business. We’ll see how the next year goes!
It’s all good fun – one thing that did strike me today though is, just how long I spend sorting emails out! Yes, email makes our world easier, things can be sent quicker, and we are more connected with each other. But where does this advanced connectivity start to affect our productivity? I think it’s definitely something to be careful of. Also, email is one thing – now we have twitter, with people updating from their phones, their netbooks, sometimes giving minute by minute accounts. I even have a routine now – of thinking, ‘ooh, should tweet about this’, etc. – after only a few weeks.
I’m not complaining about this technology / ways of interacting with the web and each other – quite the opposite. I am however very interested in seeing how it changes the way we interact, and ultimately lead our lives.
Inspired by Johnny Lee Chung‘s Wiimote Whiteboard software, I built an IR pen and gave it a try this evening. The results were pretty good, but I think the switch I used on the pen is too cheap – the connection isn’t great. The next step is to work out what parameters to take from the wiimote and where to send them. I think I would like to create a large drawing board to allow people to draw onto a projected screen in different colours / brush sizes.
Parameter List [work in progress]
Reset / screen wipe, trigger
Colour change variable, slider/motion
Brush size variable, slider/motion
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more notes + some video footage to come..
It’s been a nice day so far getting stuff together for several new projects I’m working on at the moment. Firstly, a new Outpost website [current one is here] which will be ready soon, once content is all ready and layout finalised. I am currently looking into various wordpress plugins to help me out, it seems to be a decent way of managing our content.
Saw a funny Obama video today on obey too – here.
OK so I’ve been blogging in various ways for a number of different purposes / projects that I’m working on, and I’ve decided that it’s time to get my own blog up and running.I have been twittering for a bit now but it’s time for a proper blog too.
So here it is, soon to be filled with my head’s ramblings through an osmotic blogging process.
Watched an interesting video today about net neutrality, and how some people reckon the internet is going to be heavily regulated and, in turn pretty much ruined if we don’t do something about it fast. Check it out here
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