Author: hannah

For my Final Project, I’m going to be creating an obstacle course that allows the controller to move and manipulate the space so the space, allowing the object to get from point A to point B in a limited amount of time. When I was looking for projects that related to mine, I found two incredible interactive maze experiences. One is a Laser-light maze called Mission Possible and the other is a 3D Pac-man Experience.

The Laser-light maze is a timed game where you have get from one side to the other without touching the lasers. There are three levels  and every level is timed. The point of the game is to see who can get through all the levels in the fastest amount of time. With the added black light and lime green lasers, this looks like a really fun experience. I’ve always been a fan of laser tag, but feeling like you’re in a spy movie would fill me up with adrenaline and I love that.

The Pac-man exerperience is a room where all four walls and ceiling are the actual game. Controllers are allowed in the room and play as long as they want. This iconic game is beloved by many and now people can lie down and play on a room size canvas space. The creator,Katamari Damacy, decided to use a Elumenati Omnifocus projector to create the visuals in the room. I would love to be exposed by this game someday but I wish instead of controllers, they used a sensor so controllers could use their hand. This allow the audience to be more immersed into the game and give them more physical activity.

Stacey Mulcahy the “bitchwhocodes”

Out of all of the articles provided, I was mostly drawn to Stacey Mulcahy. This feminist programmer is a tinker and provides a help for developers creating new applications with a strong sassy attitude. For many years now, she has gone over and beyond what other female coders have accomplished. After posting an open letter to Future Women in Tech, Mulcahy seemed to strike a cord and has now spoken at over 45 events, became a technical editor for O’Reilly, and now teaches at Carleton. On her blog “bitchwhocodes”, anyone can read and share what Mulcahy is working on or ranting about. Recently, Mulcahy and her team created and are selling t-shirts that was borderline cocky but embracing confidence within female coders saying “Anything you can code, I can code better”. All profits from the t-shirt are a donation to HackNY, bringing students and startups together to create meaningful internships and growth opportunities. Mulcahy cares a lot about education, diversity and developing a strong technical community (especially for women). Through her useful skills and unique personality, she hopes to make a change for female coders in the future.

JessicaHeadrick-LookingOutwards-1

I found Jessica’s post about Associate Professor Sarah Bergbreiter and her research team from the University of Maryland creating an ant-like robot that is able to move and jump through obstacles. Using rubber bands, magnets, and light sensory, these robotic characters come to life as if you were watching a real bug walk across an obstacle. Jessica expressed how she wishes to see the team use some kind of brain enhance the robotics decisions. I would like to add, it would be amazing to see the robot interact with other robots and see what would happen. Implementing a sense of knowing what is going on. Also, they should try to make a bug shell to put on top of the device and see how realistic it looks from the an audiences point of view. I love seeing how advances our robots creations are in our society.

TED Talk: Sarah Bergbreiter

November 2014

“Why I make robots the size of a grain of rice”

 

 

Kate Hollenbach is the Director of Design and Computation for Oblong Industries. In this video, Hollenbach shares the development project her company is working on. They are specifically focusing on creating a gestural interface that will include interaction between the users, devices, and screens. Working with designers, programmers and other artists, the company was able to find a way to take pieces from one film and put them in another and there are many different ways that a user may do this. the company has put together a complex list of instruction for anyone to read so they know exactly how to use this device. The ultimate goal of this project is to create the next generation of computer human interaction since technology is advancing so much and we all need to find a different and more efficient ways to get tasks done.

I do feel this interface will create a new way of thinking for film staff members, however, I feel that the company could take this idea further and make it into the next computer at home software or in an office. The also wanna keep in mind the different body shapes our world has to offer because everyone is different and that may effect the motion sensor when working on a project. I think the more work and experimenting they do to extrapolate their ideas will help with future projects or the enhancement of ones already made. So through their gallery showings and lectures, Hollenbach and all of Oblong have a chance in creating something incredible that will benefit this entire world.