Projection Mapping Video Reference - Storyboard

The collection in this post shape my major storyboard direction, helps me to consider how to use 2 walls and the floor (3 surfaces) to project scene that allow a human to interact or experience within the space. 

Making of - Thinking out of the box

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0n31q2jBfg

Motion Picture scenes that Create Illusion of space & movement

Some helpful Resolume Tutorials

Resolume and TouchOSC used in an interactive video art installation

http://www.exquisite-corpse.com/how-it-work/

Interactive Feature/ Sound Reactive Feature in Resolume

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJ88ZelkD8

http://www.resolume.com/blog/6187/video-tutorial-sync-resolume-3-from-ableton-live-with-midi

Mix Reality Game using Projection Mapping

Body Movies by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (2001)

I found that this project serve as a good inspiration for me to see how Rafael taking his inspiration from Samuel Van Hoogstratens ‘Zichtbaere Wereldt’ (Visible World), by a light-play – the rules of light and darkness and perspective. The painting looks like a stage performance using light and shadow to create angelic and demonic impression. Read more from the original post here.

I will also have a more contextual reading and review blog post in the link here.

Technical Analysis

Scale: 400 - 1800 square metres

Inspiration: Samuel Van Hoogstraten's engraving The Shadow Dance (Rotterdam, 1675)

Environment: Outdoor

User Input: Multiple input, user's shadow trigger interactivity

Dynamic Content Display: Street Photos, randomizing sizes, placement

Equipments: Four 7kW Xenon Projectors with robotic rollers, 1,200 Duraclear transparencies, computerized tracking system, plasma screen and mirrors. Variable Dimension.

Random Inspirations

Infinity Mirror Room

Buy Mirror in TaoBao

SOI Submission

Statement of Intent

Topic

Géomètre (land surveyor)

The key idea of is inspired from the curiosity of how visual is constructed through planes, shapes, lines, lights, sizes and composition. According to Oxford Dictionary, Geometry came from the original word ‘géomètre’ which means the land surveyor.

It is very appropriate to represent my project topic because the project aimed to re-look into the visual communication method in interactive design context. Through experimenting with the shapes and sphere in geometrical graphics, I would like to explore the ‘ground’ in interactive design.

Géomètre will serve as a platform to explore how graphical interactive environment will affect users’ experience in a projection mapping format. The intention of exploring visual depth can add to the variety of ui design possibility while we are still finding the best practise in our media scene today.

Genre

Interactive Projection Mapping (http://projection-mapping.org/inspiration/)
Projection mapping share similar characteristic with virtual reality and augmented reality. It adds to the existing physical world, a virtual appearance of shape, form, and dimension. Instead of classical painting or illustration poster that do wonders on a piece of paper/canvas, projection mapping enlarge the canvas into the world we living in. The level of immersion in a larger format that is nearer to us, outside the 4 border of screen and canvas has great potential to create engaging user experience in interactivity.

Aim

This project aimed to explore interactive user interface design through an artistic point of view to find out how visual perception will affect interactive user experience

Form

Interactive Piece – Installation – Generative Animation
The content will be presented in time based interactive format. As the exploration of visual communication aim at giving user unpredictable environment, large scale video content with randomize video is suitable to achieve the aim. In order to create the perceptual illusion, shaded volumatic graphics & self-illuminated geometry shapes will play heavy role in the composing of the time based interactive content.

Audience

Demographic
● 15 - 30
● male & female
● spent minimum 2 hours on tech-related entertainment per day
● spent 20-30% income on movie/ concern each month

Psychographic
● Adventurous, unconventional, tech savvy, willing to participate in new experiences, taking pride in being the first to try, enjoy rich senses entertainment through motion, audio, interactive experience.

How it relates to my existing skills and knowledge

Visual Communication
As a interactive media designer, I would like to explore the theories behind visual perception that adds to the flat surface of screen ui different facet of ui design possibilities.

Installation Setup
The 2 installation projects done in level 5 gave me an overview of a variety of installation setup consideration. Observing how my classmate build low cost pipe-projector stand has given me some starting point in projector setup. I’m also introduced to some 3D mapping software that allow video content to map on the projected surfaces.

Existing Project References
There are wide range of interaction projection mapping project/ augmented reality content based references available. Some of the online resource also share the installation architecture diagram and demonstration of installation setup in video format. I can start from these resources online.

New skills and learning

Visual Communication
Through research and practical work on the principles and theories into design, static or time based, will help me to gain more insight into more in depth visual communication design method

Spatial Design
The exploration of projection mapping architecture in spatial design will help me to build better installation architecture knowledge in understanding forms and structure of the physical environment. The previous installation projection experience in using mirror to reflect a touch-table has given me some starting point to prepare the setup of projector, 3D mapping software, mirror reflection and etc.

Motion Graphic
Time based content is one of the key experience to help user immerse into the projected scene. In the motion pictures, the sequence and flow of the narrative will work around the geometry theme. Through the exploration of geometrical same in time based sequence, I’ll be able to learn the expression of shape, the pace of movement and the angle that creates the facet in the interactive experience.

How it relates to my Degree essay

Some of the key theories are Simulacra & Simulation, Semiotics, Cognitive Science in UI Design, High & Low Modality, Interactive Immersion Theory (sensory, narrative), Gestalt Psychology (Illusory Contours, Multistability, Law of Proximity…) and Visual Perceptual Theory

As Simulacra & simulation address the idea of representation, from the real to the absence of basic reality to pure simulacrum. The shape and plane that looks unreal can later on be understood and represented as real will be one of the way I can research and analyse about the theory.

Semiotic, the study of meaning making also help me to understand signs and signs process, analogy, metaphor, symbolism and etc. Under the subsection of Semiotic for Beginner by Daniel Chandler, the High & Low Modality explains the features of content and features of medium in contrast and comparison way.

Other theories mentioned above will also be explored to help me build a more critical view of visual perception theory.

Feasibility Checklist

There are some of the technical consideration in the project development:

1.     Content Design

a.     Adobe After Effect skills

b.     3D Modelling skills

c.     UV Mapping

2.     Projector Quality (HD)

3.     Narrative Story (Local Story)

4.     Application of Project

5.     Space/ Location Availability

6.     Future Extension

SOI Draft Sketches

I went and meet up with a senior in Multimedia Design Diploma program, wanting to ask him about his experience working in China. He had a few projection mapping project experience. I would like to ask if he could give me some insight and project development consideration beforehand.

But his point of view is quite contrast with my project positioning because his point of view is heavily affected by industry client value while mine is more on the artistic exploration of visual perception. So I got a little confuse in how my project idea could develop into stronger idea that fit a purpose. So I started to list down some of the crucial key points to consider, like problems/ background, target audience, application possibilities, industry focus (entertainment? education? advertising?...)
In a quick brainstorming, I came out with idea of turning my project into a theme park solution so that the exploration of artistic visual solution as an entertainment piece could have a more focus audience. Once some of the idea positioning is nailed down, I could then find out which solution fits the targeted aim.

After bringing my concerns into the discussion with Tutor, I decided to set the project direction as an experimental project that aimed to explore interactive user interface design through an artistic point of view to find out how visual perception will affect interactive user experience. So my project will then test the solution and produce a finding. 

The black colour inked text are few of the points noted in the discussion with Tutor.

Mindmap of Theories

After gathered some of the research and reading to see visual perception in broader cultural and contextual view, I managed to come out with the first draft of research mindmap to link some of the theories learnt and the similar connection together.

The mindmap above focused on the mental model of how we perceive visual affected by the contextual association we had towards the shape and form. There are also theory that mentioned the "high and low modality" that affect the way we consider the quality of the visual design.

Some of the circle bubbles is the map that has not yet given brunches, those are some theory or keywords that I picked up along the way while reading the theories. I'll come back to this keywords and research further.

The part that I'm missing out now is the interactive or narrative theories that helps me get more insight into the user experience design in applying these visual into interactive context.

5 4 3 2 1 Poster

Finally we've presented the poster. 

In the process of producing this poster, I organised some of the thoughts and research collected from reading online. I've also watched the film "Now You See Me". The film uses many ways to tell story with visual perception trick, and the scale of the trick expand from on-stage performance to robbing bank, to projection mapping on building architecture, and then holographic. There are few of the key principle I managed to capture similar to the research collection I've gathered such as Principle of Magic & Illusionary, Teleportation, Escape, Shifting Perception, playing with Angle of View and etc. I think the film manage to organise those visual perception trick and present them in film effectively.

Inspiration of Visual Perception and Optical Illusion

This post are a collection of some thoughts on the scale of projections, the quality of projector, and the possibilities of using mirror to produce the illusion. The use of mirror in creating installation that save space is a practise that I've seen and aware. But I haven't go into detail research of the different use of mirror in illusion. So, I hope this collection of research will equip me with more knowledge of projection possibilities.

Pre-planned visual on the mirror allow user to direct interact
with the mirror by standing in front if the mirror

Shahar Peleg’s – Mirror Tic Tac Toe Illusion

Anamorphic Mirror Illusions

Leandro Erlich’s Reflective Optical Illusion House Now in London

I've tried working on projection table, using reflection of projector
under the table surface to create a table top screen display. The challenge was
the angle of the mirror that makes the projection proportionally accurate.
This project did a very good measurement and creative application of visual
communication allowing audience to participate in the installation and
have fun. Definitely a great inspiration! 

Infinite-depth Optical Illusions

creator: Ben Alun-Jones
A combination of acrylic, mirror film, ultrasonic sensors, LED lights, custom electronics and code
Read more: http://dornob.com/cloaking-chair-led-lights-hide-inside-mirrored-camouflage/#ixzz34URxmBom

When there's no light in the chair, the mirror surface of the chair
make it a good camouflage chair

Reflection Cube Optical Illusion

3D Holographic

a series of mirrors propped onto the top of a smartphone
or tablet to produce the illusion of a 3D moving image
http://www.kitguru.net/laptops/mobile/joseph-mcdonnell/3d-hologram-projector-for-your-smartphone/

Spherical Mirror Projection

Using the measurement of distance between projector and mirrors to create
accurate projection that match the architecture of the environment.
Calculation of the spherical mirror is important in order to achieve intended outcome.

Abstracted moving images and mirror sculptures at Whitechapel Gallery. 

A room by sculptor Josiah McElheny has created a modernist fragmented sensory experience

http://designandadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/moving-abstracted-images-and-mirror.html

This project has a some similar characteristics of
Leandro Erlich’s Reflective Optical Illusion House