Proposal Idea Project 2 "Distance"

For our second class project we have chosen the theme Distance. Distance can be used in a piece in a many different ways. We figured with our skill sets that we can do something unique with this theme. After choosing this theme we brainstormed a couple of ideas…

• Human Pong (A game of Pong controlled by the movement of the entire human body as the paddle that moves back and forward)

1. This would be done using a projected image from the ceiling down at the ground.
2. This project relates to distance because of the lateral movement of the person playing the game. It also relates to the distance from the sensors that are required to control the game.

• Lazer Popping

1. Just like John showed us in the first day of class, we would create a small square of plastic bags that would be inflated by pc fans.
2. The object of this piece is to pop the inflated bags with an infrared laser from a distance.
3. This would be done using similar technology to the Graffiti Research Lab “Eye Writer”. We would use a infrared camera pointed at the square, where it then tracks the different sections where the bags are, and if a infrared laser is seen it will suck the air out(a.k.a. popping the bag)
4. This is a simple display of distance and interactivity between the work and the interacting person.

• XBOX Kinect

1. We would use the XBOX Kinect to control motors the push pull and lift things.
2. This interactivity is relevant because you are moving things with gestures from a distance.
3. There is a relation to this project and using the Force, which is a well known movie special FX in the Star Wars movies.

I think that each of these options holds a unique challenge for everyone in our group, because there are things that everyone can learn from these projects. If it is simple creation of the project, or the wiring and circuitry, or even the programming, we think that these ideas are fairly diverse and are a great platform to develop more ideas and knowledge from them.