YCAM Guest Research Project vol.1

In Guest Research Project vol.1, New York-based artist/engineer Kyle McDonald was staying and working at YCAM for about three months. Kyle McDonald is known for initiating the “DIY 3D Scanning” project designed by means of open-source software that can be used for the three-dimensional measurement of objects. In the course of his research and development during his stay at YCAM, McDonald applied this technology with the aim to develop a “projector camera toolkit” to be used for calibration, and position/color adjustment technology required for large-scale video projections.

ProCamToolKit

ProCamToolkit is a collection software and code for openFrameworks aimed at making high level projector-camera calibration more accessible. ProCamToolkit is available under the MIT License and can be downloaded from YCAM InterLab Github. Most of ProCamToolkit is written in an extremely modular way, making it possible to borrow snippets of code, including some chunks that are written with the goal of being contributed to the openFrameworks core. ProCamToolkit also includes work in progress towards new installations being developed during Guest Research Project vol.1 at YCAM InterLab. This includes experiments with augmented shadows using multiple projectors, and projection mapping in the YCAM library.

Download is here

mapamok

Music: “Mass” by Vaetxh

mapamok is an experimental projection mapping application that is part of the Projector Camera Toolkit developed during Guest Research Project v.1 at YCAM Interlab.

This video demonstrates a workflow for fast projection mapping involving: measuring and modelling the scene (5-30 minutes) followed by installing and calibrating the projector (5 minutes).Because mapamok is built with openFrameworks, everything is rendered in realtime. This allows for the technique to easily be extended to interactive applications. Near the end, an example of an interactive sound+visual mapping is shown.

Download mapamok here: github.com/YCAMInterlab/ProCamToolkit/downloads
Documentation here: github.com/YCAMInterlab/ProCamToolkit/wiki/mapamok-%28English%29

3D Scanning + Projection

Music: “Hoofbeat” by Dustmotes

This video demonstrates an experimental projection mapping application that is part of the Projector Camera Toolkit developed during Guest Research Project v.1 at YCAM Interlab.

First, the scene (the skull) is scanned using gray code structured light. This scan data is decoded into a 3D point cloud. This is possible because the camera and projector are calibrated and the position and orientation of each is known in advance. At :33 there is a brief demo of editing a GLSL shader in realtime, making a minor change that changes the width of the projected lines. Then the skull itself is shown again, with the projection mapped visuals.

shadowplay

Music: “Say It” by kylemcdonald

shadowplay shows an experimental interaction paradigm built with the Projector Camera Toolkit, developed during Guest Research Project v.1 at YCAM Interlab.

This video demonstrates some shadowplay experiments, built around the idea of using two projectors that are perfectly aligned. The projectors display the inverse images of each other, so that without interference the screen appears white. When an object enters the space, the structure hidden in the projection is revealed in the shadows. The technical challenge of aligning the projections and calibrating the colors of the projection is solved with the Projector Camera Toolkit, using structured light scanning and some novel feedback-based calibration techniques.

Guest Researcher

Kyle McDonald

Born 1985, based in New York. His work ranges from experimentation with noise and glitch to immersive large-scale interactive installations; from alternative sensor design to conceptual art. His time is divided evenly between creating new work and creating new tools, developing open source software and hardware for, and in collaboration with, other artists. McDonald has a background in philosophy, computer science, and electronic arts, with a Bachelors of Science and a Master of Fine Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is one of the most active developers behind the “openFrameworks” open-source software development environment, and is deeply involved in the international openFrameworks community.  http://kylemcdonald.net/

Organized by: Yamaguchi City Foundation for Cultural Promotion
In association with: Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi City Board of Education
Co-developed with: YCAM InterLab
Produced by: Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM]

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