I'm planning to place a kinect on top of a projector and mount both on the ceiling, projecting on to the floor.  Im then using TUIO and processing to project spotlights on people walking through.

I'm just wondering whether anyone knows if the light from the projector will interfere with the kinect's tracking?  Has anyone done anything similar?

btw (slight sob story) i realise testing would solve this but i just got burgled and the projector i bought for this purpose was stolen before it got opened. no joke. now renting one for the event :(

cheers,

Rich.

yeah as above, just havent quite got the maths down for sin, need to learn but can anybody help in the mean time?

cheers,

rich.

im using processing with arduino and the "servoFirmata" example to control (funnily enough!) a few servos.  The problem is that in the time between pressing 'run' on processing, and the window opening, an unidentified value is being sent to my servo, making them go mad!  

Does anyone have a solution? my current workaround of unplugging the mains everytime si doing my nut!

cheers 

Rich

I have this sketch in which an ellipse follows the mouse.  It has easing, but can anyone tell me how to put a straightforward speed limit on the ellipses movement?  

thanks in advance.

//CODE:

I want to make a simple android app sample player.  I want to design my own interface just wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction as what to use, what to start researching etc.

thanks.

Hey guys.

Im trying to use openCV to track audience members in an installation.  To do this i want to use the centroid information of a blob in the array.

However, the problem is that the blob's id is defined as largest blob = 1, next smallest 2, next smallest after that 3 and so on.  This means for example, that if blob A's index number is 1, and a larger blob is then found, blob A's index becomes 2, and the new blob's index becomes 1.  

I need the index ID to stay the same even if a new blob appears, so that I can track that blob.  

im working with opencv, and have been working with code below.

what i cant work out how to do is access an individual blob to apply a function to it.

what I want to do is, for example colour blob[5] in the array red.  can anyone help?

thanks in advance! code below...

Hey guys.

I thought it would be something like - 

(inside a method):

int newClosestToAudience = closestToAudience;

if( newClosestToAudience == newClosestToAudience + 1 || newClosestToAudience == newClosestToAudience - 1) {

print("do something")

}

but apparently not!  

any ideas?

thanks!

Rich

Im working from a flocking sketch which uses vectors, and mapped the acceleration vector to the pitch of a violin using OSC messages to pure data.  because i want a modulation, i have added the acceleration number to the pitch (or 44100) on the assumption that the acceleration number would be going up and down, in conjunction with the changes in speed. But instead it just goes up all the time!  This seems bizarre.  Can anyone explain whats happening??  (sorry cant really post the program as its huge with loads of libraries)

cheers

Rich

Im controlling a pan servo motor which can turn 3.5 rotations, so 1080 degrees.  I currently have a value sending from the direction of an arrow within a circle, ranging from 0 to 360 degrees.  I want this instead to keep counting when it passes 360, all the way to 1080.

I thought i could achieve it with something like this - 

but this doesn't work, as the panAngle just becomes 0 again when it gets past 360.  Can anyone help?

thanks

Rich

Have posted about this before but realised i was pretty vague!  im basically trying to make a circle move in a life like way around its location, but never stray to far from.  

just like in this example - 

Code below is as far as i got working from one of the noise examples.  The problem is - 

1.  cant see how to stop the circle just moving diagonally

2.  The movement is way too fast 

3.  Dont completely get how noise works, and therefore why the circle starts down and to the right of the mouse.

thanks in advance!

rich

Ive made this flocking type sketch, which will drive 5 robotic arms for an installation.  What i want to do is make a function that will add a contant perlin noise movement to the balls you see in the sketch, so they do not remain still. 

a bit like this -

I cannot get my head round how noise works for this. can someone help me write a function into the sketch?  Or give me an example to work from?

thanks in advance!

Rich

import toxi.geom.*;

//DECLARE

ArrayList ballCollection;

Ball ball1;  //class "Ball" is now a variable type, ball1 is an instance of a variable

//for delayFollow:

float lastTriggered = 900000000;

boolean eventOneTriggered = false;

boolean eventTwoTriggered = false;

int closestToAudience = 0;

void setup() {

  size(500, 500);

  smooth();

  //INITIALISE CLASS VARIABLE

  ballCollection = new ArrayList();

  ballCollection.add(new Ball(new Vec3D(150, 150, 0))); 

  ballCollection.add(new Ball(new Vec3D(350, 150, 0))); 

  ballCollection.add(new Ball(new Vec3D(250, 250, 0))); 

  ballCollection.add(new Ball(new Vec3D(150, 350, 0))); 

  ballCollection.add(new Ball(new Vec3D(350, 350, 0)));

}//close setup

float getTiltAngle(int ballIndex)

{

  return ((Ball)ballCollection.get(ballIndex)).getTiltAngle();

}

float getPanAngle(int ballIndex)

{

  return ((Ball)ballCollection.get(ballIndex)).getPanAngle();

}

void draw() {

  background(0);

  int closestToAudience = 0;

  float motorDistanceToAudience = 0; 

  for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

    // find which motor is closes to the audience

    float c = ((Ball)ballCollection.get(i)).distToAudience();

    if (i == 0 || c < motorDistanceToAudience) {

      motorDistanceToAudience = c;

      closestToAudience = i;

    }

  }

  //CALL FUNCTIONALITY

  for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

    Ball theBall = (Ball) ballCollection.get(i);

    theBall.run(i == closestToAudience);

  }

  /* prints motor angle information:

   Ball b = (Ball) ballCollection.get(0);

   print((b.loc.x - b.circle.x) + ", ");

   print((b.loc.y - b.circle.y) + "\t");

   print((getPanAngle(0) * (180 / PI)) + "\t");  //last bit of line just coverts from radians to degrees

   println(getTiltAngle(0) * (180 / PI));

   */

  delayFollow();

  

  if ( eventOneTriggered == true ) {

    closeFollow();

  }

  if ( eventTwoTriggered == true ) {

      farFollow();

  }

    

  

  

  

  

}//close draw

void delayFollow() {

  /*

    desired functionality (using array object "1" as example)

   

   if mouseclicked && closest to audience = 1, then motor 0 & 5 follow mouse in 

   random(3, 6 seconds), motor 4 follow in random(6, 9 seconds)

   */

  float timeDlyCloser =   random( 1000, 3000 );  

  float timeDlyFar =  random( 3500, 6000 );

  if ( millis()-lastTriggered > timeDlyCloser && !eventOneTriggered ) {

    println( "" + timeDlyCloser + " milliseconds passed - Trigger Event One");

    eventOneTriggered = true;

   

  }

  

  if ( millis()-lastTriggered > timeDlyFar && !eventTwoTriggered ) {

   println( "" + timeDlyFar + " milliseconds passed - Trigger Event Two");

   eventTwoTriggered = true;

   (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 3 )).run( true ); 

   }

   

}

void mousePressed() {

  lastTriggered = millis();

  //events below are "false" because draw() will constantly loop through checking the status, 

  //so having this "true" would repeatedly send the messages

  eventOneTriggered = false;

  eventTwoTriggered = false;

}

void closeFollow() { 

   //this applies a function to just on element in the list -

  (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 0 )).run( true );

  (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 1 )).run( true );

  (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 2 )).run( true );

  (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 4 )).run( true );

}

void farFollow() {

    (( Ball )ballCollection.get( 3 )).run( true );

}

class Ball {

  //GLOBAL VARIABLES

  // static variable : not specific to each instance, but for the class itself

  // final : value cannot be changed once set

  static final float vDistanceToPlaneMM = 620;

  static final float maxTiltAngle = 50 * (PI / 180);

  static final int radius = 250;

  final float pixelToMMRatio = tan(maxTiltAngle) * vDistanceToPlaneMM / (radius / 2);

  Vec3D loc = new Vec3D (0, 0, 0);

  Vec3D speed = new Vec3D (random(-2, 2), random(-2, 2), 0);

  Vec3D grav = new Vec3D (0, 0.2, 0);

  Vec3D acc =  new Vec3D (0, 0, 0);

  Vec3D circle;

  float easing;

  //CONSTRUCTOR (this code happens once when the class is called)

  Ball(Vec3D _loc) {  //these 2 floats are only available inside the constructor

    loc = _loc;

    easing = 0.05;

    circle = new Vec3D(loc);

  }

  

  //GROUPED FUNCTIONS

  

   void run(boolean leader) {  //emcompasses other functions

    display();

    //bounce();

    // gravity();

   // lineBetween();

    if (leader)

      lead();

    else

    {

    //  mover();

      flock();

    }

  }

  

   void flock() {  //emcompasses flocking rule functions

    separate(5);  //(float) = magnitude. put these as variables at top.

    cohesion(5.5);

    align(10.1);

  }

  

  

  

  //FUNCTIONS

  float getPanAngle()

  {

    float x = loc.x - circle.x;

    float y = loc.y - circle.y;

    if (x == 0)

    {

      if (y > 0)

        return PI / 2;

      else 

        return (3 * PI)/2;

    }

    float P = atan(y / x);

    if (x > 0 && y > 0)

      return P;

    if (x < 0 && y > 0)

      return P + PI;

    if (x > 0 && y < 0)

      return P + 2 * PI;

    if (x < 0 && y < 0)

      return P + PI;

    // Never reached

    return 0;

  }

  float getTiltAngle()

  {

    float x = loc.x - circle.x;

    float y = loc.y - circle.y;

    float r = sqrt(pow(x, 2) + pow(y, 2));

    return atan(r / (vDistanceToPlaneMM / pixelToMMRatio));

  }

 

  void lead() {

    Vec3D m = new Vec3D(mouseX, mouseY, 0);

    if (dist(m.x, m.y, circle.x, circle.y) > radius/2) {

      m.subSelf(circle);

      m.normalize();

      m.scaleSelf(radius/2);

      m.addSelf(circle);

    }

    loc.x = loc.x + (m.x - loc.x) * easing;

    loc.y = loc.y + (m.y - loc.y) * easing;

  }

  void constrainSoftener()

  {

    float multiplier = (radius/2 - circle.distanceTo(loc)) / (radius/2);

    speed.scaleSelf(multiplier);

  }

  /////////////

  void separate(float magnitude) {

    Vec3D  steer = new Vec3D();

    int count = 0;

    for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

      Ball other = (Ball) ballCollection.get(i);

      float distance = loc.distanceTo(other.loc);

      if (distance > 0 && distance < 30) {

        Vec3D diff = loc.sub(other.loc);

        diff.normalizeTo(1.0/distance); //smoothing sep. motion

        steer.addSelf(diff);

        count++;

      }

    }

    if (count > 0) {

      steer.scaleSelf(1.0/count);

    }

    steer.scaleSelf(magnitude);

    acc.addSelf(steer);

  }//close separate

  void cohesion(float coMagnitude) {

    Vec3D  sum = new Vec3D();

    int count = 0;

    for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

      Ball other = (Ball) ballCollection.get(i);

      float distance = loc.distanceTo(other.loc);

      if (distance > 0 && distance < 200) {  //2nd float is the max distance at which an average will be taken

        sum.addSelf(other.loc);

        count++;

      }

    }

    if (count > 0) {

      sum.scaleSelf(1.0/count);

    }

    Vec3D steer = sum.sub(loc);

    steer.scaleSelf(coMagnitude);

    acc.addSelf(steer);

  }//close cohesion

  void align(float aliMagnitude) {

    Vec3D  steer = new Vec3D();

    int count = 0;

    for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

      Ball other = (Ball) ballCollection.get(i);

      float distance = loc.distanceTo(other.loc);

      if (distance > 0 && distance < 40) { 

        steer.addSelf(other.speed);

        count++;

      }

    }

    if (count > 0) {

      steer.scaleSelf(1.0/count);

    }

    steer.scaleSelf(aliMagnitude);

    acc.addSelf(steer);

  } //close align

  //////////  

  void display() {

    stroke(0);

    fill(255);

    ellipse(loc.x, loc.y, 10, 10);

    noFill();

    stroke(255);

    ellipse(circle.x, circle.y, radius, radius);

  }

  void mover() {

    speed.addSelf(acc);

    constrainSoftener();

    speed.limit(2);   //speed limiter!!

    loc.addSelf(speed);

    

    // The following code keeps the ball within the constraining circle - just in case we have stepped outside of it;

    float xDist = (loc.x - circle.x);

    float yDist = (loc.y - circle.y);

    float distFromCentre = sqrt(pow(xDist, 2) + pow(yDist, 2)); // get distance from centre of circle;

    if (distFromCentre > radius/2)

    {

      // We are outside - need to scale the location back;

      loc.x = xDist * ((radius/2) / distFromCentre) + circle.x;

      loc.y = yDist * ((radius/2) / distFromCentre) + circle.y;

    }

    acc.clear();

  }

  void bounce() {

    if (loc.x > width) {

      speed.x = speed.x  * -1;

    }

    if (loc.x < 0) {

      speed.x = speed.x  * -1;

    }

    if (loc.y > height) {

      speed.y = speed.y  * -1;

    }

    if (loc.y < 0) {

      speed.y = speed.y  * -1;

    }

  }

  void gravity() {

    speed.addSelf(grav);

  }

  void lineBetween() {

    // ballCollection

      for (int i = 0; i < ballCollection.size(); i ++) {

      Ball other = (Ball) ballCollection.get(i);

      float distance = loc.distanceTo(other.loc);

      if (distance > 0 && distance < 60) {

        stroke(255, 0, 0);

        strokeWeight(0.4);

        line(loc.x, loc.y, other.loc.x, other.loc.y);

      }

    }

  }

  float distToAudience() {

    return dist(loc.x, loc.y, mouseX, mouseY);

  }

}//class close

 

Im doing an installation involving 5 robotic arms.  I want the arms to point towards audience members in the room, and to do this im planning to use blob detection, from a web cam pointing down from the ceiling.  

I've messed with a blob detection library example to make to make it ignore the middle section of the image, so the movement of the arms in the centre of the room wont trigger any blobs.

In the program that controls the arms they currently follow the mouse, I now basically want to switch this so they instead select one of the blobs and follow it for a certain amount of time, before switching to another blob (i.e. another audience member).

I wont post the arm control program because its huge, but can someone show me how to access the location variables of an individual blob in the blob detection patch?  

cheers.

The patch below holds five points that follow the mouse, but are held within circular constraints.  

What im trying to do is add some flocking functionality to these points; starting with separation.  I realise i must first get these points to communicate to each other their vector positions.  I really dont know where to start doing this.  Can anyone help?  

thanks in advance

Rich.

 int closestToAudience = 3;

Motor[] motors = {

  new Motor(150, 150), 

  new Motor(350, 150),

  new Motor(250, 250),

  new Motor(150, 350),

  new Motor(350, 350)

};

void setup() {

  size(500, 500);

  smooth(); 

  strokeWeight(10);

  stroke(0, 100);

  

}

void draw() {

  float motorDistanceToAudience = 100000;

  background(226);

  noFill();

  for(int i=0; i<5; i=i+1){

    

    // find which motor is closes to the audience

    float c = motors[i].distToAudience();

    if(c < motorDistanceToAudience) {

      motorDistanceToAudience = c;

      closestToAudience = i;

    }

    motors[i].draw();

}

    

  

}

//////second tab -

i did jomasanrec's brilliant vector class tutorial, and managed to lose the code.  dont want to run through it again so i was wondering if anyone had done it too, and could post the code?

thanks

Rich

does anyone one know how to make the "constrain" function draw an ellipse shape, rather than a square?

thanks

Rich

im working on my final degree piece, whichis a sound sculpture that will consist of 5 robotic arms, each with a  360 degree rotation a 160 tilt. a bit like this - 

i want to implement a flocking algorithm consisting of the alignment and separation rules.  This algorithm will run unless a pressure sensor in front of an arm is triggered, at which point the corresponding arm will instead follow the location of the audience member, and move randomly slightly to keep everything moving.

I have made a 2d system so far, which uses the mouse XY as the audience member and then triggers the "leader", then runs the above algorithm on it.  the rest then average the direction of surrounding members for the alignment.

The problem im having is now moving this into 3d.  for the "alignment" rule im currently using the angle of the motors, but this will not apply in the same way when the vertical tilt is taken into account!  The same with seperation (although i havent started this yet) it will be a completely different logic than what i am doing currently.

At this point im genuinely stumped.  As you can see this is not just a technical problem but also a logical one.

Im basically looking for any suggestions please.  or maybe anyone who has worked on anything similar before.

(not sure how to attach the code here aswell as im using multiple tabs)

best regards richard.