iDorm2

The Intelligent Dormitory (iSpace) is a student study bedroom built using the same design, furniture and fittings as those found in the halls of Residence at the University of Essex. The iSpace was built by re-fitting a room in the Computer Science Department. Unlike normal student accommodation on Campus the iSpace’s furnishings are fitted with intelligent gadgets that can detect and learn the occupant’s behaviour with the aim of providing services that could improve the quality of their lives by generating an environment that suits their needs. These intelligent gadgets communicate with each other allowing groups of agents to coordinate their actions, and allowing remote access to their services via networks (e.g. Internet, GSM etc).

In addition to ad-hoc sets of gadgets, the iSpace is fitted with myriad of sensors and effectors to enable the intelligent agents to monitor and make changes to the room's environmental conditions.The sensor network includes devices such as: temperature sensors (both inside and outside the room); humidity sensors; a small matrix of light sensors across the room; an active entrance lock system which provides access based on an individual's identity; an infrared sensor to detect movement and a video camera to externally monitor the room. A number of effectors connected to the same networks are also being installed these include: air circulators; fan heaters; a door lock actuator; motorised vertical blinds; automated window openers and a light dimmer.

 

The iSpace network is configured in such a way that the status of the effectors can be monitored and adjusted by both local or remote users, or the agents embedded within the iSpace environment, including those in gadgets. In other words, the agent can intelligently remember the user’s habit of closing the blinds or dimming the lights under particular environmental conditions and then make changes to the environment according to those habits. Currently, we are working towards an agent that will continuously update its knowledge about user preferences, such that the user will not have to explicitly interact with the environment except in unusual circumstances. In summary, the iSpace’s agents have the potential to make an environment more economical, safer and more comfortable. They also have the potential to improve the quality of life for those people who require long-term care by providing autonomous environmental management.

 

Portable fitness device motivates users with charitable incentives

Striiv is a portable fitness device that motivates users to exercise through games and personal challenges, as well as offering donations to charity in return for physical exertion.

It was over a year ago that we featured Switch2Health, a wristband for kids that awards redeemable points whenever the wearer exercises. Now we’ve discovered Striiv, a portable fitness device for adults that motivates users into action through games and personal challenges, as well as offering donations to charity in return for physical exertion.
Striiv was founded by Dave Wang and Mark Ross who, realizing that busy schedules meant many people didn’t have time to exercise, wanted to put the fun back into fitness. The product is a small lightweight device, the size of “a hotel bar of soap”, that fits onto a keyring and counts each step taken by its user. The device’s games are powered by this movement, with one game requiring users to create their own tropical islands filled with plants and wildlife simply by walking. Points and rewards, meanwhile, are earned through physical activity, and personal challenges can be set. Additionally, users can create an account online, view their progress made so far, and receive motivational emails from Striiv. The idea, Striiv claim, is that users can integrate using the device into their daily routine, rather than dedicating chunks of time to gym classes or sports activities.

Touch-enabled wall paint converts skin contact into electronics control

Okay, so this blog has done me well over the past 3 years so I've decided to keep it as I advance into my masters degree. As I dont officialy start until september, for now I'll be using it to post articles / things I've found interesting and potentially hepful for the future:

On/Off paint is a conductive wall treatment that enables touch control of various home electronic devices. 

Now that we’ve seen whispering windows, motion-sensing walls and device-charging furniture, it doesn’t seem surprising to come across touch-enabled wall paint for the home. Sure enough, Nicolas Triboulot, Laurent Grapin and Thibault Thomas of Quark Design have come up with On/Off paint, a conductive wall treatment that can enable touch control of various home electronic devices. On/Off paint is grayish in color and is designed to serve as an undercoat on virtually any medium beneath traditional paints or wallpapers. Once applied, it enables touch-based control of electronic devices such as lamps or alarms. Including both paint and a hidden electronic device, the On/Off system is expected to hit the market this year, according to a report on e-lab, while Futura-Sciences reports that prices will be between 30 and 40 euros per liter. On/Off paint could potentially remove the need for light switches around the home, controlling virtually any kind of electronic device and even acting as a dimmer switch when users touch with different pressures. Tech-savvy entrepreneurs: one to get involved in?

Catalogue Images

The 3 Images I Submitted for my Graduation Catalogue:

CLIENT PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS


Since completing and submitting my Feel Good Drinks Application 2 weeks ago, I've been messing around with some edits. Unfortunately I learnt so much throughout the project that I had a huge range in skillset from the start to the finish and as a result it did not come out exactly how I wanted it to. At the moment I am trying to further improve my original by tweaking the composites and re-rendering some scenes.

This render below shows the result of some work...perhaps a composite more suited to the FGD theme and brand?...And perhaps an image I could have included in my Catalogue....?!?

I have also been working on the animation of the character, the weight and movements, to make something more refined for my showreel!

Most Recent Work:

A Selection of Work I've completed over the past few months:

Character Modelling

The second area of 3D I wanted to look at was Modelling! At one point I felt very strong with being able to model anything I wanted...however as third year progressed I felt I was lagging behind some other students. The hotel room below is very simple so this is a character I've modelled for a short animation I'm working on as part of my portfolio. The next step after this will be UV Unwrapping and custom texturing!

Personal Progression

Okay, so over the past month I've been trying to develop what I considered to be my weak areas of 3D.
This would hold two benefits; 1) A chance to improve and develop my current skills and 2) Give me some new material for my portfolio.

The first area was creating realistic renders as most of my 3D is presented very 'cartoony'. - I solved this by making a hotel entry for DandAD. The challenge here was the lighting and the texturing as I never really knew how to do it 'properly'. This was quite a quick project as I started it very late...but I was very pleased with the result and learnt a lot!

Client Project: Feel Good Drinks

Animation 1 of 2 is pretty much done! Just a few more tweaks and it should be there:



This is Animation 1 of 2 for the YCN 2011/12 Feel Good Drinks Brief.

"Create a campaign that communicates 3 simple things: our brand name, what our drinks look like and that our drinks are choc-full of natural, tasty, fruitiness. And do all this in a way that is unique, memorable and makes people laugh."
I'm going to be making a series of adventure animations based off one of the characters on the side of thier bottles.

The aim was to move away from the usual look and feel of my normal 3D work.

The storyboarding, modelling, texturing, lighting, animation and post production was all done by me.

CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

Music:
Creative Minds
By: Olive Musique

Artefact 2A: Lighting Research

Whilst I've been doing my compositing artefacts, I've come to recognise the importance of lighting...and the associated knowledge a compositor should know. To brush up on my skills, I thought I would do some lighting tests on a modelled scene. Artefact 2A so to speak:

Feel Good Development:

Further Development with my Client Project:

Research Project:

Messing Around in After Effects:

I got bored tonight, so messed around in Mudbox and tried out After Effects:

Client - 2D / 3D Integration

So I've been messing around with 2D / 3D Integration this week as part of my Client project (Feel Good Drinks).

This is some progress on the 2nd animation for the series and some winter render tests:

Client / Research Progress

Here it is:

RESEARCH - ARTEFACT 1 - GREEN SCREEN KEYING

( Excuse the watermarks on some of the images - Student version of NUKE)

Okay, so my 1st Artefact was to look at keying within NUKE. To do this I had to start with learning the basics of the software and then the fundamentals of keying a green screen image. Further to this, I did some reading on "How to light a green screen", as it was going to be a big part of the project. Thanks to the videos and reading at digitaltutors.com for this!!!

 So to make a start with the Artefact I began by travelling to Dovedale over the weekend to get some nice backgrounds for the comps! I got some great shots, but one of the first issues I faced when comping was the incongruent foregrounds. My two models were not dressed correctly and even once they had been colour corrected looked 'out of place'. - I used a few of them, but to get round this and for the sake of the artefact, I found some better backgrounds online.

If I am to continue with keying, next time I will know to make sure the two stills are congruent! - In this case the attire of the model must compliment the backgrounds.

As mentioned, once they initial keying had been done, I played around with the position, grade and colours of the images. The aim here was to "combine two or more images to create a single seamless whole".

Some of the problems I faced:

I hired out a D200 Nikon Camera, the Motion Capture Suite and two Lighting Kits. As you can see from the images, the lighting was one of the biggest problems. I began by attempting to get a clean single coloured lighting setup across the green screen. I played around with lights, angles and filters to eventually get the environment I was after. In addition to this, I had a third light at the back of the room to separately illuminate the subject.

3D vs 2D - Client Project Development

I wasnt happy with the storyboard and theme of my client project. I almost finished my planned animation over the holidays, and it just didnt look how I wanted it to. HENCE..new storyboard:

So with my client project, I am trying to move away from the typical look and feel of 3D work and try to avoid the harsh lines and strong contrast from a render. I did a few 'mess around' renders and PS effects last week, but particularly liked the old style painted effect. Therefore, to attempt something new and different from my usual, I have now also decided to merge the 3D with other 2D elements!

This also ties in quite nicely with my compositing research as I am building up layers to create my desired effect:

Client Materials

Found some images I would like my client work to resemble. I've just spent a whole night trying to replicate this...and no luck....I've got some serious material work to do / learn!

Feel Good Drinks

Messing around with the look of my Client Project:

NUKE Compositing

So I’ve been trolling through hours of NUKE tutorials on digitaltutors.com. – After learning the basics of the software, some rotoscoping, keying and colour correction I’ve compiled my first composite:

1. Background Plate
2. Green Screen Character
3. Keyed and Rotoscoped Merge
4. Colour Correction

It’s a great step in the right direction and some relevant material for my showreel =)
(The watermarks are courtesy of my student version)

The character doesn’t look the best, but it’s the concepts and workflow I’m impressed with more!