FYP2 - Critique 3 - Video

This is the introductory video for my FYP. The software that I use is Adobe After Effects and this is the first time I using the software as well...

Welcome to place your comment here so that I can inmprove myself... =)

Final Year Project 2 Presentation!!!!!

Yeah... Finally presented my Sound-lligraphy-an interactive surface installation just now 11am at studio. Everything is going on smoothly while just the script have to edit to solve a problem which I facing.

Good news is I get selected to be exhibited on next week at our studio. Hope everyone have fun time as that will be our last time to stay together... =)

GOOD LUCK and all the best to our FUTURE!!!!!  ^^

Here come some photos of my final setup...

 

By the way, the exhibition setup might different from the final presentation as both lecturers suggest me to move off all the item on the surface as that is quite obstructing...

For the software, I have change from Wiimote Presenter to WiimoteWhiteboard as WiimoteWhiteboard have a better trigger function.

Move on to the presentation seminar and exhibition... =)

FYP2 - Critique 2 (Update) - On Screen Smoothness Success - Progress

Today is the first day of our Digital Media FYP final presentation started... Good luck everyone and congratualation to those who get selected on next week exhibition.

Finally I get to meet Mr.Hafiz just know to solve my IR LED smoothness problem... well... the very simple answer... I can't open two software at the same time as the mouse will be confuse that which software it have to follow. Between WiimotePresenter and WiimoteWhiteboard v0.3, I have choosen WiimotePresenter.

For the writing part, I have to add on a button for user to press when they want to write on the surface or select the button. For the wiimote, I have to test on the distance between the IR LED and it so that everything running on smoothly.

My turn is on Thursday... Nervous... hope everything will be fine!!!

FYP2 - Critique 3 - Poster 2 (Selected)

I have posted my first version poster and I get some comment from my friend family. Based on their comment, I have edit and finalize the poster. 

This is a black and white poster, to represented the Chinese Calligraphy. In writing Chinese Calligraphy, only black ink allowed. The Chinese text in the middle is the formal text that included all the stroke. As it normal been found in every Chinese Calligraphy book.

For the artist statement and technical statement, I have edit the grammar error and rephrase the sentence.

FYP2 - Critique 3 - Poster 1

FYP2 - Critique 2 (Update) - On Screen Smoothness Fail - Progress

Sorry to say that I can't solve the IR LED smoothness problem. I have try to increase or decrease to smoothness but yet it still uncontrollable. The speed just like someone drive at the F1. As the final presentation is around the corner, I have e-mail sir to get the very last consultation, hope it helps and work..... =)
Next week will be our final presentation and the coming week will be the exhibition week... hope everything going on smoothly. Good luck to all the friendsssss... ^^
Coming is the A2 size poster that require to submit on next week. Work hard yet work smart... =]

FYP2 - Critique 2 (Update) - Interface Design

After received several comments from lecturer and friend, from the previous interface design, I have make some editing. For the button, I have change all the icon and english text into chinese text. Don't worry, when user mouse over, there will be a pop up text written the english meaning in case user don't know chinese. For the image appear in the introduction scene, I have draw all over again to make sure the image look clear while not pixel.

Here I add a scene which lecturer suggest as I have to let the user know that if user write out of the text, the sound will be play will be noise.

Every chinese text also have they own stroke step to be write in order to complete. I have put number according to the chinese text stroke while user can follow the number to write the text. At each text, simple animation will be play to make the scene won't feel too bored.

FYP2 - Critique 2 (Update) - Wiimote Testing - Progress

 

Here the progress that I mark down when Innocent teach me.

Hope I can done the connection.

 

The video above show what actually I need to do. =)

This is the software called WiimotePresenter. You can't open the software if the wiimote is not connected. Mark the Enable IR on the right bottom to make sure the IR LED is connected with the software. The white square box at the right bottom will show where your mouse pointer are.

Well I have successful connect wiimote with my PC. Congratz~~~ ^^

I also successful  make the IR LED connect to my PC. Another congratz~~~ =)

At last... I also successful make the IR LED as a tool to draw on my screen (In paint). Big Congratz~~~ =D

Well... The IR LED as mouse cursor is hard to be control, well, I will try my best to solve this problem. = 3

FYP2 - Critique 2 (Update) - IR LED Testing - Progress

After the presentation, I been told that the IR LED that I place on the key chain is burn. Based on Mr.Kok Yoong comment, I have try to test the IR LED with my handphone camera. At starting, the IR LED really don't have any respond, but after try the rest I bought, those still not working. At last I try up side down the IR LED, finally its work. =)

View from the camera.

When press on the button, with our eye, it really like nothing happen. But when it press under handphone camera, it like a light on the IR LED.

This capture using my 2MP handphone camera. Not pressing.

When pressing on it.

The final outcome of the IR LED calligraphy pen.

I'm using double sided tape to stick the back of the set of IR LED and battery, then tape it with masking tape to avoid it drop.

After this testing, the following step will be testing on the wiimote connection between the device and PC.

FYP2 - Critique 2

Just end our critique 2 in studio yesterday. Due to both lecturer assest us in different time, while we actually need to do edit and modify based on lecturer comment. I have learn how to install the wiimote into my PC from Innocent where I know he have the experience on installing it.

Comment from Mr.Hafiz :
I have borrow the SonyView touch screen tab from Sweet Ying and present my installation.

The problem I face is when my application presented on touch screen, user have to click on the position they want to write before writing, or else, the point starting to write will continues since the last point. Mean if user have click on the next button, if user didn't click a new point on the text, when user write on the text, the ink will start on the next button position. Mr.Hafiz need me to make the mouse point like when everytime user write on the text, just like they already press on the mouse to start anew point. (Will try my best to solve this problem as Mr.Hafiz said if I make it as touch screen using IR LED, the same problem will appear as well.)

For the position of the wiimote, Mr.Hafiz suggest me set it at 45 degree as the IR LED need to face to the wiimote infrared.

Comment from Mr.Kok Yoong :
Due to Sweet Ying is not presenting before or after me, I have to presented my installation by just using laptop.

For the graphic, Mr.Kok Yoong suggest me draw myself instead of using online image at the introduction scene. While for the main installation scene, Mr.Kok Yoong comment that I might need some simple animation on the screen because the current scene is boring while is just the background image with the text. For those button like exit and skip, maybe I can use chinese text as the installation is a chinese based application. (So for each text I will add in the related object in like the first scene text's is bird, there will have bird fly pass by when the scene is play. The button will change to chinese text while mouse rollover will have show the english meaning of it.)

For the IR LED, I have told that actuclly I fail to connect it to my PC while after Innocent explaint to me, I will try again by using my own PC. Mr.Kok Yoong have teach me on how to check whether the IR LED function or not, which is using the handphone camera.

FYP2 - Critique 2 - References

References :
http://www.johnnylee.net/projects/wii/

http://www.wiiphysics.site88.net/

http://www.cycling74.com/forums/topic.php?id=11028

http://sites.google.com/site/jasonlpsmith/wiimotepresenterhelp

http://web.me.com/bremnerr/Haptics_and_Motion_Tracking_in_Education/WiiMote_I.html

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=connect+wiimote+PC&meta=

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/setupWiiRemote.jsp

http://mkeadle.org/wiiboard/

http://sites.google.com/site/jasonlpsmith/wiimotepresenter

FYP2 - Critique 2 - Infrared Testing

This is the wiimote I get from Mdn.Forest.

 

Creating a light pen

This program is meant to be used with IR light pens that may require custom construction.  The pen consists of an infrared (IR) LED and a momentary push-button on switch such that the LED illuminates only while the button is pressed.  This light pen will effectively act as your mouse pointer and the button will act as your left-click. Some website sell IR keychain lights which may work right out of the box for this application.

Using this program with any other type of IR source may result in unpredictable or undesirable results.

You may be able to retro-fit an LED keychain with an IR LED to get something working quickly.  You can also try using a typical IR remote control.  HOWEVER, remote controls often flash the LED which will manifest itself as a lot of rapid clicking.  This may cause undesirable results.

I have modify the IR LED into the key chain I mention before and tight it with the calligraphy pen.
As this just a testing with the wiimote. Hope it will successful.

After the combination, I have do some online research and download software to hack in the wiimote.

 The bluetooth devices. (Buy two different type to test)

How to use

1. You MUST first connect your wiimote to your PC via bluetooth before running  the program. You can follow this tutorial using the Blue Soleil Windows Driver: http://www.wiili.org/index.php/How_To:_BlueSoleil

Some users have reported this working with other bluetooth drivers. But, I have not tested it.

2. Launch "WiimoteWhiteboard.exe" in the root directly of the archive. NOTE: ANY visible IR source will trigger mouse events and manipulate your computer. Any unintentional IR sources may result in undesired behavior. BE CAREFUL where you point the wiimote.

3. Click the button "Calibrate Location" or press the A button on the wiimote to begin touch calibration.  Use your IR light pen to touch each crosshair and activate the LED (as if pressing your mouse button to click).  After 4 points are calibrated, the touch screen should be ready to use.


Recalibration (and auto-loading last calibration)

To recalibrate, simply press the calibration button again (note the light pen stylus may not work yet if the calibration was poor) or press your wiimote A button. When the program is launched, it will reload the last calibration. If your wiimote and display configuration has not changed, re-calibration may not be necessary.


Controls

1. Pressing the A button on the wiimote will activate the calibration once the whiteboard application is running.  If the calibration is already running, this will restart the calibration with the 1st point.
2. Pressing the esc will exit the calibration screen.
3. "Cursor Control" will enable or disable mouse control of the stylus


TROUBLE SHOOTING

"The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135)" - You need Microsoft .NET 2.0 installed.  You can download this from Microsoft's website.

"The program says it can't find the wiimote" - Check that you have gotten the 
wiimote already connected via bluetooth.  The WiimoteWhiteboard program does not do this for you.  Follow the instructions at: http://www.wiili.org/index.php/How_To:_BlueSoleil 
Some users have said it works with other bluetooth drivers.  But, I have not tested it.  Some additional help may be found on the Sourceforge Project page: https://sourceforge.net/projects/wiiwhiteboard/

"Nothing happens when I activate my light pen on the crosshair" - this can be caused by a variety of problems:

1 .Verify that your light pen is working (many camera phones are sensitive to IR light, point your camera phone at your pen tip and press the button).

2. Make sure the wiimote can't see a stray IR light source.  When the dialog box is open the region next to "Visible IR dots:" should be blank when not using your light pens. If there is a number there, that means the wiimote can see something which will interfere with tracking.  Numbers should only appear when you activate your light pen in front of the wiimote.

3. Make sure the wiimote can see your pen - using the "Visible IR dots:" diagnostic, you can tell if the wiimote sees your pen.  Begin by pointing the pen near the front the wiimote.  You should see numbers appear if things are working properly.  As you move toward your screen the numbers should still appear/respond to your light pen.  If the numbers stop appearing, either:

a) Your light pen has left the field of view of the wiimote and you will have to reposition it to see your whole screen,  Positing the wiimote further away may help.

b) The wiimote's view of the pen has been block by another object or your body. You must be conscious of the position of your body/hands as to not block the view of the wiimote.  If you are fortunate enough to make a rear-projected screen or table, blocking the wiimote will become a non-issue.
     

c) Your light pen is not bright enough.  This may be because the LED is not receiving enough power.  This may require fixing the power supply (change batteries) or may require modifying the electrical circuit (more power, smaller resistor if you have one) or choosing a brighter LED.

"My lines are really squiggly and accuracy is bad" -  Remember the Wii Remote contains a camera, and the better view the camera has of your screen the better tracking you'll have. So, good placement is the key to good tracking. The more direct view the wiimote has of your screen, the better, The closer it is without losing visibility of your screen, the better. The wiimote camera is 1024x768.  So, using it with screen resolutions significantly higher than 1024x768 may result in difficulty clicking on small objects.

The wiimote camera has a 45 degree field of view.  Keep this in mind for placement.  Using the "Visible IR dots" diagnostic on in the software, you can test the visibility of the corners of your screen using your IR pen.  It may be helpful to turn off cursor control for this. Activate the LED at each corner location and check if the Wiimote still sees it. Some squiggilyness is unavoidable, but it can definitely be minimized. Smoothing is on the feature list to be added in any future release. If you are fortunate enough to make a rear-projected screen or table, the wii-remote can get a direct view of the screen giving you high-tracking quality without the trade off of blocking the camera.

But sadly, my testing fail couple of time as I can't connect the wiimote into my PC. The pop up message state as below, yet I have try different types of bluetooth device. = (

FYP2 - Critique 2 - Sound

I have use my own recording device to record the sound I wish to put into the installation. The below is the sound be selected.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

FYP2 - Critique 2 - Coding

The software i use is Adobe Flash while here some action script2 that I found and tested many time until it successful.

To write on the text, stroke will be written :

_root.createEmptyMovieClip("line", _root.getNextHighestDepth());
line.lineStyle(25, 0x000000, 100);

var drawing = false;

this.onMouseDown = function(){
    drawing = true;
}
this.onMouseUp = function(){
    drawing = false;
}

this.onEnterFrame= function(){
    if(drawing == false){
        this.line.moveTo(_xmouse,_ymouse)
    }
    if(drawing){
        this.line.lineTo(_xmouse,_ymouse)
    }
}

When user write on the text, sound will be play :

on (press) {
if (playing!=true) {
  _root.sixSound.stop();
  _root.fifthSound.start(0.1,999);
 
  _root.line.lineStyle(25, 0x000000, 100);
  playing=true;
}
}

on (release, rollOut, dragOut) {
if (playing==true) {
    _root.fifthSound.stop();
     _root.sixSound.start(0.1,999);
    playing=false;

}
}
on(dragOut){
    _root.sixSound.start(0.1,999);
}
on(release, releaseOutside){
    _root.sixSound.stop();
}

When user write out off the text, noise will out:

on (press) {
if (playing!=true) {
  _root.secondSound.start(0.1,999);
  playing=true;
}
}
on (release, rollOut, dragOut) {
if (playing==true) {
    _root.secondSound.stop();
    playing=false;

}
}

To define the sound :

firstSound = new Sound();
firstSound.attachSound("water_sound.mp3");
secondSound = new Sound();
secondSound.attachSound("water_noise.mp3");
thirdSound = new Sound();
thirdSound.attachSound("bird_sound.mp3");
forthSound = new Sound();
forthSound.attachSound("bird_noise.mp3");
fifthSound = new Sound();
fifthSound.attachSound("wind_sound.mp3");
sixSound = new Sound();
sixSound.attachSound("wind_noise.mp3");

To clean the writing :

line.clear();
line.lineStyle(25, 0x000000, 100);

FYP2 - Critique 2 - Interface Design

In this installation, there three text been selected from my mind (The sound of those text more easier to be find and recognize). Due to the installation is focusing on the text writing and its relationship between the sound, the background had been designed simple, plain and clean to avoid grabbing the attention.

After adding in the background image, the below is the final interface design :

The application will start with an intro.

Following with the intruction.

Then the main scene with the text.

 First text - Water 水.

 Second text - Bird 鸟.

Third text - Wind 风.

End is the quit.