Created 2015
This goal of this group project was to design and develop an interactive visual artwork with OpenFrameworks, demonstrating the skills we had learned using XCode such as MIDI, keyboard entries, vectors, Haarfinder, Vidgrabber, ofMesh, VBO, classes.
Concept
Our project deals with the visualization of sound, specifically visualizing the human voice in an interactive and immersive way. The driving idea behind this piece is relative to how we use specific communication channels in order to perceive sound and visuals. Ordinarily, it is the auditory system that deduces sound characteristics where as visual perception calculates what we see. Our project intends to explore the crossover that can occur between these two. The bahaviour of the visual is completely dependent on the interaction of users. Results in output vary. It adds an interesting element to the mix when you consider how different people’s interactions may contrast and what the resulting visuals will look like. We wanted to emulate the visual process of hearing in our piece. Real life vibrations in the air come to fruition through our ‘exploding sphere’.
Design
The design of our visualization aspires to be simple and concise in an effort to make how the user connects their vocal input to the mirrored abstract visual on screen seamless. There are two key components that make up the output: the 3D sphere and a moving graph. These exist virtually within a 3D spherical grid space, introducing an element of depth. Focusing on the sphere first, it rotates on a fixed position and is made up of a vector of triangles that can be split. How it behaves is dependent on the ofSoundStream. As amplitude is monitored, it is scaled and mapped in real time. The scaled volume data determines the behaviour of the triangle vectors that make up the sphere. The louder the incoming sound, the greater distance the triangles disperse. Unless the system is in Mode 3, the sphere will always resume its original shape.Additionally, three light sources shine upon the circumference of the sphere enhancing the 3D presence using ofLight.
The graph on screen acts as a secondary source for audio representation. The graph collects the recent activity of sound within the buffer, iterating through the data volHistory, and deleting the oldest input data. It exists within the background of the piece. This is also achieved using a vector and further maintains the bond between sound and visuals. Information display moves from left to right.
There are also various states that the piece can assume. Ultimately, the behaviour of the shape shall represent user interaction but aesthetics and dynamics can be altered using the mouse and keyboard. There are three modes that the system can be in. Mode 1 uses a .png image as the texture of the sphere. Mode 2 uses the live webcam feedback as the texture while Mode 3 uses the former .png image. Mode 3 differs in dynamics because as the triangles disperse they do not reform to the original shape, introducing an interesting deconstruction of the shape that will remain until state change.
In addition to being able to shift between these modes using the left and right keys, a user can choose the amount of triangle splits by selecting a key with 1-4, four consisting of the largest amount of triangle splits. The user can also press the mouse to control the speed of rotation. The speed is relative to the position of the cursor on the X-axis while pressed. A series of Booleans also turn on and off states such as wireframes, points of splits and fill of the shape.
Stuart Creates 