Tag Archives: kinectar

Augmented reality sandbox lets you change the course of rivers, won’t get you wet

Posted on by

Image

Ask any kid, playing in the sandbox is fun enough on its own, but too much moisture will turn your grainy playground into a lumpy mess. Researchers at UC Davis have cooked up one solution: an augmented reality sandbox. Much like last year's SandyStation, the project uses a Kinect sensor in conjunction with a digital projector and a bit of software to overlay topographical data and simulated water over a traditional -- and dry -- sandbox. The end result is an augmented environment that can be used to teach geographic, geologic and hydrological concepts. The team hopes the project will help them develop hands-on exhibits for science museums, teaching visitors about contour lines, watersheds, catchment areas and more. Check out the video above for a full demo, or scope out the source below for the technical nitty-gritty.

Augmented reality sandbox lets you change the course of rivers, won't get you wet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceUC Davis, Okreylos (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Conductor controls Aussie pipe organ through MIDI and Kinect, explains how he did it (video)

Posted on by
Image
Doing a little desktop DJing with Kinect and a MIDI device is nothing new, but last year a man with loftier musical machinations took Kinect conducting to the next level. Chris Vik composed a piece that he and vocalist Elise Richards performed using the sensor bar and the massive Town Hall organ in Melbourne, Australia last November. Recently, he released a video explaining how he made the magic happen. The organ, despite being built in 1929, was retrofitted to take MIDI input back in the late 1990s, which allowed Vik to use a custom bit of code he wrote, called Kinectar, to communicate with it. That software also allows users to assign various notes, chords, and scales to different spatial zones and gestures, then trigger them through Kinect. The results were pretty impressive, so head on after the break to soak up the sonic goodness for yourself.

Continue reading Conductor controls Aussie pipe organ through MIDI and Kinect, explains how he did it (video)

Conductor controls Aussie pipe organ through MIDI and Kinect, explains how he did it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  sourceI Love the Future  | Email this | Comments