Wow, I’ve been soo busy updating my site that I have completely neglected my blog. Not cool, Pablo, not cool at all.
Anyway, I’ve got myself a spare 15 minutes so I thought I’d cobble together a quick roundup on my activities over the past *checks date of last post*, sheesh SIX WEEKS. Flippin’ ‘eck.
Let’s start at the beginning.
At the beginning of July I exhibited my Final Year Major Project (SlopeScope) at New Designers in London at the Business Design Centre, Islington.
ANY budding final year design students should DEFINITELY consider going, worth the expense, trust me!
It was fantastic. Not only did I get to meet a load of high fliers in the industry, see my competition and generally have an exciting time but I also won a prize!
CyberDuck graciously awarded me their Associate prize which consisted of a pretty certificate, a 3 month internship and A FREAKIN’ IPAD! Unfortunately the internship was not suitable and I decided to turn it down.
Regardless, I am ditching my plans to move to Manchester and will be moving to The Big Smoke on the 31st of August ready for action! Got a job? I need one.
Some people may think I’d be mad to consider moving to such an expensive city without a job lined up. Maybe I am, but that’s not stopping me; London is where the action is and I’m going to be a significant part of that. In the interim while I apply for jobs, attend interviews and generally try and find work I shall be keeping up my freelance (old and new).
Meanwhile I am currently back in Dundee packing up my life into cardboard boxes, working on Shortbread and in talks with SKK Lighting about some future work.
I’m currently in Manchester looking for flats. I’ve found a bunch of nice ones (one really nice one). This is kinda terrifying. I’ve quite enjoyed the past couple of weeks being uni-free but it’s all starting to feel quite real now! I am running out of money and beginning to realise that I really need to get myself organised for the immediate future and I think Manchester is where I want to spend it!
However, while I need to get this job malarky sorted I also have to make sure I stay on top of things SlopeScoperelated as I’m exhibiting at NewDesigners in London (July 8th - 11th , if interested get in touch and I can perhaps arrange a complimentary ticket). So, in short, everything is very exciting just now… and stressful. *sigh*
Well, a week or two since my last entry I have finally found some time to wrap this year up…
I recieved my degree classification: a First - yay - the exhibition space looks fantastic, the opening night went well and so far SlopeScope seems to be holding out on me; which makes a nice change (edit: it died today, hopefully I can fix this. dammit fixed!). Things are looking good.
We have had a lot of visitors through the space and I have been getting some really, really positive feedback about the idea with some people urging me to get some form of IP protection on the go pronto!
However, whilst the space is sweet and the entire degree show is good (and man, it IS good, very proud to be exhibiting amongst so many talented people) I still need to focus on having a real life now that university is over and that means finding a job. The dream job at Apple I wanted to apply for has been closed and I’m kicking myself for not getting organised and applying quick enough, but hey, maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Sad face.
Amongst all this job hunting I’m also trying to keep up-to-date with freelance; a number of my clients have been very patient whilst I’ve been finishing up (thank you guys) but I now need to get their jobs finished. Busy busy.
Tomorrow, at precisely 2pm, I shall be starting my final-basically-decides-my-degree-classification presentation tomorrow. And, you guessed it, I am beginning to panic.
Now, I know this project inside out so no problem them but WHAT THE HELL DO I SAY? There is soo much about this project undone (never intended to finish EVERYTHUING) but it’s stressing me out.
Anyway, this to be young graduate, must finish rehearsing. Cross your fingers for me, go on.
SlopeScope is a conceptual service for snowboarders which allows passive recording from multiple angles on a slope. Riders can review, share and learn from footage both on the slope on mobile devices such as iPhone or from the comfort of a web browser at home.
Imagine training for a race and being able to see exactly how you took a particular gate while waiting in line for the tow back to the top to try again or being able to take home a memento of your very first time on the slopes to share with your friends and family.
SlopeScope: Project Review
When the brief was first delivered at the end of 2009 I was very unsure about the direction of my project. Weirdly, all the way through the lower years I had always had a vague idea of what my final project was going to be like; I had new ideas every couple of months. However, when push came to shove I found myself in a position where I simply could not settle on any idea long enough for it to manifest itself in a manner that excited me.
Days were spent coming up with ideas which continually failed to conjure up any further inspiration; any idea which seemed to have any body very quickly ended up feeling contrived and ultimately useless. It goes without saying that I wanted my final year project to be amongst the strongest work I’d produce while on the IMD Degree. It should also be noted that I wanted this project to also reflect three of my key interests as a designer: toying with new technology, stepping out of my comfort zone and producing something that is truly useful.
Early on I had decided that the WiiMote was a piece of technology I was particularly interested in working with. The unit is, essentially, a cheap sensor block; for ~£25 I had access to high quality sensors in a compact and accessible form. I knew my project was going to have a predominantly physical aspect to it (perhaps this stemmed from my ‘Spiritual Objects’ exhibition last year which was hugely flawed due to having to create physical objects) so it seemed silly to not make full use of this piece of kit.
Naturally, as development of my project idea continued it became increasingly obvious that my project was going to be highly technology orientated. Throughout, however, I have tried to keep my desire to explore the technology’s capabilities constrained and not let myself get carried away.
Eventually, once I had nailed down certain elements of the project (snowboarding, WiiMote, etc), I found I had a strong idea with which I was very happy: an automated camera system for snowboarders which allowed for reviewing of footage almost immediately and from multiple angles.
Oddly, whenever I discussed this idea with others the conversation normally drew towards other applications a system such as this could be better used: wedding videos, skateboarding, catwalks to name but a few; all of which are entirely valid in their own right. For a while I felt downhearted and was close to shelving the idea and starting afresh but it dawned on me that these deviations were not criticisms but in fact highlighted the versatility, potential and, ultimately, commercial value of the idea. Fantastic, what was going to be the SlopeScope concept was born.
Early Stages / Research
Having decided on a final vision I started my research at the technical end of the spectrum. Whilst I was clear what my end product was going to do I wasn’t sure how it would do it or how it would look. These were obstacles I was going to address as the project developed.
Inspired by my passion for snowboarding and all things geeky I immersed myself in the technology to work out how best to tackle this concept, execute it well and do myself justice as an interactive media designer.
I have a (good) habit of diving headfirst into things and overcoming hurdles as and when they appear. On one hand this approach meant I was taking risks – I would go ahead and put something together (such as the stepper motors for the Make Mk 1 Camera Unit) without really taking a step backwards and weighing up the pros and cons.
On the other hand it meant I was continually challenging myself and the way I was working; as a direct result I was learning very quickly the scale of the task I had undertaken allowing me to anticipate what sort of issues I would likely face.
I experimented with different drive systems (stepper motors and servos) and different code structures. I initially was using a hacked apart IDEO project to power the system but as time progressed and I developed a more thorough understanding of the technology’s workings I ended up using a nifty program called DarwiinOSC and some of my own Processing code to perform all the movement calculations which then instructs a slave Arduino to adjust the speed of the servos as necessary.
While my knowledge and passion for the technology was strong at times I felt myself forgetting about the other aspects of the process: People and Design.
I will put my hand up and admit that I failed to follow through on all the user research I promised on my PeDeTe boards but that’s not to say it was neglected entirely. From the onset I knew, and made it clear that this was a technology-based project and that People and Design were the ‘layers’ that would make it shine. I had hoped to spend time with both snowboarders, manufacturers (of snowboarding equipment) and resort managers to gain an insight into the practicalities of such a service and help shape the final form of the objects
Unfortunately I only really managed to speak to some snowboarders (of varying levels) who helped me craft some of the user experience of SlopeScope for iPhone and some pointers to the direction of the projects application, i.e.: make it a permanent, resort-based fixture rather than a portable consumer object.
The Design element on the other hand has been continually applied throughout the course of the project (at times unconsciously), after all, the purpose of design is to create a connection between people and technology; something I feel has been achieved through SlopeScope for iPhone.
The Camera Unit
Initially I thought the majority of the design would be based around the pan / tilt camera but, as I found out, I am not a product designer so the aesthetic qualities, while important, are not paramount to the interaction. However, what was key was the system’s responsiveness. In an exhibit situation it is far easier to close your eyes and imagine the service in use if the prototypes before you work smoothly and effortlessly; a jerky, barely working camera prototype beside a dummy app just doesn’t cut it.
It was for this reason, and this reason alone (ok, maybe not – pride probably stepped in around here) that I dismantled my Make Mk II object, which (technically) worked very well. It ticked all the boxes and would suffice as a final object to submit. But therein lies the problem, it only sufficed – to truly captivate people’s imaginations I had to make it better. It was sluggish and jerky, but reliable. I decided I’d rather ditch this reliability to try and reduce the sluggishness even if it meant that the movement was slightly more ‘noisy’.
For Make Mk II I had a pair of standard servos; on each loop of Processing I had the sketch evaluate the position of the average IR spot from the WiiMote and decide whether the unit had to move left or right to centre the spot. It didn’t take into account any distance from the centre just that it was either left or it was right (or within the boundaries of the centre). The servos would take a step in the appropriate direction and the process would start again.
This system worked but it was not great. The servos were behaving like stepper motors (which I had ruled out previously) and the unit moved at a fixed speed. With continuously rotating servos I have a far higher degree of control. Using some code from Johnnyonthespot as inspiration for some new code logic I have designed a sketch that manipulates the speed of the servo as opposed to the angle. If the spot is at the very edge of the IR cameras field of vision the servo will rotate fast slowing down as the spot moves closer to the centre where it will come to rest. This allows for an almost real-time tracking of the IR source.
There are two compromises I have had to make: the system has a habit of overshooting the spot and then compensating backwards. Previously if this happened the system would find itself stuck in an infinite loop going back and forth and back and forth and back…
To compensate this I had to make the ‘stop zone’ of the camera larger. While it solved the problem it meant that the user would have to make larger, more dramatic movements to see any kind of reaction giving the impression of a non-responsive system.
On the new build if a similar situation arises the camera adjusts but any back and forth motion naturally dampens until it dissipates (normally very quickly) in much the same way a bouncing ball eventually comes to rest.
The second compromise is slightly more complex. With standard servos there is a limit to the degree of motion in either direction. Continuous servos don’t have this limit which means that the camera could technically pull it’s own wires out by turning too far (it’d have to do more than one full rotation). I have thought about coding limits or building physical switches to limit it but realistically I’ll just need to design the exhibition space in such a way that full rotations are impractical (and rely on the code not to break and send the whole thing haywire!).
All in all I am very pleased with the outcome of the camera. While I’m not a product design student I feel I have crafted the aesthetic looks of the camera well. The prototype definitely gives the user experience I intended and although it’s made from (mainly) recycled materials it looks solid and well made.
SlopeScope for iPhone and the SlopeScope website
The other, arguably main, part of the project / experience is SlopeScope for iPhone and the website. From an end-user point of view these elements are the key points of (conscious) interaction. Users will actively use, and ultimately judge, the service through the quality and intuitiveness of these services.
As aforementioned the apps contain purely dummy data and are intended to act as ‘looks-like works-like’ prototypes. As such how they work is not something I particularly cared about, as long as they can pretend to work.
With that in mind, SlopeScope for iPhone was built using the jQtouch library for jQuery. Using simple HTML markup this library allows web developers to create views and transitions in a web based app, similar to those of a native app. Plug that into PhoneGap and you’ve got a web-app powered by JavaScript wrapped in a native app which has full access to the device’s hardware. Powerful stuff.
While seemingly a cheat to cut corners (learning Objective-C was not something I was prepared / able to do) the PhoneGap framework is actually AppStore approved so if SlopeScope were to go commercial a working, offline capable app (using HTML5 databases and offline storage) would be a realistic option. SlopeScope for iPhone Mk1 in fact was a fully working app but due to its slow and buggy nature (I’ll put that down to inexperience) I decided that it would be detrimental to my exhibition if I didn’t cut it down and ‘fake it’.
The project website is in a similar boat, while I could have spent hours perfecting it and making a fully functioning system I decided that my time would be better spent designing the UI rather than backend code.
The source
An area of the project I have skipped out a little on is the design of the IR source. A prerequisite (and potential limitation) of using an IR-based system is line-of-sight. While the range of the WiiMote is relatively large it has to be able to see the source. The problem in practice was where to place the source so it could be seen all the time. I quickly settled on either goggles (as they have a strap around the whole head - 360° visibility) or a helmet. I have since not really taken it further as I have been using IR pens for testing in the studio.
Nevertheless, this is an important part of the experience and should be addressed accordingly. Embedded IR LEDs in a helmet is practical as it has the body to contain the power pack and cabling required and as such has, at this stage, emerged as the leading design choice.
Wrapping up
In reflection I am generally very pleased with how the project has come together. I have worked hard and had to overcome many obstacles, which at time were really wearing on my confidence. However, perseverance has paid off and I have a project which I will be proud to stand beside throughout the degree show at DJCAD and New Designers in London (July 8th - 11th, 2010).
Although I am passionate about physical computing and experimenting with new tech I am keen to work anywhere within the digital design industry. I have a passion for photography and illustration and hope that my future will bring me to a place where I can produce work that fuses these four elements.
Things are beginning to come together nicely; after a somewhat terrifying moment when one of my servos broke down I have since bought new ones and installed them - they seem to be working ok. Phew!
The link that this post points too is my project website. I’ve slowly been shaping it over the past week and, although it’s not entirely finished and lacking some snowboarding content, I am pleased with how it is looking. Still, I have about two weeks left until the show to finish it entirely (although I’m aiming to have it done for the vivas on Tuesday).
So, what’s left… I have my project report to do for Friday and in terms of deliverables (excluding the viva) that’s me done! It’ll give me the weekend and Monday / Tuesday to really fine tune my object and prepare my presentation - probably the biggest / most important of my life to date. No pressure. Sheesh.
Tomorrow I’m focusing on starting (and finishing) my project report and polishing the iPhone app. the website I’ve created I think practically has everything Iw ant to say in my report but just in a more casual style so hopefully I can migrate some of the info across into a more coherent written document. I’ll try anyway.
I’m about 95% sure that this is my One Great Image for the SlopeScope project.
I was faced with a bit of a tough decision as to what angle to take on this; an image of the camera (which when placed together with the video online - blogs etc) would give a very complete overview of the project or a slightly more abstract view of the concept from a sharing / people point of view.
Part of the decision was encouraged by the fact that my camera is very much a prototype and not intended for outdoor use in any shape or form - so why place it (rather, ‘photoshop it’) into a contrived environment.
A large, and the most interesting in my opinion, part of the project is the social aspect. In terms of both the sport and the concept sharing experiences with friends is key. This image (kindly shot by Calum Pringle) I feel shows this sharing aspect whilst also highlighting the sport (snowboard in the background + ski goggles + ski jacket + image of boarder on iPhone) and the act of recording a snowboarder.
Currently my issue is printing - It looks great on screen but the prints are over saturated and off colour. I’ve messed with adjustments slightly but I am putting some of the blame on the printer for not being of very high quality.
Have settled on a design I like for the websites. The site here is an ‘about the project’ site which contains all the information of the project. I’ve still to properly fill it with content (I’ve done some) but I’ve decided to stick it online and just update as I go so that it’s obvious things are progressing (and it makes me feel like I’ve achieved something else today!)
I will also be creating a ‘demo’ site, i.e: the site that a user using the service would access. It’ll be available at demo.slopescope.co.uk once I’ve made it. I’m thinking of using the same / very similar structure and design for both the sake of simplicity and coherence and because I feel this particular design will complement the content.
Three things happened today: I wrote my 100 words, I managed to get my new servos to work smoothly (making the unit more responsive) and I took some of the unit apart to see how much of a mammoth task installing my new servos would be…
They don’t fit, they don’t fit at all! Oh, dear.
I’ll need to build a new bracket so that they fit. Ali seemed to think someone in the metal workshop could knock something together in no time. He’s gone home now, so I’m gonna shoot off to B&Q now and see if I can find something already made that I could use instead (probably quite unlikely).
If / when I manage to get this little hiccup sorted then the actual installation shouldn’t be too much of an issue: a couple of wires will need snipped / soldered but otherwise it’s a relatively clean component swap.
In other news, my test sketches using the new servos are proving to be good. I’ve got a relatively responsive (way more than the original setup) pan motion now which makes me happy. Wait. Here’s a thought, do I really need a continuous servo for the tilting? If not then I wouldn’t need to build a new rig. Hmmm… experimenting time, B&Q can wait.
PS: Jen’s cameras are freaking me out - they are all looking at me! Neil is peeking too, what a creep.
My project, in 100 words (well, 99 if you’re being pedantic). YUS, another ToDo item ticked off.
SlopeScope is a conceptual service for snowboarders which allows passive recording from multiple angles on a slope. Riders can review, share and learn from footage both on the slope on mobile devices such as iPhone or from the comfort of a web browser at home.
Imagine training for a race and being able to see exactly how you took a particular gate while waiting in line for the tow back to the top to try again or being able to take home a memento of your very first time on the slopes to share with your friends and family.
