Today was a good day. All the footage I shot the other day hasn’t been wasted - I have managed to cut together a first take of my video. Granted, it’s over a minute long but I’m relatively certain the minute requirement is flexible within reason.

I’ve still to find a suitable audio track to compliment the video but that will come with a little time and patience. I had been using tracks by Let’s Fighting Love but I think they are a bit too rocky/intense for the purposes of this video. Ashame as the drummer is one of my best friends and got excited at the prospect of his music being used. Sorry Graeme.

Will be working more on the video tomorrow, tonight must be spent catching up on some freelance as I am mega poor and working on my CV so I can permenantly remedy this poorness.

I spent the day in the Cairngorms on Sunday shooting some video with the lovely Emma, Jamie and Sam. I had a great day in the snow, the sun was blaring and, based on the tiny camera LCD, thought I had some pretty sweet shots.

I was wrong. Although a couple of the shots are really sweet the majority are overly shaky and unusable or out of focus. I put together a (very, VERY) quick cut and, honestly, felt sick after watching it - just too damn shaky.

It’s really taken the wind out of my sails, I really want (need) a powerful video to compliment my project, to tie everything together. I just don’t have that at the moment. Perhaps some clever editing will fix things but I’m not very good. I don’t have a vision you see. I have nothing to work towards. I DON’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT I’M DOING. So it means everything I try is trial and error, with a lot of error.

If I’d planned things a bit more then maybe it would have been worthwhile going up, but today I can’t help that although I had a brilliant time, I wasted a day by going up North.

I’m really beginning to freak out about how everything is going to come together, especially as we were planning out the Degree Show space - I, again, have no vision. I feel pathetic.

In slightly more positive news Martin Lisle (of SNO!zone) phoned me up today about the email I sent him regarding filming at the indoor slope. Think I may go and completely reshoot everything.

I’m heading to the Cairngorms tomorrow for a day of filming so to prepare (and I realise I should have done this days, if not weeks, ago) I am putting together a quick storyboard for some possible footage.

I have no idea what I’m wanting. *sigh*

Ali has a couple of continuous motion servos he’s willing to lend me. He also reckons I don’t need to bother rebuilding a second unit as the servos are physically the same size. Provided I can control them properly pre-installation then everything should be fine and my project will be awesome!*

*This may be subjective. But fingers crossed.

Video

As it turns out a friend of mine works at the SNO!zone in Braehead - an indoor ski slope. I have been thinking that it may be best to angle my project towards an indoor centre as it allows for more control over the environment in which the cameras operate. I know the scope of my project doesn’t really cover all these details but it also means I am not limited by there being snow or not as to whether I can film.

However, filming at the centre is strictly forbidden (even taking photos of your kids requires a photo release form and even then only from the balcony). I have been in touch with the centre and am waiting on a response from the PR and Marketing director as to whether I may be granted special permissions. Here’s hoping.

Other news

I spent a little time today working on the new code for the camera which I received from johnnyonthespot (at the Arduino forum). I had hoped that I may be able to apply the logic of the new code to my hardware setup but as it transpires my servos may be fatally flawed.

Johnny’s approach uses continuous rotation servos, I (think) I have standard servos. I manipulate mine by telling them which angle to go to - I can’t manipulate speed, etc. I fear that to be able to use Johnny’s approach I will need to rebuild the hardware.

I know I had thought of this, but I had hoped to be able to rejig my setup and fix my issues using code. So, the decision here (assuming I do need new servos) is whether a build a second unit (at cost and time) or modify my current unit (at a lower cost and shorter time but more risk). Why is life never simple?

The last time I posted I was somewhat stressed with the direction of my project and what I still have to do. Although this generally still is the case I have put together a series of simple, yet direct, questions to ask myself regarding the direction and scope of the project. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to nail down certain elements and continue with others.

You see, I think I have reached a stage where  have over thought a lot of things; a brief chat with Graham this morning about whether or not it was worth rebuilding the physical aspects of the project let me realise that it’s OK to leave certain elements at a not-quite-complete stage provided that they are neither key to the overall user experience or outside the scope of the project (something which I hope to narrow down in this post).

So, here goes…

What is the point of this project? This is not a description of the service / product but rather a summary of what I wanted to achieve from this project.

At the very beginning of 4th year I knew one thing, and one thing only, about my final degree project: that it wasn’t going to be a website. Coding websites is a skill I have and something which I find relatively easy to do (when the ideas are flowing), however, I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and learn a thing or two about physical computing.

I want this project to be visually strong, technically challenging and very much a learning curve. However, I also want the project to gel together strongly and ultimately justify a strong grade.

In short, I suppose, I want to be adventurous and have fun experimenting with possible alternatives for my project but at the same time craft all the elements with enough care and attention to detail a strong final grade deserves. Even shorter, I want something which works really effing well and looks good too.

What is the service / product? This is the description of the service / product.

The service is called SlopeScope; a pre-installed, automated video recording system for snowboarders using indoor slopes (edit: I have since decided that although my tech would function better in an indoor environment with sufficient funding / research the system could be brought to life practically outdoors; this is the obviously more exciting final goal). A series of cameras track the rider as he progresses down the slope recording high quality footage simultaneously from multiple angles.

Once out of the visible range of the cameras the system then compiles a ‘memento video’ alongside each individual source which the rider can then access later on either on the slope via a mobile device (such as iPhone) or online via a web browser.

What are the key elements / interactions / features of the service / product?

One of the key features of the system is its passive nature; the ability to allow the rider to focus on their sport is a very attractive feature. In order for that to work (or rather to demonstrate persuasively in the prototype) the movement must be fluid and highly responsive. this is especially important if my iPhone app and website are going to have high quality videos appearing within them - it must be conceivable that the prototype was capable of such recordings, even if it is just able to physically move ‘nicely’ enough.

The second key areas of interaction are more ‘conscious’; the iPhone app and the website will be actively used to judge the overall usability and efficiency of the system. If the scenario arose where the tech worked perfectly and from a control engineering point-of-view was very advanced but the website and the app were ugly, buggy and shoved together in the last minute then the end user would leave with the impression that the entire system was flawed. It is imperative that all elements be at a sufficiently high standard so as not to bring the others down but the real decision is to decide which parts are polished slightly more.

Realistically, what would be an ideal finished product?

This question is very subjective and relies heavily on what is available to me; however, no holes barred, here’s a sum up based on what I’ve got at the moment. I have reached the conclusion that I am unable to (and indeed it is unnecessary to) build a prototype which works perfectly. I am ‘faking it’ with a very large percentage of the overall system but that is fine as each element is simply there to demo the concept of that particular aspect of the service.

I am happy to produce prototypes which ‘feel like’ prototypes, I’m not too concerned with covering my tracks completely. It was even discussed today that it may be in my interest to redesign the camera housing (but only if I’m doing it anyway to incorporate new hardware) so that some of the internal components are clearly visible - further highlighting the case that THIS IS NOT HOW IT WILL BE IN REAL LIFE. The iPhone app and the web app however I do want to hide the inner workings i.e: just show off how it would work and play on the fact that at the degree show there will be no snow (well, here’s hoping, we all know my luck). Therefore, making it acceptable for the app and website to not update with ‘live’ footage from the prototype camera.

In roder for the website and app to succeed though I will need some strong footage ‘from the prototype’. Which leads me on to my Tell Phase - how I’m going to fake my project.

TELL PHASE

With only 30 days (yeep!) till the viva I am running very late with my video and great image. Looking back at past project I have never been one to excel at the video stage; I want this to change for this project. Whilst I’m not looking to work primarily in the film industry I would like to be able to prove that I am capable of producing high quality video if needed as I feel it’s a valuable skill in communicating ideas and concepts quickly and accurately. Anyway, some thoughts…

Thoughts for the video…

My oh my - the ever looming Tell video. In all honesty I haven’t a clue how I want to approach this video. So, in true client-from-hell style I’ll start by saying what I dislike and what is a definite no-no.

Firstly, this video can’t be an advert. An advert relies on the service actually existing, or at least existing in such a way that a product can be seen. As the prototype is cardboard and deliberately not been designed for the real world I cannot justify an approach which is selling the service.

I do however feel that it is appropriate, and entirely necessary, to portray the feeling of what it may be like being recorded. It could be a deliberate play that throughout the video you don’t actually see the cameras as when using the system you’re supposed to ignore them anyway (did that make sense?). So the video would be about the concious interactions; the journey to the slope, the putting on of kit, the ride and then the review whilst on the tow back to the top.

I don’t know, thoughts on a postcard please.

Thoughts for the One Great Image…

This I haven’t even thought about slightly. How on Earht do I capture all the essance of the project in an image? On one hand I could focus on the cardboard prototype - a great image of the project as a whole. Or something a bit more defined, over-the-shoulder of someone using the iPhone app with the snow and board clearly visible; a great image of the conceptual service?

Gack. Who knows. My brain is fried for today, it’s been too sunny to work properly.

Well, I’m not really sure how it’s happening but I just can’t progress with my project. I’m at that sorta stage where I seem to have an endless mental list of things which need done but can’t prioritise or write them down. As a result I feel like I’m achieving nothing.

I also have quite a lot else on my plate in terms of freelance and personal commitments. Eeek. I wish Graham would get back as I think a chat with him would help a lot.

I am going to make an extensive list of mini-goals for this project and try and work out what is achieveable and what, well, isn’t in the time constraints I have.

In other news, my I have no idea what to do for my minute video or one-great-image. I have absolutely zero inspiration for it. I’m hopefully going to go filming early next week (which seems silly with no idea) so hopefully some kind of plan will form over the weekend and / or on the slope. The only real thing I know about my video is that it can’t really take the form of an ‘advert’ as all the physical parts of it are prototypes; have you ever seen an advert selling you a cardboard replica of the real thing? Didn’t think so.

It’s been a wee while since I updated this blog with anything properly uni related. So here’s the run down on what I’ve been doing with myself in regards the SlopeScope interaction design project…

Since the MkII hand in I’ve been primarily focused on getting the other elements of the project finished up a bit more; i.e: the website and iPhone app. This, annoyingly, I’m finding to be a real struggle. For some unknown reason I have lost the ability to design websites; every time I work on something I find myself hating it with a relatively short period of time. Still, I’m beginning to get somewhere and have the basics of a website kinda there, see below.

Viewing a High Definition video in the browser:

As you can see it is still very much in its infancy but at least it’s a start. I’m my biggest critic and I’m pretty hard on myself. My biggest worry here is that the website and iPhone won’t justify the concept of the project. I feel like these two elements have to be super well done as they are a core aspect of the user-service interaction. However, my project is primarily about the camera movement technology and how it relates to this conceptual service. I guess what I’m saying is that I can’t nail everything (although I’m definitely aiming for it) 

Breakthrough in WiiMote code

The next piece of news I have is that, eventually, I received a response on the Arduino forum. I posted a thread asking for help in regards the jerky motion of the WiiMote. Some kind fella has done something very similar to what I’m doing (a Wiimote controlled pitch/pan system … OK exactly what I’m doing). His approach was radically different to mine however but seems to be a more sensible one.

His uses a constantly rotating servo which rotates faster or slower dependant on how near to the edge of the field of vision the source is; when it is sufficiently close to the centre movement stops. Another cool thing here is that he is doing it completely within the Arduino and reading directly from the expansion port on the back of the WiiMote. I still need to work out a little more of the hardware issues but this could be a lifesaver. Check out his demo video:

Now, herein lies the deal breaker. To do this would require a lot of work, in fact I’d probably be more sensible building a second unit but that means more costs (a cool £45 minus delivery + £15 [if I want a black WiiMote]  + £20 [if I buy an extra 2 servos]. Yikes). The reason I say this is that if I failed to build it in time I’d still have my original which would suffice for the degree show but it’d be ncie to have a smoother, more constant demo - something I feel is important (but I’m scared I’m running out of time). This is something to discuss with Graham methinks.

Another bonus for rebuilding is that It’d give me the chance to implement the old iSight which Ali kindly lent me. The camera is of a FAR higher quality than my current ‘webcam’ (if you can call it that) and has things like autofocus which is a nice extra. However, it’s caveats are: it’s much bigger and would need an entire redesign of the case and that it get’s kinda hot. Potential issue here? *sigh* it’s never easy is it.

Tell Phase

Finally, I am ever aware that I haven’t really started thinking about my Tell Phase i.e: the video, images and story behind my project. I need to create a minute long video which summarises my project and captures what it is, what it does and who it’s for. A minute is painfully short though…

While the minute video is my deliverable I’m thinking of producing a second, longer, video to document how the finished project works; covering aspects such as the mechanics of the camera, Arduino code, the iPhone app and the javascript behind the website. I’d like this video also tot ouch on the concept as a whole. Basically I’d like to create a mini documentary on the project for my folio and to show people so they can understand all the details. This, for sure, will have to wait until all my other deliverables are at a sufficiently high standard.

Tomorrow I continue with the website and hopefully over the weekend will wrap it up so I can start to focus on my Tell Phase; I really want to nail this bit good.