Blog Assignment #3

Well, here's the last one. Guess I couldn't get into real blogging in that time. Oh well.

Today we had Simon Conlin, who talked to us about... err... actually, I really don't know. I paid attention, yet there didn't seem to be a sort of "topic" like before. He just... talked about anything and then showed us some links. The closest I can think of he talked with us on creativity and human interaction with multimedia.

One of the first things we were shown was a video on Youtube of a young man using a Nintendo Wii Remote to create a sort of finger sensor similar to what is used in Minority Report. I've honestly never watched Minority Report, but I do understand the technology. To use the Wii Remote as a means of creating this technology was a rather inventive way to do it, I felt. It shows just how easy this technology can be made now. (Link to YouTube video #1)

After this, we were shown an interview with an individual named Zack Booth Simpson. Zack creates interactive art, and we were given a number of examples of his work. He spoke primarily on the creativity of various projects of his and how he came to make them. A few of them were particularly interesting, given how even old art that was designed to be interactive is forced to be nothing more than stationary these days. It made his work seem more interesting. (Link to YouTube video #2) (Link to YouTube video #3)

Simon then introduced us to a group creating fantastic light show technology, via a video of George Michael, that reminded Simon quite a bit about the light shows used by Pink Floyd for their tours; light shows were one of the most important things for a Pink Floyd concert. The technology used could easily be used to create great light shows that is, to an extent, reusable. New supplies would not need to be purchased, but instead they would just need to transport the devices to create the show. (Link to Meso.net's project info on George Michael's project)

After this we were largely left with nothing, although we did watch a few other of his video links. I was largely enticed by the one from Adobe of a wall that would create randomized content as people walked by it. People would often stop and watch it go, walk backwards to see the content erase, and occasionally play around with it to see what else they could do. Of course, what they didn't realize was that the purpose of the wall was to promote Adobe CS3, which it no doubt succeeded in. Even if some of the people didn't know what Adobe was for, the wall made them curious enough to look them up, leading to some potential new sales. (Link to YouTube video)

And that's really it. That's the end of this blog. Now, go bug someone else. I need to get working, hahaha.