Boids&Beats
Collaboration Ana Bravo, Isabel Schmidt
My participation included the visual design, control parameters, video editing and collaboration with the construction of the physical installation.
The design of the tactile interface was developed in three different stages, these stages included the visual part, design of the interaction and the physical elements and that allowed such interaction.
Stages
The design of the tactile interface was developed in three different stages, these stages included the visual part (boids or yellow dots), design of the interaction (speed, size and color parameters) and the physical elements and that allowed such interaction.
size control
Fiducials
Black and white circles and dot patterns. Each one was a different identification number that when placed on the surface of the screen was recognized by the program.
Each fiducial was an obstacle for the boids, and menu parameters, the user choose between the size, color, and speed of the boids.
Fiducial image example
Physical interface
The physical interface included the design of the physical control parameter and construction of the installation (touchscreen).
Physical control parameters, needed to be intuitive and simple, so the geometric form in this case similar to a knob was the best shape used to represent each control, because of its familiarity to the user.
The circular shape allowed a user a better manipulation. With a simple twist, the increase or decrease of the variables was achieved in an effective way. The selected materials such as the aluminum, give a very a natural but elegant finish.
1.Speed parameter
The speed of boids was manipulated using the speed control. By placing the fiducial on the screen, a speed menu was displayed, by rotating the control the behavior of the boids changed. The velocity of the boids could increase or decrease depending on the selection.
speed control
Size Parameter
To modify the size of the boids, it was necessary to place the fiducial designated specifically for the function. Once placed on the screen, an indicator image was displayed. Each circle represented a specific size, which the user can choose by simply turning the control left or right.
size control
Color parameter
The color of the swarm of boids could be substituted using the specific control (each control had an image of the fiducial paste on the bottom). When placing the fiducial on the screen, a menu of possible colors was displayed, by rotating the control to a specific angle the boids changed according to the selected color.
color control
Image example or color, speed and size control on the screen.
