Sam Spencer 14552248
PROJECTION MAPPING
Of it's many names; Projection Mapping, Video Mapping, 3D Mapping, Spacial augmented reality, etc. is the use of projection to change/ distort objects or buildings, to create a visually appealing, often changing 'display surface'. Projection mapping is a great was of displaying media on a huge scale, whilst being inexpensive. I have know that projection mapping is a thing for a long time now, and some of the examples shown are that which I have seen before, however, I never really thought about the logistics behind projection mapping, and the reasons for using it. Back when I was a kid, there was a music festival in my home town, and I distinctly remember one artist setting the whole shopping centre on fire using projection mapping, although at the time, I was just mesmerised by what was happening as opposed to how they did it. I now realise that projection mapping can be related to visual effects, but in real time, live in the flesh. Keeping to the example listed, it would be easy to turn the shopping centre on fire using editing softwares to stick the flames on etc, but as of now, projection mapping is the closest we can get to live visual effects, unless you count augmented reality. I do believe that in the future, more people are going to cotton on to this technology and use it as a cost effective way to set up scenes that may have cost 10x as much were they to actually create it, or put a 500" LCD screen up instead.
VIRTUAL REALITY
Virtual reality (VR) typically refers to computer technologies that use software to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that replicate a real environment (or create an imaginary setting), and simulate a user's physical presence in this environment, by enabling the user to interact with this space and any objects depicted therein using specialised display screens or projectors and other devices. This was probably My favourite week of the three workshops, as I am a big fan of video games. I had never seen or experienced virtual reality before, but I do know that it is making its way into the gaming market, with the new release of the playstation VR system. For me, virtual reality is one of those technologies that I really cant wrap my head around; I have no idea how it was created, no idea how it works and no idea how people have managed to make it work. It's one of those subject areas that I have just accepted as a concept, and leave the people getting paid to create it to do the background work. I think that virtual reality can help in almost any job on the planet, not just video games. Future employee's could, instead of doing a job interview, simulate a day of work and what they would do in each situation for example. VR also means that filmmakers could make a film whereby you can see all 360 degrees of the set and location, which adds a whole new layer to immersive films. People in their old age, or those suffering from a disability can be given experiences of walking and interacting which they may not have had for a long time. I truly think there are no boundaries for what virtual reality cant do, and I am struggling to find any cons that come along side it, well apart from only the person playing being able to see whats going on (without the use of an external monitor).
ARDUINO MICROCONTROLLERS
Arduino is a computer hardware and software company, project, and user community that designs and manufactures microcontroller kits for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control objects in the physical world. Before this workshop, I had never seen or heard of microcontrollers, so to me, this was a whole new experience. Microcontrollers are used in pretty much every piece of technology we use today, and show no signs or being replaced anytime soon. The reasons for this is they are fully ergonomic, and carry out their job perfectly throughout their lifespan, they do so in such a small and compact matter that means they can fit in every piece of tech there is, and they are, even today still being enhanced and improved. Microcontrollers don't just have to be used as behind the scenes panels in you remote control though... They can also be used out in the open in things like simple robotics, as it is easy to manipulate and tell what to do. These micro controllers are still going to serve their same purpose in the future, until a better system is found for the inside hardware of our tech.
Bibliography:
En.wikipedia.org. (2016). Projection mapping. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projection_mapping [Accessed 22 Nov. 2016].
En.wikipedia.org. (2016). Virtual reality. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality [Accessed 22 Nov. 2016].
En.wikipedia.org. (2016). Arduino. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino [Accessed 22 Nov. 2016].