MakerCamp
I’m Arbor, an artist and HCI researcher interested in novel interfaces and immersive light experiences: derrekchow.com. The residency at Research @ Scale was a super fun and rewarding experience. I mainly made progress on 3 projects and got to test them “in the wild” in various ways:
- 📷 Custom screenshot tool (Splinter)
- 🤖 PCB design for portable lights (Points of Contact)
- ⚡ Live audiovisual performance (Diffusion)
📷 Splinter @ Scalable HCI
I made a program in TouchDesigner called Splinter which lets you quickly take screenshots and arrange them on a digital canvas. It lets you easily and expressively cut-up and remix digital media. I shared this as a poster and demo at the Scalable HCI conference.
⚡ Diffusion @ Scalable HCI Performance
Before Shenzhen, I did a residency in Korea and made a performance called Diffusion. Originally for 4 projection screens, I adapted it to a single LED screen to perform at the Art + Tech Day at Scalable HCI. The piece plays with the display as a giant light source so it was cool to see how a different kind of display affects a different kind of space.
It was a big LED screen, but not the biggest I would encounter…
📷 Splinter Workshop
Ran a workshop for people to try Splinter themselves.
Some works participants made during the workshop with Splinter:
🤖 PCB Design with Seeed
The main thing I learned was how to make a PCB. I had 0 experience with PCB design coming in, but was inspired by the incredibly knowledgeable and helpful residents and Darcy’s KiCad workshop, I worked with Seeed Studio to make my first PCB!
The boards are for a project called Points of Contact, which are portable lights which copy different lighting patterns that are shined onto them.
One goal is a DIY and straightforward portable lighting system, which can bypass typical barriers of lighting systems being expensive and technically inaccessible in terms of equipment and infrastructure. Another is to be able to hijack spaces with impromptu light installations, as shown below:
Special thanks to Nico from Seeed for collaborating on designing and making these PCBs.
🤖 Motor-Light with Jonny
As a side exploration of using light as a control input, I collab’ed with another resident Jonny to make a simple but fun light-controlled motor. I hope to explore more of this kind of light-based tangible interaction in the future.
🤓 ⚙️ 🤓
⚡ Shenzhen Algorave Performance
…and got to perform Diffusion again on THE BIGGEST LED screen I’ve ever seen! The event went super well thanks to the other amazing performers and organizers Char, Jessica, Sam, Sydney, and Zinn. You can learn more by visiting the linked names.
Talks @ 📷 TroubleMakers & 🤖 Chaihou Makerspace
Wrapped up the residency with talks at 2 different hackerspaces about Splinter and Points of Contact.
Thank you
Best part of the residency was the people! Grateful for the great generosity, passion, and energy of all those involved. Special thanks to Char, Darcy, Evan, Jonny, Kelin, Matt, Sam, Sydney, Zinn and of course Cedric!