Aug 13, 2009

For Your 3D Web Browsing Pleasure: Video demos of Google's O3D, and links to the real thing.



I went to the Google 03D website and played with the Google Trends Visualizer on my TouchSmart. The interaction with my hand as I rotated the globe was very smooth- I'll upload a video clip of the interaction soon.

I found the following videos on the Google O3D website. The videos provide a glimpse of the potential of 03D.


Google's O3D Beach Demo




Infinite Journey Game Demo, rendered in a browser using O3D


Disney/ABC's Visual Search Interface at Google I/O, rendered in a browser using 03D


Google O3D Developer Site

The following two links require the 03D Plug-in:


Google Trends Visualizer

Beach Scene Demo

SOMEWHAT RELATED:

Unity 3D Tropical Paradise


The Opposite of Interactive Media: The Pretty Loaded Archive of Preloaders (Are we really movin' up to HTML 5?)

According to a recent article by Garrick Schmitt, preloaders might become history in the very near future. Schmitt discusses HTML 5 and related topics, and included a link to the Pretty Loaded website, an archive of interesting web-site preloaders from our recent past - 2002 to 2009, to be exact. You can download a screensaver for PC or Mac from the site.

For more information, read Schmitt's article, and take also a look at the related links I've posted below.


Things are changing.

Are You Ready for a Flash-Free Future: How HTML 5 and Open Video will Deliver a Faster, Plug-in Free Internet
Garrick Schmitt, Ad Age, 8/12/09

RELATED AND SOMEWHAT RELATED

HTML5 Canvas Experiment

HTML 5 Doctor

Mozilla's Canvas Tutorial
"canvas is a new HTML element which can be used to draw graphics using scripting (usually JavaScript). It can for instance be used to draw graphs, make photo compositions or do simple (and not so simple) animations. The image on the right shows some examples of implementations which we will see later in this tutorial..."

O3D Demos (Google Code Site)

Open Video Project

Open Video Player Initiative


Advancing Open Video

Aug 12, 2009

Seth Sandler's "Slider" Dynamic Multi-player Game using Reactivision + Flash

Seth Sandler, known for his MT Mini, an inexpensive DIY interactive multi-touch pad, is looking for input and ideas that will help him improve or enhance Slider, a game he created about two years ago. Take a look at the demo:



"This game uses reactivision software, along with Flash, to detect symbol fiducial block movements. The game is played by moving these symbols on a table. Players can enter and exit the playing field at any time. The game adapts to the number of players. The lower the score the better; the first player with a score of 12 ends the game. Future plans include: Projecting directly on the surface. Implementing multitouch so users can play with their fingers and objects instead of only object symbols."

Music: Waterdrops by Yohan Shin

Ruder Finn Interactive's Mr. Picasso-head: Fun on-line drag & drop art activity, great for a touch-screen or interactive whiteboard!

I was looking for a drag-and-drop activity for students to use on interactive whiteboards (and also on my HP TouchSmart PC), and thought Mr. Potato head would be a good choice. My daughter linked me to something even better: Mr. Picasso Head, an on-line activity created by Ruder Finn Interactive, a few years ago.

Here is my creation:



Visit the Mr. Picasso Head gallery, where you can view 939209+ creations!

Somewhat Related
The One Million Masterpiece (On-line Collaborative Art Project)

"We are asking you to draw a small square image using software on our website. You don't need to be an artist or be able to draw - you can make patterns, write words, doodle - what-ever you want. Your image will be one of one million images that will make up the entire picture - The One Million Masterpiece.

You can choose to make your picture fit in with the surrounding pieces, or make it stand out, by using a preview feature that shows your image with the context of your neighbours. You can change your image at any time if you don't feel happy with it, and you can exchange messages with your fellow artists using our community pages
."

If you join the One Million Masterpiece, you can a link to display a mini gallery of your favorite pictures that can be replayed on your Facebook profile.

Do you have an HP TouchSmart, Dell Studio One, or NextWindow touch-screen? NUITech's Snowflake Suite upgrade provides a multi-touch plug-in.

If you have a NextWindow touch screen display, HP TouchSmart PC, or Dell Studio One PC, you might be interested to know that NUITech has upgraded their multi-touch software, Snowflake Suite. There is an evaluation download available on the NUITech website created for the NextWindow platform. (The TouchSmart and Studio One have NextWindow touchscreens.)

Here is a short clip of Snowflake 1.6 in action:

Snowflake Suite 1.6 provides users with an opportunity to change the standard content that is delivered with the software, which includes images, videos, 3D models, and backgrounds, so it can be customized according to need.

RELATED

Natural User Interface AB has adopted new branding and a new name, Natural User Interface Technologies AB, or NUITech.

Press Release (8/12/09)

Evaluation version of Snowflake Suite for NextWindow systems (including TouchSmart, Studio One)

Snowflake Suite running on multiple NextWindow 2150 overlays for 22-inch screens:

(The previous version of Snowflake, depicted in the above video, was a finalist for the 2009 Stevie Award, "Best New Product or Service of the Year- Media & Entertainment)



Singapore's Public Utility Board display, Singapore International Water Week, featuring NUITech systems and software.

SOMEWHAT RELATED
Press Release: Next Window Earns Coveted Windows 7 Logo Certification pdf

Jumpintotomorrow website/blog

Someone sent me an email about the jumpintotomorrow blog and I thought I'd share the link here.

I haven't had much time to really explore the site, but it looks like it has quite a bit of information about new and interesting technologies.

"jumpintotomorrow is a site that lists, features and promotes technology from all the corners of the world, provided by the product creators themselves – and it’s updated every single day...We’re technology aficionados, technology professionals, enthusiasts, academics and people who believe in and recognize the power of truly innovative ideas. The kinds of ideas that make us stop and say “you gotta see this.” Those are the ideas that have a way of reaching out and inspiring other breakthrough thinking. By listing, collecting and celebrating this kind of work, we hope it will reach out to others the way it reached out to us."