Calligraphic Video

Since the Spring of 2004 I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Professor Sha Xin Wei and the crew at the Topological Media Lab (formerly at Georgia Tech; now at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada). At the TML, I've worked closly with Computer Science PhD student Delphine Nain on the TML's next generation of Calligraphic Video tools and installations.

We started by implementing physics-based fluid modeling in the lingua franca of the TML: Cycling 74's Max/MSP/Jitter applications. We ported a Navier-Stokes fluid equations solver from C to into a Jitter external. The resulting tool yields fast, realistic, and real-time smoke and water effects. Combined with motion tracking and other image processing techniques, our fluid simulations enable natural and engaging gestural play with video as structured light.

The result of this work was initially shown as fluids, an interactive installation set up for Georgia Tech's IDT Demo Day (Spring 2004), and at The Last Supper, a one-night event that transformed an ordinarily bleak urban tunnel on the Georgia Tech campus into a vibrant interactive experience. 

In November 2004, our Calligraphic Vvideo instruments formed the technical and functional foundation of Membrane, an experiment in social thickening developed by the international art group sponge. Membrane was featured at the Dutch Electronic Arts Festival (V2_:DEAF04) in Rotterdam.