The Portal – Critical Evaluation
3D Hybrids
'Traditional interface boundaries between human and machine can be transcended even while re-affirming our corporeality, and Cartesian notions of space as well as illustrative realism can effectively be replaced by more evocative alternatives.' - these words by Char Davies are very magical to me as she grasps the idea of modern romanticism in which humans are escaping through technology from reality they have created and evolve by aplying this technology into their bodies. Modern romanticism has been introduced long time before Char Davies's 'Osmosis' and 'Immersence'. Twentieth century writers like William Gibson and Philip K Dick talked about the downturns of technological development rather than the saving role of it. Nevertheless, modern societies are more likely to accept the carousel ride with technological innovations than deny it. Only until the hi-tec gadgets are not used another man, we are comfortable with automation. I am a big fan of LHC project that takes place somewhere underground in Switzerland. This is the case when technology is used to help us answer the biggest questions ever asked - What is life? What is reality? As an artist I begin a discussion on this topic and try to give my own answer. More specificly, I am suggesting a reality that can be adjusted, changed, morphed. As human eyesight is representing the reality that surrounds us, we interpret every object. Moreover, every one of us understands space and time more or less the same way. We cannot be in two different places at the same time. Taking part in that discussion, my project is suggesting a controversial answer - parallel worlds. I would like to say that space and time can bend to create a magical window into parallel world. This window can be opened in any place we like and on any surface we like.
The parallel world is seen through the camera placed at point B and the observer is wearing VR goggles with another camera attached to it at point A. In the pure sense of it, it is an an implementation of two fully three-dimensional spaces onto one two-dimensional space which is understood as a portal. The extra feature(which gives more real feel to it) is user's position tracking at point A transferred to camera position at point B. The purpose of this feature is to represent a natural orthographic view. This was the crucial part of my experiment and also the most complicated part. Although, I did not achieve what I was planning at the beginning, I am quite pleased with the effect considering the amount of work I have put to it. Chromakeying was ready to be assembled since I have finished it last semester and I had to focus on position detection in space and its interaction with orthographic view of the camera. I started from preparation of devices and tools needed to achieve what I have planned. With the help of Wiimote and its popularity among digital artists I decided to include it in my project without hesitation. To control the camera view, I used RC servo motors that I wanted to work with from a long time. Wiimote was the perfect interactivity tool from the beginning and internet forums are full of informations about its possibilities of use. I was only concerned about its ability to read the X,Y and Z axis. I had no problem with the readings as my mini Web cam that I purchased last semester had Infra Red LEDs build in.
I am very proud of what I have achieved. Moreover, I have learned something about myself – I am stubborn and can think logically surprisingly well. I have many ideas and plan every step in my mind before actually doing it. Patience and stoic calmness decided upon my success as an artist and inventor.
