Here are some experiments in VR that I made after watching the Doctor Strange movie.
Visuals created using Unity, sounds created using Ableton Live.
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Archive for the ‘Software’ Category
Doctor Strange Experiments
Posted: November 13, 2016 in Ableton Live, Oculus Rift, Unity 3D, Virtual Reality1
Insight
What if you could make things appear in front of you with the power of your voice?
Idea
Skyfall
Execution
I had an idea of making a virtual reality (VR) demo where you can say things and make them fall from the sky.
For the initial demo, the only objects that you can magically summon are:
- a cube
- a white car – Ferrari
- a red car – Dodge Viper
- a house
- Deadpool
- a Star Destroyer
The “car” command randomly picks between one of 2 cars.
You can also say the word “clear” to remove all the objects from the  scene.
Additionally, you can also move around the 3D space using an XBox controller or keyboard and mouse.
All this works within the Oculus Rift DK2.
To take this project further I can:
- add more objects and commands
- add Leap Motion support so you can interact with the objects using your hands
Tech Details
Problem
One of the roadblocks I hit early on was that Unity 5.3.2 does not support the .NET speech recognition DLL’s since it is using Mono.
Solution
In order to get around this, I created 2 applications and used a TCP port for them to communicate with each other.
Components
1) Server: C# .NET application
The voice recognition is being done using System.Speech.Recognition.
AÂ GrammarBuilder object is created with the following words.
private string[] VALID_COMMANDS = {“clear”, “cube”, “car”, “house”, “deadpool”, “star destroyer” };
Once a word is recognised, a message is sent to a specified port via TCP.
2) Client: Unity application
On the client side, there is a TCP listener running on a thread that listens for TCP messages.
If a word is received (e.g. cube) the model named “Cube” is then cloned and added to the scene in front of and above where the user is looking.
First person controls and VR support was also added to make the experience more immersive.
Playing with Unity
Posted: March 31, 2014 in Software, Unity 3DTags: beretta, car, dinosaur, gun, joystick, katana, pistol, sword, velociraptor
The Hunger Game
Posted: September 19, 2013 in Ableton Live, C#, Electronic, Game, Music, Software, Unity 3DTags: aka_manchild, burger, derek, doom, hot dog, hunger, junk food, maze, oculus, pacman, rift, video game, Virtual Reality
All The Sonics
Posted: October 6, 2012 in JavaScript, SoftwareTags: 2D, adobe edge, animate, JavaScript, sonic, walk cycle
I was trying out Adobe Edge Animate the other night, and wanted to get a simple walk cycle animation happening.
Sonic sprite sheet
Eventually I decided it was too hard to get something something simple going, and that it wasn’t scalable. Â I could get 1 sonic animating, but what if I wanted 100?
So, I decided to do it with with JavaScript instead. After a quick google, and some minor modifications to the code, I created this.
http://benxtan.com/test/sonic/
All The Sonics running across 6 screens.
Features:
- 100 Sonics running across the screen
- Each Sonic is running at a randomised speed and frame rate
- The speed is relative to the frame rate (faster speed = faster frame rate)
- Also added a MIDI of a song from Green Hill for good measure =)
(WIP = work in progress)
Copy of Elephantmen #6 cover (WIP) – Heres the reference http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=594821&gsub=73013
Heres something really quick I made at a Flashback 2011 (http://www.defame.com.au/flashback.php)
Pretty much learnt it there and then thanks to help from the Internet, and Mr. Johnny Jim Jams.
Managed to get first place in the wild compo with KMIDIC (http://pmidic.com) too!
http://www.defame.com.au/voting/
Kinect MIDI Controller (KMIDIC) – On a Mac!
Posted: April 26, 2011 in Ableton Live, Electronic, Hardware, Kinect, KMIDIC, Launchpad, MIDI Controller, Music, PMIDIC, Processing, SoftwareInstead of making a stop motion video of my giant Lego man (you can see him in the video below) like I was planning to do, I ended up playing with Processing again. Basically I didn’t really have the right space to setup my stop motion, and I really needed to have a green screen to do what I wanted to do. But its all good, no time wasted as I was very productive anyway!
Firstly, heres the video of my creation today:
Now an explanation…
In summary, I am waving my hand around in the air like an idiot and it is controlling the music coming from my computer. The hardware and software components that are at play here are Microsoft Kinect -> Processing -> Ableton Live and Novation Launchpad. I had a chat to my friend DJ Gustavo Bravetti and he had some good tips for me on how to setup Ableton clips to make the transitions smoother and sound more musical. When I have time, I’ll set up a whole song and give a better performance!
A bit more detail…
Basically, the Kinect is sending the location of my hand to Processing which is in turn sending MIDI note on messages to both Ableton Live and the Novation Launchpad. In this version, I have separated the grid into 4 quadrants, each on playing a different MIDI note that is going into 2 channels in live. The first channel has an arpeggiator triggering an Impulse drum kit, and the second channel has an arpeggiated synth. The lights on the Launchpad are also set to light up each of the quadrants as they are triggered.
For those wanting to delve into the code, its not highly commented, but you should be able to get the idea of what I’m doing. Any issues, just leave a message here or send me an email on benxtan [at] gmail [dot] com.
Processing source code and Live set are available here (UPDATED):
http://benxtan.com/kmidic/kmidic_processing_v0.2.zip
http://benxtan.com/kmidic/kmidic_processing_v0.1.zip
You will need to install Processing, and the rwmidi and libfreenect libraries in the libraries folder of your Processing sketches.
Here are some links if you are after more information.
Software Links:
http://www.ableton.com/
http://processing.org/
http://ruinwesen.com/support-files/rwmidi-0.1c.zip
http://ruinwesen.com/support-files/rwmidi/documentation/RWMidi.html
https://github.com/shiffman/libfreenect/tree/master/wrappers/java/processing
Hardware Links:
http://www.xbox.com/kinect
http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_controller/launchpad
Once again, if you are a musician or music business in Australia, its free to sign up to http://rockstarhookups.com.au so go do it! I’m giving you free stuff, so help me out here ok? 🙂
