The MIDAS Project
A synesthetic exploration of traditional artistic performance and digital art, MIDASpaces was devised as an interactive projection mapped space for the Creative Arts. Using the latest tracking technology, the space learns and reacts to performance, allowing the artist to explore new improvised choreography live and in time. The team worked in tandem with dancer Tom O’Donnell. Given a narrative revolving around man’s ever-changing relationship with technology; the movements challenge assumptions within performance and the evolving role of the performer within art.
An interactive projection mapped project- MIDASpaces employs a combination of light projection, sound and camera tracking to add a digital dimension to the Creative Arts in a real world space. The project made use of custom software written in openFrameworks (C++) running in conjunction with QuartzComposer (openGL) to create the visuals.
The programs were then controlled by Ableton Live and manipulated within VDMX and MadMapper. Readily available technologies such as Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’s Playstation 3 Eye were customised to allow for audio and visual reactive controls.
Be sure to visit the MIDASpace’s site and Facebook page for more info regarding this very cool project.
I dig stuff like this, where improv and digital art collide and create stunning visuals. Everything about this screams invention and creativity, both from an arts point-of-view as well as technological prowess. While motion tracking via IR is not something new, using it for dance performance/improv is such a cool way of creating works in real-time. If you’re into this sort of thing, check out another video I posted a while back featuring Chunky Move, a dance company out of Australia that uses motion tracking for performance.
Here’s the promo video for the MIDAS project:
And of course, the technical specs:
Hardware:
4 iMacs (3 for visuals, one for audio)
3 Projectors (1 x 8000 Lumen Sanyo, 1 x 3500 Lumen NEC and 1 x 5000 Lumen NEC)
Microsoft Kinect
Playstation 3 Eye (modified to an IR camera)
RME Fireface 800
Network Switch
Stage Lights (with all visible light filtered out)
Software:
openFrameworks
Syphon
Madmapper
Quartz Composer
VDMX
Ableton Live
Synapse
After Effects
Google Sketchup
To quote Derek,”The set up involved running our audio from Ableton Live which also acted as a master control for the entire project. The four iMacs were networked via a network switch so MIDI and OSC messages could be sent freely between them. Using MIDI, Ableton triggered events throughout the entire performance in time with the music from the visual fade ins and outs and VDMX’s visual effects to video clips that had been pre-rendered in After Effects in accordance with the set design from Google Sketchup and program changes within openFrameworks. In addition to this, extra audio sends from the RME Fireface output audio in order to control certain aspects of the visuals in VDMX/Quartz Composer. All the visuals were output via Syphon into Madmapper which handled mapping onto the 3D surfaces as well as doing some Grid Warping in order to aid in the calibration of the IR camera in relation to its visual output. In order for the IR camera to work, the stage floor was flooded with infrared light. A ‘snapshot’ of this was learnt within openFrameworks after which the IR camera could clearly identify the performer on stage. The feed from the IR camera was used for both visuals as well as for blob tracking. Finally the Kinect was set up at the front of the stage to track the performer using skeleton tracking and then interface with Synapse. This controlled the particle visuals in Quartz Composer during the performance. Elsewhere, the Kinect was used as depth sensor to effects other visuals aspects of the performance.”
