Caspar Menkman

The Deadline Cometh

Dev Camp Day 5

The last day has begun and things are starting to heat up. With physical mock-ups of the installations scattered through the space it's time to stop building prototypes and start constructing the real thing.

Enlarge

Ernst is screaming - Robert Keil

The ikScream installation is probably the furthest physically. The team along with Mhairi MacFarlane have made a giant foam ear that will be used to scream in. They are still debating the future color that they will paint it in although they are inclined to go with Mediamatic magenta.

Enlarge

Kjen paints the IkScream ear - Robert Keil

With: K

A quick visit to the carpentering workshop learns us that they are already busy sanding down the seating of the prayer chair used for the ikBijt installation. With the wooden device that houses the biting station they don't look to far of finishing the physical side of the project.

Enlarge

Nadya is working on the biting device - Robert Keil

With: Nadya Peek

Also lying around the workshop are to oval shaped rings that are part of the ikStaar-project. These will be connected with each other through a white LED lit tube which will be mounted on a screen. Through this tube, which I have yet to see, the contestants will be able to compete with each other.

Enlarge

Preparing the IkStaar - Robert Keil

The coloring station used for Blow your Sock on! has finally been released from the duct tape. It has been neatly glued together and is just waiting to be connected to the sock knitting machine. Also Pol is busy soldering together a more organized circuit board used for the operation of the installation.

Enlarge

discussion about the "blowing my sock on" installation - Robert Keil

Arjan, Fabienne and Travis are comfortably walking around their adjusted knitting machine. They are all really tired as they were the last to leave yesterday (some say that they left as late as 5.30), but it looks like most of their machine is in place. The game that will decide which sprite will be knitted seems to be working and the knitting machine is fully functional. The most important point of attention is creating a way to make the installation fully automated. A drill driven device is expected in the near future.

Enlarge

Working on the knitting machine - Robert Keil

With the software coming together WOW has officially a working prototype. Spending 5 minutes drawing with flickering bicycle lights resulted into an abstract masterpiece by non other then me. The team main worries are around making the installation bigger. The 1,5x1,5 screen in the basement has to be changed into a setup that can be used to make drawing as big as 4,5x4,5. The proper material used for the screen has yet to be decided and a construction using 2 projectors will have to be installed before Tuesday 10 am.

Enlarge

wow — write on wall - Eelco is working on the projection for the "write on wall" installation. A real physical digital graffiti wall. Robert Keil

While the guys (Arno, Gilles and Sicco) of the Interactive VJ installation are slowly slipping into a maddening identity crisis the progress they are making is actually very encouraging. After lunch Kendra is planning to duplicate the working IR-mounted LED glowstick not just once, but 5 times! Also a new camera is coming in today and this will have a better range. Even if they are still debating (it is not really arguing if there is no screaming, is it?) the effects that will be incorporated in the interaction, the team seems to be fully aligned to making it work.

I somehow can not see failure in any of the projects. The clocks ticking! Tick-tock. Tick-tock.