Theater of Lost Species FAQ

FAQ for the THEATER OF LOST SPECIES:

1. What's the big idea?
The Theater of Lost Species is an object for collective celebration and mourning, a catalyst for conversation, philosophical debate and ecological engagement. It is a device for both viewing and interacting with a collection of fantastic, yet extinct, sea creatures. The project is inspired by a number of influences such as Traveling Menageries, Chinese Lanterns and portable Camera Obscura devices from the 1800's, Time Capsules from the 1950-60's and various recreations of Noah's Arc. After reading Lydia Millet's Op-Ed in the NYT "The Child's Menagerie" we began the process of conceptualizing and designing the Theater. We set out to address Millet's question: "Can you feel the loss of something you never knew in the first place?"

2. What will visitors see through the viewing cones? What will it look like at night?
The long viewing cones focus on digital display screens that are portals to a seamless virtual aquarium. Within the aquarium, digital sea creatures swarm to the viewing cones, engaging the subtle motion of viewers. In the evening the theater will glow and pulsate as the swarms slowly navigate within the virtual aquarium. We are developing a custom physcial-digital interface using the Processing programming language (connecting Arduino microcontrollers, Infrared (IR) Sensors and LEDs) allowing viewers to actively engage the virtual creatures. We have been inspired by projects like Soda Constructor, Oasis andManifest (* these links will not work on iOS mobile devices). 

3. How big is it and what will it be made out of?
The Theater has a footprint of approx. 12' x 12' and is 12' tall . It will be made out of lightweight Fiber Reinforced Panels (FRP) using Entropy Eco-Resins. The 15 unique hexagonal panels will be made by Kreysler & Assoc. in Napa. The glowing pins will be made out of translucent acrylic rods connected to super-bright LEDS. A custom steel chasis will connect all the pieces and will be bolted to the ground. The entire assembly will be protototyped at Future Cities Lab in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco.   

4. How did you design and prototype this? 
The Theater is being designed using Rhino and Grasshopper softwares with the Kangaroo and Firefly plug-ins. The interactive components are being programmed in Processing, Arduino, Python and Ruby. The physical components are being prototyped using a combination of laser cutting, cnc milling and 3d printing. Each viewing cone has three integrated IR sensors that allow the microcontrollers to sense visitors proximity which in turn activate the virtual swarm and glowing LEDs pins.

5. If I have more questions how do I contact you guys? How can I donate or sponsor the project? 
You can contact us by e-mail at: info@future-cities-lab.net. Funding and donations are being coordinated by Blue Trail (a non-profit dedicated to Ocean Sustainability and Education). Their website, sponsor and donation page can be found here. Project details can be found here.  

FORGING FABRICATIONS @ Princeton University 2/15/2013

The "FORGING FABRICATIONS / Prototyping Ideas" workshop will invent a series of machines that rethink fabrication logics. A three day workshop beginning with a panel discussion on the role of instrumental design thinking and fabrication in contemporary architectural practice. This discussion will be followed by a two day work- shop where groups of students working together in teams will construct a machine for rethinking the way fabrication can inform the design process. The workshop will be led by Jason Kelly Johnson from Future Cities Lab / CCA in San Francisco. 

PANEL PARTICIPANTS

Jason Kelly Johnson (San Francisco, CA) is partner of Future Cities Lab, exploring the intersections of design with advanced fabrication technologies, robotics, responsive building systems and public space.

Andrew Witt (Gehry Tech / Harvard GSD). He is currently Director of Research at Gehry Technologies (GT). He was previously a director at GT’s Paris, France office, where he consulted on parametric design, geometric approaches, new technologies, and integrated practice for clients including Gehry Partners, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, UN Studio, and Coop Himmelb(l)au.

Axel Kilian (designexplorer / Princeton SoA). Since 2003 Axel has been a tutor in the Smart Geometry workshops and in 2009 in the conference program. In 2008 he co-chaired the conference “Advances in Architectural Geometry –AAG08” in Vienna together with Prof. Dr. H. Pottmann and M. Hofer. Through designexplorer.net he consulted for Bentley Systems, designtoproduction, Hamilton Architects, worked for Metadesign, and collaborated with the Kinetic Design Group at MIT and the Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab.

Organized by grad architecture student Brendan Shea and Nicholas Pajerski with support from Princeton Dean Alejandro Zaera-Polo and others listed here. 

WEBSITE

http://www.princeton.edu/~ffab/participants.html

WORKSHOP LINKS

Software: Grasshopper, Firefly, Arduino (all free)
Tools: Arduino Starter Kit + multiple high torqueservos + half size breadboard + various sensors

Firefly Resources and Tools (link)
Firefly User's Manual (link)
Good All-Purpose Arduino UNO Pictures and Diagram
Arduino Pinout Diagram (link)
Build a circuit diagram with Fritzing (link)
Mechanisms, Linkages and more (link)
Convert at 180 deg Servo to Continuous (link)
Circuit Diagrams using Fritzing (link) - it's free!
PhD-Thesis-Peter-Schmitt "Original Machines" (link)

DESCRIPTION 

It is without question that our current zeitgeist is faced with considering the role of machines and our tools of production a forefront of discussion as robotic processes are an ever expanding influence upon our societal constructs. As an architect it is necessary to examine how these machines are used to for fabrication within architecture, specifically how they can be given agency in the design process. In recent years the influence of CAM technologies on the production of architecture has without a doubt begun to reformat the the definition of feasibility and process of architectural construction. Given the role of these technologies the literacy of a designer should extend beyond one’s ability to simply perform the “function” a tool as given, but to rethink the logics of a that specific tool toward a more desired or descriptive architectural craft. Andrew Witt has stated that understanding the “knowledge” within a particular tool can either “enable or disable the designer in the act of design” therefore it is fundamental that instrumental design thinking is considered as a generative design model!

The expansion of the field of architectural design out of standardized building methods or parts into more experimental and parametric construction logics (CNC machining, rapid prototyping, robotic construction, etcetera) it is necessary these instruments we use for fabrication are addressed as an option for expansion within the design process.

Therefore this workshop will aim to challenge the current acceptance of common fabrication processes by urging users to prototype new instruments by which physical artefacts can be produced. Through the design of a “tool for fabrication”, the architectural design output is intrinsically connected to the development of an instrument, reorienting the process into a more recursive model of evolution through the machine itself. Small mechanised tools embedded with fabrication logics produced at the workshop will act as a way to engage with this type of design process in an expedited manner.

An instrumental process of thinking through tools is necessary alongside design thinking in order to produce an architectural design process that will provoke and progress the practice today.

“This workshop will invent a series of machines that rethink fabrication logics.”

A three day workshop beginning with a panel discussion on the role of instrumental design thinking and fabrication in contemporary architectural practice. This discussion will be followed by a two day work- shop where groups of students working together in teams will construct a machine for rethinking the way fabrication can inform the design process. Each team will be composed of students from within the architecture school, participants of HackPrinceton, and assigned team leaders. At the end of the third day a review to discuss the machines constructed and their potential futures will be held.

Robotic Prototypes Workshop @ OSU

POSSIBLE MEDIUMS CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP (2/7/13 - 2/10/13)
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY - KNOWLTON SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

ACTIVE MODELS CLUSTER
Active Models connects a group of designers that employ interactive technologies to link digital and physical environments. Their work utilizes embedded computation, continuous measurement, and kinetics to propose new modes of visual, spatial, and formal engagement. (Organized by Kyle Miller)

The Robotic Prototypes workshop taught by Jason Kelly Johnson from Future Cities Lab will explore the use of Grasshopper, Firefly and Arduino as creative and technical tools in the design, simulation and fabrication of robotic architectural prototypes, responsive building systems and intelligent mechanisms. Firefly is a new set of comprehensive software tools dedicated to bridging the gap between Grasshopper, the Arduino micro-controller, the internet and beyond. It allows near real-time data flow between the 3D digital and physical worlds, and will read/write data to/from internet feeds, remote sensors, connect with machine vision protocols, and more. Grasshopper, a free plug-in for McNeel’s Rhino modeler, allows designers to create adjustable parametric forms through graphic icons rather than programming.

Software: Rhino, Grasshopper, Firefly, Arduino (all free)
Equipment: Arduino Starter Kit and two regular servo motors

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

THE METABOT ZOO WILL BE A RADICAL MENAGERIE OF SMALL BREATHING, PULSATING AND TWITCHING ROBOTIC DRAWING MACHINES. DURING THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS WILL GENERATE A NEW SPECIES OF METABOTIC CREATURES THAT WILL EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY IN PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL WORLDS. EACH CREATURE WILL BE CAPABLE OF TRANSLATING AND AMPLIFYING SMALL, SUBTLE OR INVISIBLE INPUTS INTO MUTANT FORMS OF GENERATIVE DRAWINGS, NOTATIONAL SYSTEMS OR NOVEL GRAFFITI ARTS.

RELEVANT LINKS (updated during the workshop)

Firefly Resources, Links and Tools http://fireflyexperiments.com/resources/
Firefly User's Manual http://fireflyexperiments.com/s/Firefly_Users_Guide.pdf
Mechanisms, Linkages and more http://www.robives.com/mechs
Good All-Purpose Arduino UNO Pictures and Diagram
Arduino Pinout Diagram http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,146315.0.html
Build a circuit diagram with Fritzing http://fritzing.org/building-circuit/
Check out Desmond Paul Henry's work http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Paul_Henry 
Metamatic Drawings by Jean Tinguely (bio) (Mechanics of Expression) 

SCHEDULE

THURSDAY 
SESSION 00: INTRO & PROTOTYPING EXERCISE A

FRIDAY  
SESSION 01: ARDUINO BASICS (Blink, Fade and more)
SESSION 02: FIREFLY BASICS (Firefly User's Manual)
SESSION 03: PROTOTYPING EXCERCISE B

SATURDAY  
SESSION 04: FIREFLY INTERMEDIATE
SESSION 05: PROTOTYPING EXERCISE C
SESSION 06: PINUP AND EVENING CHARRETTE

SUNDAY    
SESSION 07: MORNING WORK & FINAL DISCUSSION 


****** SENT BY E-MAIL on 2/5/13 ******

1. SOFTWARE: Please confirm successful installation of Grasshopper, Firefly and Arduino software. Check this link for details: http://fireflyexperiments.com/resources/.

2. PROTOTYPING MATERIALS: While we will have limited materials on hand - please also consider bringing the following with you to the workshop:

- any prototyping or model making tools you can feasibly (and legally!) bring
- tape, glue, hot glue gun, solder irons, stapler, clips, string, elastic bands ... 
- tools for cutting, scoring, drilling, drawing, painting, etc.

- any random electronic bits n' piece that you might have sitting around ... 

- any flat stock material that might be cut manually or on the laser cutter

- wood dowels, basswood, or other material for creating small frames  

- cameras for creation of digital images and videos
- chocolate, coffee, sugary candy, or anything else to keep you awake and working ... !

3. PRE-WORKSHOP HOMEWORK: watch the three TED videos linked below and review the concisely written "Arduino in a Nutshell" PDF linked here.

- http://www.ted.com/talks/rodney_brooks_on_robots.html
- http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_full_on_engineering_and_evolution.html
- http://www.ted.com/talks/dennis_hong_my_seven_species_of_robot.html

X-Bee with Firefly / Grasshopper

There have been many inquiries about how to connect X-Bee wireless Arduino modules to Firefly / Grasshopper. Here is a guide that explains what all this stuff does.

1. First, you'll need some hardware:
a. (2) Series 1 X-Bee modules link or link
b. (1) X-Bee explorer link with a USB mini-B cable
c. (1) X-Bee Arduino shield link

2. Download the X-CTU software from digi.com http://www.digi.com/support/productdetail?pid=3352&type=utilities

3. Use the X-CTU software to change the ID-PAN ID (Under PC Settings) of each X-Bee module. Make it something unique so that you don'y get interference from others that might be used within range of your project.

4. Baud rates: Open Arduino software then change the Baud rate of the Firefly Firmata to 9600. Upload it to your Arduino board (the shield must not be connected during upload); then Change the Baud rate in your Grasshopper / Firefly sketch to 9600.
5. On the X-Bee Arduino shield - Use two jumper cables to connect TX to Pin 3, then RX to Pin 2. See the diagram below.
6. Ensure that your X-Bee Arduino shield is set to D Line (not UArt).

7. Finaly, you should now have wireless control of your Arduino. *** Important Note: Pin 3 is now dedicated for use by the X-Bee. Do not attempt to use it for anything else.

Send me an e-mail if you have any issues or comments.

-jason@future-cities-lab.net 

 

Transformers Interactive Projection - Contemporary Jewish Museum

Here are a few images from the interactive projection ("Transformers") that we just completed in the main lobby of the Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) in San Francisco on Nov 14, 2012. The piece was commissioned by the Architect's Newspaper and Buro Happold with other sponsors including Firestone, Graphisoft, Greenscreen, Monodraught and YKK AP. It was projected for three hours during a party attended by over 500 attendees of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo held at the Moscone Center.

For the "Transformers" project Future Cities Lab was commissioned to develop a one-night interactive sound and light projection in the main lobby of Daniel Liebeskind's Contemporary Jewish Museum. We created both custom hardware and software that transformed the space into a playful light and sound environment. Party attendees were given LED illuminated transformer pods that each controlled a unique interactive geometry programmed in Processing. Each pod contained a tiny Arduino micro-controller, an accelerometer and wireless X-Bee radio modules that controlled the X,Y,Z position of a floating buckminsterfullerene-like creatures. The creatures transformed in scale and complexity as they moved vertically up the wall. As each one evolved, a web of connective wireframes and audio-pings helped to reinforce the dynamic and collaborative nature of the piece.