Metalab SPIN Workshops

THE SOCIETY FOR ART AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE METALAB PRESENT TWO SPIN WORKSHOPS

Jan 14th, 10am-2pm – Jan 25th, 9am-5pm : FREE
R.S.V.P. [email protected] – Seats are limited!
(Send an email with your name, title or short bio and contact info).

Mike Wozniewski will present two workshops to introduce artists and new media developers to the SPIN Framework (Jan 14th & 25th). The goal is to explain what SPIN can do and how to get started with the framework. In the end, participants will be able to create 3D audiovisual installations, include complex interactivity, and deploy these works on multiple machines (or in the Satosphere).

The SPIN Framework is a rapid prototyping tool for 3D interaction and visualization, which provides an excellent “show control” system for 3D art installations. Interactive devices (joysticks, tracking devices, sensors) can be used to control aspects of the scene using OpenSoundControl (OSC). The 3D content is typically created externally, using 3rd party software (3DS Max, Maya, etc) and can be imported and manipulated in real time. Behaviours, animations, and interaction logic can either be provided with Python scripts, or with an external “show control” patch (Max/MSP, Pure Data). All of these topics will be discussed during the workshops.

See http://spinframework.org/content/showcase](http://spinframework.org/content/showcase for examples.

The two workshops are not identical. The first (“CREATIVE“) is intended for artists, producers, and novice technicians; it will be more of a demonstration and discussion of the potential uses of the platform. The second workshop (“TECHNICAL“) will repeat some of that material, and will introduce more advanced topics (animations, video textures, multi-screen, telepresence, distribution). The second workshop will also dedicate a large portion of time to hands-on work.

For both workshops, exposure to OpenSoundControl (OSC) and some graphical programming language (eg, Max/MSP, Pure Data) will be an asset.

METALAB

Laboratory for research and development in technological art, the Metalab is a lively place where users and open creative communities interact with researchers, designers and developers. Building on the dynamic relationships between art, technology and society, the Metalab wish to enhance its role as an incubator of ideas and projects in the areas of immersion and interactivity for the coming years.

The 2011-2013 research program of the Metalab focus on three main areas of development:
– Immersive scenographies
– Intelligent interactions
– Networks Experiments

R.S.V.P. [email protected] – Seats are limited!
(Send an email with your name, title or short bio and contact info)
The workshops will be in English.

SCHEDULE:

SPIN Workshop 1 – “CREATIVE”

Jan 14th, 10am-2pm – FREE
(with short snack break, participants may stay afterwards for some hands-on time to get started with their laptops)

• Basic concept of SPIN
• System setup (Linux & Mac OSX; Windows is NOT supported)
• Introduction to OpenSoundControl and Pure Data
• Introduction to pdsheefa and using SPIN with Pure Data
• Creating simple 3D objects with SPIN
• About scene graphs, transformations (translate, rotate, scale)
• Understanding UserNodes, viewers and cameras
• Adding 3D models, text, images, vidéos

SPIN Workshop 2 – “TECHNICAL”

Jan 25th, 9am-5pm – FREE
(bring your laptop)
9am-12pm INTRO + ADVANCED FEATURES

• See Jan 14th.
• Complex motion (psuedo-physics, velocity, damping, collisions, bounce, attractors)
• Designing animations, using the 3DSMax exporter
• Adding sounds, intro to SpatOSC
• Writing behaviours (Python)
• Using ReporterNode and designing interactions
• Real time video textures, interaction with Scenic (telepresence)
• Managing cameras, windows, dome viewer

1pm-5pm WORKSHOP / HANDS-ON

• We will ensure that SPIN is up and running on everyone’s laptop
• Participants will go through various examples and exercises to learn the basics