H Space: Interactive Augmented Reality Art

open accessThis artwork exploits recent research into augmented reality systems, such as the HoloLens, for building creative interaction in augmented reality. The work is being conducted in the context of interactive art experiences. The first version of the audience experience of the artwork, “H Space”, was informally tested in the SIGGRAPH 2018 Art Gallery context. Experiences with a later, improved, version was evaluated at Tsinghua University. The latest distributed version will be shown in Sydney. The paper describes the concept, the background in both the art and the technological domain and points to some of the key computer human interaction art research issues that the work highlights

Behind the Lens

Time flies. I arrived at my thesis year after two years of study at RIT, and began working on my film “Behind the Lens.” The film runs for five minutes and 56 seconds, and includes hand-drawn animation, music and sound created by me. After some personal changes, I re-pitched a whole new thesis proposal in the fall semester of my thesis year because I felt passionate and committed to the important message of the film. In truth, this story didn’t have a clear outline until April in my last semester. The story is about a camera character going through his life journey, struggling to find answers in his pursuit of true peace. It is based on the idea that each individual’s life experiences are different from one another, but that people all suffer the same pain from their own attachments, and these are hard to admit to, or even realize. This means that we are often prevented from seeing what’s really important in life. My film mainly focuses on ways to visualize those attachments, and how they can pass through generations. It also explores what would happen to someone after letting go of life’s attachments. “Behind the Lens” is a film with 2D hand-drawing style with character animation combined with motion graphic elements in the background. The character animation is mainly done in TVPaint, and background animation is created in After Effects. Due to the simplicity of the style, I did all the work in my film by myself without assistance in the visuals or sound. This made the project quite a special artistic experience for me. During this production, I learned more than just animation and storytelling, but also sound design and post-production. This paper talks about the creation process for the film, along with the film’s visual development. I also discuss the various obstacles and accomplishments that happened throughout the making of this film

Oxidation of Transition and Noble Metal Size-Selected Clusters Supported on Epitaxial Graphene

Size-selected clusters have emerged in the past decades for their unique features, which are often very different from their bulk analogues. In a cluster, the electronic and chemical features depends on the exact number of atoms, offering an unmatched playground to look for new properties of matter. However, clusters are hard to handle, due to their high reactivity and mobility when they are deposited on solid surfaces. In particular, understanding the interaction of supported metallic size-selected clusters with simple molecules such as oxygen and their oxidation process in conditions where the mass selection is not compromised is experimentally challenging. During my PhD, I was able to focus on this aspect using ENAC (Exact Number of Atoms in each Cluster), the cluster source designed and built at the Nanoscale Materials Laboratory of the Elettra synchrotron in Trieste. The unique feature of ENAC is that it can be connected it directly to the SuperESCA beamline of the Elettra synchrotron to deposit and study the cluster in situ by means of experimental techniques based on synchrotron radiation, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This offers the opportunity to characterize the clusters in controlled conditions, avoiding critical issues such as the presence of contaminants. In the first part of my research activity, I have been involved in the commissioning and optimization of the cluster source, and in its installation at the SuperESCA beamline. When this crucial goal was accomplished, I participated to the first experiment ever performed with the cluster source at the beamline. We studied the adsorption of size selected Ag on Ru(0001) by means of XPS and with the support of density functional theory calculations. Our results indicate that using different clusters as building blocks, it is possible to form two-dimensional Ag islands on Ru(0001) with different degrees of order that depend on the size of the cluster. This experiment acted as a benchmark to test the capabilities of ENAC, and was instrumental to address our investigation towards more complex studies, i.e., the the oxidation of graphene-supported size-selected clusters. Graphene, which was epitaxially grown on Ru(0001) and Ir(111), is a versatile template, whose corrugated morphology allows to reduce the mobility of the clusters while affecting their properties only in a minor extent. To further reduce the cluster mobility and preserve the mass selection, all the experiments were performed at the temperature of 20 K. The cluster oxidation was achieved by exploiting a method based on the photo-induced dissociation of physisorbed O2, which leads to an efficient production of atomic O in an extremely clean environment. We studied the oxidation of supported Ag, Pt and Fe size-selected clusters by means of XPS and DFT calculations, highlighting similarities and differences with their counterparts at larger scale and discussed the potential technological applications for the oxidized clusters in the light of our new results.Size-selected clusters have emerged in the past decades for their unique features, which are often very different from their bulk analogues. In a cluster, the electronic and chemical features depends on the exact number of atoms, offering an unmatched playground to look for new properties of matter. However, clusters are hard to handle, due to their high reactivity and mobility when they are deposited on solid surfaces. In particular, understanding the interaction of supported metallic size-selected clusters with simple molecules such as oxygen and their oxidation process in conditions where the mass selection is not compromised is experimentally challenging. During my PhD, I was able to focus on this aspect using ENAC (Exact Number of Atoms in each Cluster), the cluster source designed and built at the Nanoscale Materials Laboratory of the Elettra synchrotron in Trieste. The unique feature of ENAC is that it can be connected it directly to the SuperESCA beamline of the Elettra synchrotron to deposit and study the cluster in situ by means of experimental techniques based on synchrotron radiation, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This offers the opportunity to characterize the clusters in controlled conditions, avoiding critical issues such as the presence of contaminants. In the first part of my research activity, I have been involved in the commissioning and optimization of the cluster source, and in its installation at the SuperESCA beamline. When this crucial goal was accomplished, I participated to the first experiment ever performed with the cluster source at the beamline. We studied the adsorption of size selected Ag on Ru(0001) by means of XPS and with the support of density functional theory calculations. Our results indicate that using different clusters as building blocks, it is possible to form two-dimensional Ag islands on Ru(0001) with different degrees of order that depend on the size of the cluster. This experiment acted as a benchmark to test the capabilities of ENAC, and was instrumental to address our investigation towards more complex studies, i.e., the the oxidation of graphene-supported size-selected clusters. Graphene, which was epitaxially grown on Ru(0001) and Ir(111), is a versatile template, whose corrugated morphology allows to reduce the mobility of the clusters while affecting their properties only in a minor extent. To further reduce the cluster mobility and preserve the mass selection, all the experiments were performed at the temperature of 20 K. The cluster oxidation was achieved by exploiting a method based on the photo-induced dissociation of physisorbed O2, which leads to an efficient production of atomic O in an extremely clean environment. We studied the oxidation of supported Ag, Pt and Fe size-selected clusters by means of XPS and DFT calculations, highlighting similarities and differences with their counterparts at larger scale and discussed the potential technological applications for the oxidized clusters in the light of our new results

Interactive Visualization Lenses:: Natural Magic Lens Interaction for Graph Visualization

Information visualization is an important research field concerned with making sense and inferring knowledge from data collections. Graph visualizations are specific techniques for data representation relevant in diverse application domains among them biology, software-engineering, and business finance. These data visualizations benefit from the display space provided by novel interactive large display environments. However, these environments also cause new challenges and result in new requirements regarding the need for interaction beyond the desktop and according redesign of analysis tools. This thesis focuses on interactive magic lenses, specialized locally applied tools that temporarily manipulate the visualization. These may include magnification of focus regions but also more graph-specific functions such as pulling in neighboring nodes or locally reducing edge clutter. Up to now, these lenses have mostly been used as single-user, single-purpose tools operated by mouse and keyboard. This dissertation presents the extension of magic lenses both in terms of function as well as interaction for large vertical displays. In particular, this thesis contributes several natural interaction designs with magic lenses for the exploration of graph data in node-link visualizations using diverse interaction modalities. This development incorporates flexible switches between lens functions, adjustment of individual lens properties and function parameters, as well as the combination of lenses. It proposes interaction techniques for fluent multi-touch manipulation of lenses, controlling lenses using mobile devices in front of large displays, and a novel concept of body-controlled magic lenses. Functional extensions in addition to these interaction techniques convert the lenses to user-configurable, personal territories with use of alternative interaction styles. To create the foundation for this extension, the dissertation incorporates a comprehensive design space of magic lenses, their function, parameters, and interactions. Additionally, it provides a discussion on increased embodiment in tool and controller design, contributing insights into user position and movement in front of large vertical displays as a result of empirical investigations and evaluations.Informationsvisualisierung ist ein wichtiges Forschungsfeld, das das Analysieren von Daten unterstützt. Graph-Visualisierungen sind dabei eine spezielle Variante der Datenrepräsentation, deren Nutzen in vielerlei Anwendungsfällen zum Einsatz kommt, u.a. in der Biologie, Softwareentwicklung und Finanzwirtschaft. Diese Datendarstellungen profitieren besonders von großen Displays in neuen Displayumgebungen. Jedoch bringen diese Umgebungen auch neue Herausforderungen mit sich und stellen Anforderungen an Nutzerschnittstellen jenseits der traditionellen Ansätze, die dadurch auch Anpassungen von Analysewerkzeugen erfordern. Diese Dissertation befasst sich mit interaktiven „Magischen Linsen“, spezielle lokal-angewandte Werkzeuge, die temporär die Visualisierung zur Analyse manipulieren. Dabei existieren zum Beispiel Vergrößerungslinsen, aber auch Graph-spezifische Manipulationen, wie das Anziehen von Nachbarknoten oder das Reduzieren von Kantenüberlappungen im lokalen Bereich. Bisher wurden diese Linsen vor allem als Werkzeug für einzelne Nutzer mit sehr spezialisiertem Effekt eingesetzt und per Maus und Tastatur bedient. Die vorliegende Doktorarbeit präsentiert die Erweiterung dieser magischen Linsen, sowohl in Bezug auf die Funktionalität als auch für die Interaktion an großen, vertikalen Displays. Insbesondere trägt diese Dissertation dazu bei, die Exploration von Graphen mit magischen Linsen durch natürliche Interaktion mit unterschiedlichen Modalitäten zu unterstützen. Dabei werden flexible Änderungen der Linsenfunktion, Anpassungen von individuellen Linseneigenschaften und Funktionsparametern, sowie die Kombination unterschiedlicher Linsen ermöglicht. Es werden Interaktionstechniken für die natürliche Manipulation der Linsen durch Multitouch-Interaktion, sowie das Kontrollieren von Linsen durch Mobilgeräte vor einer Displaywand vorgestellt. Außerdem wurde ein neuartiges Konzept körpergesteuerter magischer Linsen entwickelt. Funktionale Erweiterungen in Kombination mit diesen Interaktionskonzepten machen die Linse zu einem vom Nutzer einstellbaren, persönlichen Arbeitsbereich, der zudem alternative Interaktionsstile erlaubt. Als Grundlage für diese Erweiterungen stellt die Dissertation eine umfangreiche analytische Kategorisierung bisheriger Forschungsarbeiten zu magischen Linsen vor, in der Funktionen, Parameter und Interaktion mit Linsen eingeordnet werden. Zusätzlich macht die Arbeit Vor- und Nachteile körpernaher Interaktion für Werkzeuge bzw. ihre Steuerung zum Thema und diskutiert dabei Nutzerposition und -bewegung an großen Displaywänden belegt durch empirische Nutzerstudien

Bricolage et ingénierie dans le cinéma expérimental

Collection : Encyclopédie raisonnée des techniques du cinémaL'histoire du cinéma expérimental est traversée par des pratiques et des réflexions qui interrogent, contestent ou détournent la prescription des usages des technologies du film par l'industrie. Une large part de l'inventivité technique des cinéastes se consacre ainsi à concevoir des dispositifs qui leur permettront d'inventer des formes originales. Cette idée de « bricolage » constitue le fil rouge de ce livre numérique, qui envisage ainsi la réflexion technique comme ouverture d'un champ de possibilités, et montre comment l'exigence d'efficacité qui sous-tend l'ingénierie cinématographique peut aussi trouver à s'exprimer jusque dans ses marges, avec des résultats parfois spectaculaires.The history of experimental cinema is run through with practices and ideas which interrogate, contest or inflect the uses of film technology ordained by the film industry. In experimental film a large portion of technical inventiveness is devoted to conceiving technical get-ups which will enable filmmakers to invent original forms. This idea of “bricolage” will be a touchstone in this digital book, which will see technical thinking as a way to open up a field of possibilities, and which will also show how the demands of efficiency which underpin cinematic engineering can be found even in its “margins,” with sometimes spectacular results.Introduction = Introduction / Éric Thouvenel ; Pellicule et surface sensible = The film stock and the light-sensitive surface / Éric Thouvenel ; Émulsions artisanales = Artisanal emulsions / Charles-André Coderre ; Rayogramme = Rayographs / Dario Marchiori ; La forme vitrail = The stained glass window form / Vincent Deville ; Caméras et systèmes de prise de vues = Cameras and filming systems ; Un dispositif créé pour un film : La région centrale (Michael Snow, 1971) = A technical set-up created for a film : La région centrale (Michael Snow, 1971) / Stephen Broomer ; Une caméra détournée de son usage standard : Rose Lowder et la Bolex H16 = A film camera put to non-standard use : Rose Lowder and the Bolex H16 / Éric Thouvenel ; Christian Lebrat : déborder l’écran par la couleur = Colour Overflows the screen : Christian Lebrat / Sophie Lorgeré ; Projection = Projection ; Cinéma élargi = Expanded Cinema / Dario Marchiori ; Bricoler la projection : Ken Jacobs = Projection Bricolage : Ken Jacobs / Tatian Monassa