Designing a programming-based approach for modelling scientific phenomena

We describe an iteratively designed sequence of activities involving the modelling of 1- dimensional collisions between moving objects based on programming in ToonTalk. Students aged 13-14 in two settings (London and Cyprus) investigated a number of collision situations, classified into six classes based on the relative velocities and masses of the colliding objects. We describe iterations of the system in which students engaged in a repeating cycle of activity for each collision class: prediction of object behaviour from given collision conditions, observation of a relevant video clip, building a model to represent the phenomena, testing, validating and refining their model, and publishing it ? together with comments ? on our web-based collaboration system, WebReports. Students were encouraged to consider the limitations of their current model, with the aim that they would eventually appreciate the benefit of constructing a general model that would work for all collision classes, rather than a different model for each class. We describe how our intention to engage students with the underlying concepts of conservation, closed systems and system states was instantiated in the activity design, and how the modelling activities afforded an alternative representational framework to traditional algebraic description

Video Face Swapping

Face swapping is the challenge of replacing one or multiple faces in a target image with a face from a source image, the source image conditions need to be transformed in order to match the conditions in the target image (lighting and pose). A code for Image Face Swapping (IFS) was refactored and used to perform face swapping in videos. The basic logic behind Video Face Swapping (VFS) is the same as the one used for IFS since a video is just a sequence of images (frames) stitched together to imitate movement. In order to achieve VFS, the face(s) in an input image are detected, their facial landmarks key points are calculated and assigned to their corresponding (X,Y) coordinates, subsequently the faces are aligned using a procrustes analysis, next a mask is created for each image in order to determine what parts of the source and target image need to be shown in the output, then the source image shape has to warp onto the shape of the target image and for the output to look as natural as possible, color correction is performed. Finally, the two masks are blended to generate a new image output showing the face swap. The results were analysed and obstacles of the VFS code were identified and optimization of the code was conducted. In estonian: Näovahetusena mõistetakse käesolevalt lähtekujutiselt saadud ühe või mitme näo asendamist sihtpildil. Lähtekujutise tingimusi peab transformeerima, et nad ühtiksid sihtpildiga (valgus, asend). Pildi näovahetus (IFS, Image Face Swapping) koodi refaktoreeriti ja kasutati video näovahetuseks. Video näovahetuse (Video Face Swapping, VFS) põhiline loogika on sama kui IFSi puhul, kuna video on olemuselt ühendatud kujutiste järjestus, mis imiteerib liikumist. VFSi saavutamiseks tuvastatakse nägu (näod) sisendkujutisel, arvutatakse näotuvastusalgoritmi abil näojoonte koordinaadid, pärast mida joondatakse näod Procrustese meetodiga. Järgnevalt luuakse igale kujutisele image-mask, määratlemaks, milliseid lähte- ja sihtkujutise osi on vaja näidata väljundina; seejärel ühitatakse lähte- ja sihtkujutise kujud ja võimalikult loomuliku tulemuse jaoks viiakse läbi värvikorrektsioon. Lõpuks hajutatakse kaks maski uueks väljundkujutiseks, millel on näha näovahetuse tulemus. Tulemusi analüüsiti ja tuvastati VFS koodi takistused ning seejärel optimeeriti koodi

Prepare to Pivot: Shifting from the projection surface to the Zoom screen necessitated by global pandemic

Design for theatre is an endeavor in which the physical, the corporeal, the defined, is applied to an ephemeral artform, one meant to happen only in the moment and then fade away. As such, building the world of the theatrical space, whether physical or digital, is similar to shooting at a moving target. While one angle of approach may be perfect for a moment, being ready and flexible enough to pivot, whether to reimagine due to limitation or to adjust an entire project due to calamity, like the shift from in person to online streaming. This paper investigates the joy of research, the growing pains of development, and then the labor of reshaping and rebuilding a projection design when the Covid-19 pandemic forced a rethinking of live performance. Chapter 1 explores the excitement that comes from diving into the exploration of first concepts of design, with the beginner’s mind engaged. Chapter 2 is a discussion of virtual filmmaking and how the game building software Unreal Engine is being utilized in the film world, as well as how these relate to theatre. Chapter 3 takes us on the ride of The Pivot as a pandemic forces changes in scripts and platforms. Chapter 4 deals with the balance of choices in design elements as they relate to projection in a live space versus the Zoom live stream, specifically, motion/stillness and geography building in a 2D platform. Finally, by maintaining a level of flexibility in design and approach, the pivot allows for new outcomes and unexpected discoveries

Axiom

Axiom is a short narrative video, using live-action and 3D computer graphics to re-interpret the Greek myth of Persephone through the framework of contemporary science-fiction. The aim of the video is to use narrative, approached from a design strategy that thematizes the representational role of 3D computer generated graphics, to raise questions in the minds of thoughtful viewers about the use of genetics and computer simulated worlds in the context of the vulnerable natural environment. The conceptualization of the video is explained, followed by a summary of the production pipeline, and finally an evaluation of the finished piece