Holograms by the Graphics Lab at the University of Southern California

We keep moving along the world with its techno stuff. Mind-blowing inventions are emerging, and they are pure awesomeness. Many things that were futuristic in the past are now done. Cellphones, flat screen TVs and hoverboards. All these things were inspired by movies. Let’s say “Back to the future”, that shows big screens hanging on walls. And what about “Star Trek”? Cellphones were inspired by this movie. And Star Wars? Yes. Those holograms seemed to be far in the future. The Graphics Lab at the University of Southern California has made this possible; explaining the advantages, the parts and some difficulties.

     

   The university has created a system that has many advantages. First, you don’t need uncomfortable glasses to gaze the 3D images. Second, many viewers can stare the three dimensional visualization at the same time from diverse angles. Third, at high speed it´s interactive (around 200Hz). Finally, it has a low cost.

A TIE starfighter

     The parts that make up this equipment work all together to obtain the 3D image. There is a projector in the top that gives high speed video (4,800 frames per second). A spinning mirror is synchronized with the high speed projector. Finally, there is a motor beneath the mirror. What all the process makes is a floating image.

The mounted parts 

     When technology comes right through, some obstacles can appear. A word that is highly related with “images” is “perspective”, just ask any visual artist. With machinery like this one, rays reflected off the mirror diverge in multiple viewpoints causing deformation of the image. To deal with this, a new algorithm was needed. This one now makes rays go to the right viewer position in the right moment. Obstacles like perspective can be successfully overcome.

Distorted image

     Tech is surging, inspired by all kinds of things. This project has many advantages, parts and some impediments. This holographic technology is just a taste of what is coming next. 

Check out the video!

Source:

• http://gl.ict.usc.edu/Research/3DDisplay/

Art Academy: perfect for the Wii U

Nintendo is one of the greatest creators of videogames. Many classics out there are proof of that. This company is enrolled to create a friendly user experience with anyone who gets a controller. There are games for racers, like “Mario Kart”; adventurers, like “The Legend of Zelda”; and sporters, like “Wii Sports”. What about artists? Yes, there is a game out there, too.

Art Academy is a game series developed by Kuju Entertainment and published by Nintendo. There are many versions, for the Nintendo Ds and 3Ds. Is there any version for Wii U owners? There are two versions. Compare and contrast these two versions by yourself.

The first one very it’s better called as “Art Academy™: SketchPad” and it has many advantages. Take advantage of the Wii u GamePad and its stylus. Your drawings will be enhanced by smooth lines and bright colors, enable you to paint with graphite pencils, colored pencils and pastels. It’s priced just $3.99, and you can get it straight from the e-shop. Best of all, you can straight share your masterpieces with other Wii U gamers in Miiverse.

Art Academy™: SketchPad

There are some disadvantages related to this version. First of all, it doesn’t include any lessons, so you won’t learn any drawing techniques. Second, you can only store 12 works per user. You cannot transfer your work to a SD Card. Finally, it doesn’t support auto-save.

Main menu of the game

The other version is better. This one is full of lessons, so you will expertise in all kinds of drawings. But there is a problem. Is not available until 2015.

Art Academy game title

You can have the natural talent, drawing or painting. But have something for sure. You will have to acquire the needed knowledge. Art Academy seems to be a good alternative to get those skills.

Source:

• http://wiiudaily.com/2014/11/art-academy-for-wii-u-may-not-be-coming-unt
• il-2015/
• http://artacademy.nintendo.com/sketchpad/
• http://nintendoenthusiast.com/news/art-academy-wii-u-announced/

Dreamcatcher: self-generated designs

Autodesk have been out there developing tools for engineers, architects and anyone who needs a design. Fidelity has been shown by these programs cause all the tools provided. Innovation is part of all these programs co-working with the users to develop the best creating experience.

Dreamcatcher is one of their projects, but turned in a new creative approach. Now with this new group of algorithms all you need is to introduce the conditions that you want. After that, the program self creates numerous possibilities of functional designs. Designers could start disappearing and be replaced by technology like this one, resulting in some advantages.

The program can reduce costs in an effective way. When working next to this computer program you will need to introduce parameters. Materials, costs, size, involved forces; are just some examples. So let’s say that you need a chair, but you are lacking material. Dreamcatcher will replace material consistency with effective structure, resulting in fewer costs.

Chair designs by Autodesk program

Dreamcather will effectively reduce human mistakes. With traditional design (human made) errors can be committed producing consequences. For instance, enormous constructions torn down by natural disasters because misled calculus. Computer programs create more accurate designs.

Human made designs could go wrong

Even more stuff can result from this technology. Things that were not possible now can be done. For example, extra-light bikes that will improve in many specifications like acceleration. Tall buildings that won’t fall due to computer generated structures.

A bike design generated by Dreamcatcher

Even though technology has not replaced all jobs, designing is under attack. This replacement is arising many advantages.  Less costs, less errors, and more inventions are just a few examples.

Source:

• http://www.technologyreview.com/news/532126/software-designs-products-by-simulating-evolution/
• http://www.pinterest.com/iviachien/architectural-drawings/
• http://autodeskresearch.com/projects/dreamcatcher

Be part of Hendo Hoverboards!

Many technologic things are arising from this year. Useful new devices like smartphones, smartwathches, and drones. All these things started with an idea, but there is something more than just the idea. An idea needs to materialize; and for that, resources are needed. A new project needs money to get done.

Hendo is taking the task to create new tech. It’s making something huge. Sorry Newton, but this team is defying gravity. They are introducing the first real Hoverboard, able to stand one inch off the ground. There are many reasons you should be supporting this project.

Hendo Hoverboard

Technology like the one working in Hendo Hoverboards can make a big impact in other technologic areas. What about transportation? Just imagine frictionless cars working with these anti-gravity engines and magnetic platforms moving heavy loads.

X-34 Landspeeder

Things like this one are motivators that keep sports going on. Skateboarding is a sport that makes you moving, something that is good for you. Many individuals are not interested in this sport, but with this invention other ones are going to be in this thing resulting in more physical activity.

skateboarding is a sport

More technologies can emerge as a result of Hendo Hoverboards. The team will gain reputation and experience. Investors will lean to this company, so they will have more resources to keep developing this kind of ideas.

Just what Hendo is doing.

Hendo is a creative team, and it’s making the effort to develop ideas like Hendo Hoverboards. There are many possibilities out there, which can turn into inventions. Resources are needed. Kickstarter is a good site that makes this happening. 

Source:

• https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142464853/hendo-hoverboards-worlds-first-real-hoverboard?ref=nav_search
• http://www.justchange.ca/its-not-an-idea-until-you-make-it-happen/
• http://www.starwars-universe.com/dossier-page-180-1145-histoire-de-la-maquette-star-wars-revell.htm
• http://pixabay.com/es/patineta-skate-deportes-99107/

Android apps for sketching

Smart phones are spreading all over the world. They are being used almost for every task. Communicating, texting, listening to music, scaling our heart rate. We can easily perform our artistic things by being helped by these devices. Taking 5px photographs, directing a short movie, writing a blog, producing music, within others. What about drawing? This wasn’t possible until the appearance of touch screens. If you are an android device owner, you will have the opportunity to materialize your visionary ideas with these helpful apps.

Sketch book express created by Autodesk is a good app to get started. This one has many features that will be helpful for your drawings. Like the symmetry tool, perfect to draw faces. It has a simple interface and you can easily see your drawing in layers.

Sketch book express logo

Autodesk sketch it’s also developed by Autodesk. This one it’s really similar to the previous one. Here you can share with one touch your masterpieces to a DeviantArt community. You can get more functions by getting the pro version, even by creating a free account.

Autodesk Sketch logo

Sketch Kit it is a Yooii Studios. There are many things that you can do here, like creating time-lapsed animations with your drawings, inserting stickers on them, and many other things. The cool thing here is that there is an option that lets you randomly share a drawing with a registered user.

Sketch Kit cover

Finally we get Artflow. This one has all the necessary tools in the free version. It has precise traces when using your finger. There are many combinations that you can create for the paintbrush. There is the option “finger” that blurs, creating a good effect. You can apply various filters for each separate layer.

Artflow logo

Technology has everything. We are getting these touch screens that we can apply to turn arty. Use them as much as you can, and practice as much as possible. 

Source:

• https://play.google.com/store?hl=es_419

The 5 most creative chess sets

Art and Creativity are everywhere. Math is not the exception, and we may include “Logic” as one of the fundamental pillars where this set of knowledge rests. With Logic we can easily turn creative. Just start listing all that amazing games like Mastermind, the Rubik’s cube, a deck of cards; and in this case, the chess set. People are turning chess sets in creative and arty things.

In chess you need to memorize the special moves that each piece has. Don´t worry more about that, with this minimalist chess set designed by the Bauhaus sculptor Josef Hartwig in 1923. Its design is simple, because it is made of traditional geometrical shapes. The most important thing is that each designed piece shows the valid moves.

Bauhaus's Intuitive Chess Set

The next chess is a real masterpiece that it´s being displayed in a museum. The artist Rachel Whiteread created this chess set in 2005 when she was commissioned for the ongoing project “The Art of Chess”. The pieces are household objects, all different.

Modern Chess Set 

The next one it’s really good enough to be hanging on your wall in a beautiful frame. This is the vertical chess. There´s is this site “Straight up chess” (the link is below) where you can customize your set with different frames, backgrounds and many chess pieces of different materials.

Vertical chess

Even though this chess set doesn’t include its own board, neither its own pieces; literally talking this one is really cool. They sell you the molds to make them out of ice. Take one mold, and pour some water on it. Now take some juice and pour it in the other mold, so you will have pieces of different colors. The point here is that you just have a period of time until your pieces start melting.

Ice chess pieces

Is playing against one player not enough for you? With this chess set you go further. Now play against two players in the 3-player chess set. Here things turn into complexity. You will need to anticipate other’s moves, and wait for even more turns.

Hexagonal variation

Chess is a logic and strategic game. It is even more than that; it is turning into art and pure creativity. Check Mate!

Source:

• http://www.visualnews.com/2012/01/02/bauhauss-intuitive-chess-set/
• http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/modern-chess-set-by-rachel-whi-110999
• http://www.straightupchess.com/Default.asp
• http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e730/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-player_chess 

3D Pens: Deal with them, then have fun

Since the existence of human kind, this one have always wondered about forms to express all

different types of ideas. This started to be possible around the 15^th century with the wooden and graphite pencil; but what about this century? It is getting creative with pens that let us sketch in three dimensions. Will we get the right accessories and, will it be safe for us? Could we deal with them?

Circles are one of those elements that always exist in art. With wooden pencils, we get this tool named compass that makes this task easy. And what happens with 3D Pens? A simple trace of string will help. Tide one end of it at your 3D pen and the other to the center of your in-progress circle. The string will act as the radius, and there you have.

A is the center; AB and AC, are a radius

Could we get any kind of eraser? It could work cutting the melted plastic traces. But, will be able to reuse this used plastic? The plastic needs to have the original form to be compatible with the device. So an artifact that melts this used material and reforms it will be something that surely the user will acquire.

What about our health and safety? The user can be badly burn. The ABS filament starts to burn at temperature of 446 °F; and the PLA filament, 356 °F. The average temperature is 401 °F. Be careful when using this thing. Some 3D pens like the +3doodler, sell stands to prevent accidents.

A stand for the 3doodler

Is melting plastic bad for you? Yes, because the fumes. Fumes are harmful for your lungs. A patent says- “Burning plastic material can in some cases release toxic fumes which can be harmful to those working or living in the area which again can be harmful and be difficult to get rid of.”1 In this case fumes are from petroleum based plastics, that’s ABS. In the other hand, PLA comes from plants; that means a friendlier product.

We are getting all kind of new devices, and with these devices ideas and problems too. The 3D pen is a great tool for designers and anyone who has a good idea, just turn creative and be careful.

Source:

• http://www.google.com/patents/US82775531
• http://lixpen.com/
• http://the3doodler.com/faqs/
• http://phys.org/news/2013-07-3d-printers-shown-emit-potentially.html