New Computer Vision Tools

A sneak preview of a new suite of Firefly computer vision tools available for Grasshopper.

Adaptive Blinking Prototype

This is a really cool prototype built by Chiachi Yeh at the Bartlett AAD program.  For more information, check out the vimeo feed.

Peepers

Another really cool demonstration by Chiachi Yeh at the Bartlett AAD program.  A very simple but effective use of photosensors to detect the position of a person within a space and have a facade (projection) respond. 

Responsive Aperture System

Video by LSUFreerider showing a responsive wall system which opens and closes a series of opening in reponse to changing light levels.

Simulation of Louver Movement

Simulation of louver movement in response to the position of the sun.  Video by Julian Hildebrand, Ohad Meyuhas, IAAC 2011.

Kinect Hand Tracking

A simple demo (included in the Firefly Kinect 0.0002 download zip file) which shows how to create a custom hand-tracking display.

Respsonive Membrane Study

A responsive membrane study created by YouTube member 87476 which uses the reacTIVision camera tracking component to control a series of effects.

Firefly Facade Study

A prototype facade system developed by Jonatan Schumacher at the Hybrid Prototypes workshop in January 2011.

Arduino Code Generator + Upload to I/O Board

A quick demo showing how to use the new Firefly Code Generator to convert a Grasshopper definition into Arduino compatible code (C++). It also shows how to upload an Arduino sketch directly from Grasshopper using the Firefly Upload to Board component.

Firefly + Kinect Head Tracking

First attempt at creating a 3D display using head tracking from the Kinect sensor and the Firefly skeleton tracker.

Firefly + Kinect + Arduino

Simple setup using the Kinect sensor and the Firefly skeleton tracker to control an LED and Servo using gestural movements.

Firefly + Breath OSC

Demo using BreathOSC (free iphone app) with Firefly and Kangaroo (free plugins for Grasshopper) to simulate wind effects.

Demo put together by: Andrew Payne and Daniel Piker

Firefly + TouchOSC

Demo using TouchOSC (mobile phone app) and Firefly (a free plugin for Grasshopper) to control LED's and motors.

Delta Bot Print Head Test

The Delta Bot Print Head Test by Brian Harms

A quick glimpse of the definition behind the mechanics, a preview of the digital delta bot, and finally the physical delta bot working in unison with it's digital counterpart.

For more information, check out Brian's Blog.

First Delta Bot Test

The First Delta Bot Test by Brian Harms

Fairly successful first Delta Bot run. No smoothing yet, and the servo mounts are all but stable, so I have high hopes for the robot-mounted version.

For more information, check out Brian's Blog.

A_FAB Robot in Action

The A_FAB Robot in Action by Brian Harms

First documented operation of the A_FAB robot. It sits idle, stands, walks, changes the position of its end effector, and extrudes a material in specific patterns.  A prototype for a robot capable of creating brand new built environments for itself on a print bed potentially unlimited in size.

For more information, check out Brian's Blog.

Kinetic Pavilion

The Kinetic Pavilion by Elise Elsacker and Yannick Bontinkx

This project orients itself on the development of a new kind of pavilion that’s capable of acting upon changing weather conditions, human movement or human moods/mindsets. It’s shape has been made dependable of ecological choices and parameters extracted from the pavilion’s surroundings. Just like every other organism, this new prototype changes itself when parameters take on other values. - text provided by authors.  For more information, make sure to check out their website.

How it works:

1. Input: Ipad, Ecotect, Processing (sine function, webcam, twitterfeeds,…)

2. Process:
a) input parameters are sent through OSCTouch , gHowl, geco GH2Ecotect and UPD to Grasshopper.
b) Different kinds of data are translated into height coordinates.
c) These processed coordinates are sent through Firefly to an Arduino-board

3. Output:
a) Arduino controls 28 servos
b) Spur gears translate these coordinates into a vertical movement, controlling the roof structure.

Firefly Linkage System

I came across this video on youtube posted by member dobac09 and really loved its use of physical interaction and linkage systems.  He has a number of other videos that use Firefly as a virtual prototyping platform for his physical model.

Nintendo DS Touchscreen with Firefly

This was a very quick demo I made to test a touchscreen from a Nintendo DS game console.  In this video, I use the touchscreen data to send information into Grasshopper via the Generic Serial Read component.  Using the Data Log component (with the wrap input set to true) I can track the last 20 values and plot them on an XZ plane.

Firefly Intro plus Flex (Bend) Sensors Laminated into Composite Panel

In this Intro to Firefly video, there are several examples including one featuring 4 flex (bend) sensors embedded into a laminated composite panel.  Each of these sensor values can be read into Grasshopper (in real-time) and can be used to control a virtual simulation of the same bending stresses.