What I did
1. Completed the remaining animations.
2. Set up TouchDesigner on the school’s PC.
3. Installed Kinect and configured the ultrasonic sensor.
4. Conducted final testing of interactions by connecting both MAX and TouchDesigner (previously tested separately).
5. Interviewed audience members for feedback.
6. Filming
Collecting feedback from the audience and our professors proved valuable, as it offered an alternative perspective on our project. As designers, we may overlook certain aspects during development, and third-party viewpoints can provide more objective opinions, contributing to future iterations.
Challenges Encountered
Despite our best efforts, we faced several last-minute challenges with this project, including unexpected technical issues. Although we shifted to a PC for increased power to run TouchDesigner, the performance did not meet our expectations, with glitches appearing frequently. Additionally, using Kinect interfered with the ultrasonic sensor triggering and disrupted the audio. When users manipulated the point cloud with gestures, the ultrasonic sensor below the Kinect was affected, sending incorrect data to MAX. Ultimately, we decided to disable all Kinect effects to prioritize overall performance.
Lessons Learned and Team Collaboration
The key takeaway from this experience is the importance of thoroughly testing equipment before implementing it in the final project and having a backup plan for unforeseen situations. Our team members’ collaborative efforts, active communication, and problem-solving skills were instrumental in overcoming challenges and achieving project success. By maintaining open lines of communication, we were able to address and resolve the aforementioned difficulties more effectively.
Allison Mu
