TLDR: Using the UArm 5, capture photos to make an animated, interactive 3D splat of a mound of kinetic sand/play doh that is manipulated by a person or group of people.
The above video has the qualities of interactivity and animation that I’d like to achieve with this project.
Current workflow draft:
- Connect camera to robot arm and laptop.
- Write a Python script that moves the robot arm in a set path (recording the coordinates of the camera/end effector) that loops at set time interval. Every execution of the path results in ~200 photos (3 angles, photo taken every 6 degrees; 180 photos per new mound) that will then be turned into a splat.
- Conduct first test animation/training data by pinching some sand/playdoh, collecting images for 5 splats. Write a Python Script to automatically run all 5 splats overnight.
- Come back the next morning, check for failure. If no failure and I have 5 splats, (here’s the hard part) align all splats and create a viewer that would loop these “3D frames” and allow for audience to interact with the camera POV. Ways I think I can align each “3D frame” and have a viewer that plays all the frames
- Unity?
- Writing code to do this (idk how tho)
- Ask for help from someone with more experience
- If the above step successful, ask people to swing by the SoCI to participate in a group stop motion project. I’ll probably put up constraints as to what people can do to the mound, most likely restricting the change to a single-digit number of pinches, flattening, etc.
I’m am very very very open to ways to simplify this workflow. Basically, distilling this idea even further while preserving the core ideas of time flow in 3D work (aka a 4D result).
Slightly less open to changes in concept. I’m kinda set on attempting to figuring out how to use the robot and piecing together splats to make a stop motion animation, so process and result is kinda set. I’m a little unsure on if this concept of “people manipulating a mound” even fits this “person in time” theme, but I’m open to ideas/thoughts/opinions/concepts that aren’t too difficult.
edit: should I capture people’s nails? like shiny sparkly nail art?