IDAT204 - Augmented Reality Project - ICA - Fifth Feature

The "ICA" also makes parking a whole lot easier. When in "parking" mode, the "ICA" will help identify empty parking spaces.

It will also display the neccessary information about that space, i.e. Time Limit, Fees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_WKEB6ZKlY&feature=player_embedded

IDAT204 - Augmented Reality Project - ICA - Fourth Feature

The "ICA" will also assist you with your breaking. When there is a car in front of you slowing down, the display will instantly change that car to red, the deeper the red the more it is breaking.
It will also notify you of upcoming traffic lights, the driver will receive an on-screen warning if the lights are red.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwSfl8LqSNc&feature=player_embedded

IDAT204 - Augmented Reality Project ICA - Third Feature

When using the ICA you will automatically get a built-in Satelitte Navigation System (SATNAV). Not only do you get a normal "SATNAV", but unlike any other on the market today, you get an on-screen visual aid as well.

The "VSATNAV" will paint a line on the road, all you have to do is follow the road, it will also give you an on-screen warning of any upcoming turnings and will highlight all road signs with the distance to your location on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u09Mfy4BvL0&feature=player_embedded

IDAT204 - Augmented Reality Project - ICA - First Feature

Well i thought i would do some posts about my Augmented Reality project.

Now that i've done my final presentation im just going to provide some links to each feature, and then talk about them a little bit.

The first of the five main features is the Hazard Perception feature. The idea of this feature is to provide the user an on-screen warning if something that could cause a hazard comes into the road. This could be a pedestrian or another car pulling out.
The feature itself will display a small red box when the hazard is on-screen. You can find the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH9mAxylF5U&feature=player_embedded

IDAT204 - Augmented Reality Project - ICA - Second Feature

The second feature of my project is the speed trap feature.

This feature is pretty simple, instead of a normal SATNAV where it notifies you by sound, the ICA will display the trap on the screen and then tell the driver what speed they need to be going.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH9mAxylF5U&feature=player_embedded

IDAT204 - Augmented Reality - Final Product

Just a quick post with the link to the final product for my Augmented Reality Project.

You can find all the information and videos at the following address...

http://www.garrybarter.com/ar/project.html

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application UI

Heres a early version of our user interface for our e-learning project.

User Interface Version 1.

As you can see the interface includes most of the features we have already mentioned. The only thing that needs to be included is the use of the webcam feature, but that will come with version 2.

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - Market Research

Well me and luke have found a couple interesting products out on the market at the moment.

Both of which are similar to our desired product but i feel we have a better overall idea, mainly because we are combining both of these products into one.

The first link - http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/03/power-gig-its-a-rhythm-game-with-a-real-guitar.ars - is an article about a product thats been developed along the same basis as ours, guitar hero, however they have created an special guitar that is meant to be more like a real guitar than the guitar hero/rock band guitar. However this still means your not actually using your own real guitar.


The second link - http://www.jamorama.com/standard-edition-b/ - is a product page for a piece of software that allows you to play along to songs, the software breaks down the song and tells the user which notes to play. A similar aspect to our software, but there is no link between the software and the guitar.

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - Whats next

Well our next step is to develop a working prototype of our products.

Luke is in the middle of designing the interface for the product, will upload some versions of it soon.

The main problem were having with the interface is the main section, the bar that shows which notes to play. On the guitar hero/rock band model they have it scrolling down the screen, however because we have a lot more notes to hit than the games we have to be careful where we position this. At the moment we have it going right to left, however that is not the final position.

Another problem is that at the moment were using numbers to indicate where to play, however because there are a number of these, as well as the speed the indicator is moving, we may need to change it to some sort of symbols, similar to the computer games blocks.

Technical development hasn't begun yet, mainly because we are waiting on the final confirmation that our product is good enough :)

Will post those pictures soon!

IDAT211 - Considering other technologies

Well i thought i would do another post about a new technology that is coming to the market in the next year.

That tech is something called Project Natal. Developed by Microsoft, for its Xbox 360 games console. Project Natal will use modern motion tracking software and hardware to allow the user to control games/objects without using controllers.


http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/ - The official Microsoft website for Project Natal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oACt9R9z37U - A youtube link to the Project Natal in action. Looks good.

The reason im posting about this, for our application were going to develop a webcam section which reads your movements and hand locations to tell the user whether their playing correctly. However the motion tracking code is very tempermental.

If we could use this sort of technology we would be able to perfect this feature.

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - "Our Method"

After the last post i thought i would put another post of how we would do it with our product.

We have settled on 4 main methods that will help you learn the guitar in record breaking speed (well maybe)

The first would be to have the program load songs up straight away without any uneccessary information or tutorials appearing and confusing the student before they even start playing guitar.

The second method is to give extra information to those users that want to learn more about what there playing. Not only musical information but information about the song itself.

The third method is that because were using technology as the main aid, it means we have lots of benefits, looping each section to play repeatedly until you get it right, slowing the track down, productive and useful feedback showing which notes you didn't hit etc...

The final method which in my opinion is the main one, its fun!!! As we've based our product on one of the highest selling products in the gaming industry at the moment, you will be able to have all the fun of guitar hero/rock band but will also be learning the guitar properly at the same time. A win win situation!

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - "Other methods of learning the guitar"

I thought i would do another quick post about some more research into our e-learning project.

The first method would be to have lessons. However these have some major disadvantages. The main one being that they can become expensive if you don't learn the guitar in a couple sessions (which you won't). Another drawback is that the average student would only have the one lesson a week, these sessions tend to only last for about 2 hours, which is not enough time, which means you have to put in extra sessions on your own.

The second method is to teach yourself. There are plenty of success stories of doing it this way, however like everything you do on your own, your going to pick up bad habits that limits the quality of your skills. Also if you use books to learn, not all the information in them is relevant.

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - "Functionality"

For this post i'll quickly go over the main two points of our e-learning project.

Use any real life guitar -
This means the user will be able to plug any guitar into the system without having to spend extra money on new devices. Also means that the user will develop their skills with familiar objects instead of having to get the feel of new objects.

Webcam -
A webcam can be attached to our program to allow the program to track your finger positions to compare with the online tutor. Means the user will also be able to see what there doing and what there needing to do with an on-screen overlay.

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - "Main Features"

Main Features -

-Multiple Skill Levels: Helps the user learn, no matter how experienced they are.

- All songs broken up into sections to be practised at will: Means the user can learn a track to a professional level without having to repeat back on themselves.

- Speed Selection: The user will be able to slow the song down if they are struggling. Or speed it up for a greater challenge

- Loop sections of songs: Another feature to help the user learn certain tracks to a professional level.

- Proper musical tabulature: Helps users learn all aspects of music practice.

- Feedback showing areas needing improvement: Ability to review tracks for overall improvement.

- Scores and note streak rewards for playing well

IDAT211 - E-Learning Application - "How" / "Who"

Next question is,

"How"

Using a real instrument, plug into the usb device and play along to real songs using an intuitive user interface. Based on the popular guitar hero/rock band rhythm games, our e-learning product will be as much fun as a game to play, but also a powerful tool in learning the guitar.


"Who"

All Skill levels, from complete beginners to professionals.

IDAT211 - E-Learning - "What are you attempting to teach with your application"

Well i thought i would come on here and do some posts about our device were going to develop.

To do this i thought i would break it up into some different headers:

"What are you attempting to teach with your application"

Our application is primarily focused to help the user learn how to play the guitar, however as well as this we want our users to have fun and feel a natural progression of their skills, without forcing them to address issues.

IDAT211 - Main Idea (Revised)

So me and luke got together and went through our initial idea for this project, taking into consideration what Katina said to us.

It seemed that we were given two main ideas for this music learning project. The first idea would consider using a virtual learning room, rigged up with sensors and camera's. This room would then monitor what the student was doing, right and wrong, and then help them with on screen commands.

The second idea would be a device that you plug the guitar into, this device would then turn any "proper" guitar into a computer controller. In a similar way to our initial idea of using guitar hero/rock band instruments. The computer would then be able to read what the student is doing. The student would then be able to see what there doing by looking at the computer screen.

We thought we will go with the second idea, mainly because we feel we can achieve the most proffesional results, and if we went with the first idea, we would be speculating a lot because the technology is not available currently.

Example of device (Behringer USB to Guitar Link)