The Microsoft Kinect Controller seems to be the HOT hackable item in the interactive art world. Just like the Wii Remote, the Kinect has been hacked by interactive artists to control robots, scan environments, create sound instruments and much,much more. The Kinect is a robust sensor which features an “RGB camera, depth sensor and multi-array microphone running proprietary software”, which provide full-body 3D motion capture, facial recognition and voice recognition capabilities. The Kinect Hacker community and the Open Sourcing of device drivers have enabled the Kinect controller to be used directly from connected PC’s operating on Windows 7. I’ve been following the development of interactive installations and experimentation’s utilizing the Kinect sensor. I felt it was time to list a few of my favorites. Being an AS3 engineer, it’s only natural I start off with some of the cool AS3 examples.

My favorite to date is the Touchless Kinect AS3 application, which is developed with the OpenKinect AS3 API.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Silvio Paganini has also been quite busy, experimenting using AS3 TUIO and the UDP-Flash Bridge.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you are Windows person, you can now control apps on Windows 7.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Quadratura collective exhibited “Shadows of Light” a Kinect based art piece at the Ambika Gallery in London.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cyber Sex anyone? This maybe a bit weird but yes, people are taking it to the next level.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can find more information regarding open source Kinect at OpenKinect.org and if you want to stay up on hacked Kinect news, visit Kinect Hacks.

Now it’s only time till someone replicates the Minority Report-like interface.

The ‘Swarm Light‘ is a light installation with a real ‚collective consciousness. It’s a contemporary example of how the arbitrary boundaries of fine and decorative art, design and utility are no longer of immediate aesthetic relevance. Sounds or movement captured as light and shadow create a type of participatory and performative synthesis that culminates in an instinctual perception of the space, rather than a cerebral judgment.

Check out more projects by rAndom International.

Visit Trafik Online

I have also joined a collaborative group (OK MEDIA LABS) that has vowed to create Arduino based interactive installations. Our group is composed of some talented creative/technologists that reside here in San Francisco. Our first prototypes are due February 12th so I’m running out of time. here’s a quick run down of my latest acquisitions.

(1) Real-World Flash Game Development: How to Follow Best Practices AND Keep Your Sanity
I skimmed over this book at Borders not to long ago. I really like some of the practices that were mentioned in the book. It also has some great code snippets, so I had to add it to the library. It may also help with the creative juices when coding up my Arduino project.

(2) AdvancED ActionScript 3.0 Animation
I dig Keith Peters, I have been a fan of his for years. I sat next to him at Flash Forward a few years back and we spoke about Flash and Physical computing, he kind of got me thinking about my day job and how it can be considered art. Thanks Keith! The chapters on Steering Behavior and Isometric Projection will come in handy in regards to my Arduino projects.

(3) Papervision3D Essentials
I’ve worked with the Away3d flash engine, but I have never stepped into the world of Papervision. Yes, I know Away3d is pretty much Papervision Lite, so I opted to purchase this book to have a reference at my desk, and It’s great reading material while I’m sitting on the pot. Besides that, my ambition is kind of pushing me to create 3D visuals with Arduino.

(4) Practical Arduino: Cool Projects for Open Source Hardware (Technology in Action)
This book is slated to arrive in my mailbox late January. I’m really excited to have it in my clutches. I look forward to wrapping my brain around it’s information. Reviewers have stated that “it’s unlike any previous attempt to describe the Arduino System in that it carefully illustrates the Design, Development and Construction of Professional-Level Products for Industry, Automotive Applications and Real-Time Systems.” YES! I want more books like this.

Now for the hardware:

I purchased some new items from Lady Ada aka http://www.adafruit.com/. I love this site, it is a great resource for Arduino Shields.

I acquired the following :

(5) Wingshield Screwshield
The shield extends the Arduino pins to sturdy, secure, and dependable screw terminal blocks. (You even get a few bonus terminals for extra GND and power!) Great for prototyping.

(6) Arduino Ethernet Shield
The Ethernet Shield allows an Arduino board to connect to the internet. Enough said! This will make it easy to connect to Pachube or my server , better yet to access data from twitter, Flickr or Facebook.

(7) Arduino Mega (Atmega1280)
The Mega is basically the big brother to the Arduino Duemilanove, with many more pins, UARTs, PWMs, etc. You can’t stop me NOW! Its time to push this bad boy to the limit.

Like I said, 2010 is my year for interactive installations. I’ll be posting my findings, rants and projects on Arduino, Flash, Processing and sensors, Stay Tuned.

My good friend Josette Melchor or Jet as I call her has just posted a great interview on her organization GAFFTA. Gray Area Foundation for the Arts is a San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture. Guided by the principles of openness, collaboration, and resource sharing, our programs promote creativity at the intersection of art, design, sound, and technology. A conduit for multidisciplinary creative exchange, GAFFTA supports the creation and diffusion of works that engage and inspire audiences, and offer meaningful contributions to the global movement that is shaping our collective experience. GAFFTA will soon be San Francisco’s premiere creative outlet for programmers and interactive artists.

CLICK HERE for Presentation.

Dynamic Live Flash animation via MIDI and Game Controllers