Ben Jarrett's blog

HIT Labs

This video is a good overview of what is possible in augmented reality, already three years old, it is about the Human Interface Technology Laboratory at the University of Canterbury!

3 Mar 2010 01:09:13

Acrossair iPhone Augmented Reality

3 Mar 2010 00:55:44

OOKL is a really interesting service. It is a cool app that OOKL have really worked on and surrounded with an innovative business model. Specifically targeted at the education market, the museum/art gallery/historic house tags each object/exhibit physically with a code number, and also as an uploaded OOKL webpage with facts, hi res photos and other meta data. OOKL provides a simple interface for uploading and tagging the objects, so any gallery owner can use the service. Visitors can then either use an dedicated OOKL handset, or downloadable iPhone app, to walk among the exhibits and take fotos, noting the number tags by each object - the fotos are automatically uploaded to the OOKL site. Once returned to school/home the student/visitor can access their fotos, tie it in with the additional information provided by the museum/gallery/historical house and write captions, or reports. This personalises the experience and works within a vernacular that young people are very comfortable with. This allows teachers to 'scaffold' activities out from the visit and also gives the student time to re-digest the information.......very clever from all viewpoints!

OOKL does not charge the exhibitor anything, other than if renting the dedicated handsets. If using an iPhone, the app is free, but the user has to pay to access the exhibitor's data - this revenue is shared with the exhibitor!!!!!!!

The OOKL pages can be moderated by the exhibitor and they can change the data at any time. Free.

Examples of student's efforts can be seen here.

3 Mar 2010 00:46:22

Experience Design Resource

Nathan Shedroff offers this great resource.

2 Mar 2010 23:33:12

Dialectizer

I have just discovered the Dialectizer as mentioned in Nathan Shedroff's 'Experience Design'. One inputs text, selects a dialect, and it outputs gold! For example:

ORIGINAL

The Highwic House (HH) Group had our first meeting today after the initial trip to the site chaired by Cris de Groot. All members were present; however Laura had decided to absent herself from the project, as it does not fit the direction that she is pursuing. We had arranged that everyone was to make a short presentation, about first impressions and creative reactions.

We all agreed that there are many areas that warrant investigation, so have arranged to meet on Thursday (4th) to present research that we divided as a group in order to maximise the ground covered. More to come....

-Ben Jarrett

REDNECK
Th' Highwic House (HH) Group had our fust meetin' today af'er th' initial trip t'th' site chaired by Cris de Groot. All members were present; howevah Mary Jane had decided t'absent herse'f fum th' projeck, as it does not fit th' direckshun thet she is pursueyng, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells! We had arranged thet ev'ryone was t'make a sho't presentashun, about fust impresshuns an' creative reackshuns. We all agreed thet thar is menny areas thet warrant investigashun, so haf arranged t'meet on Thursday (4th) t'present research thet we divided as a group in o'der t'maximise th' groun' covahed, cuss it all t' tarnation. Mo'e t'come.... -Zechariah Jarrett

SWEDISH CHEF
Zee Heeghvic Huoose-a (HH) Gruoop hed oooor furst meeteeng tudey effter zee ineetiel treep tu zee seete-a cheured by Crees de-a Gruut. Um de hur de hur de hur. Ell members vere-a present; hooefer Loora hed deceeded tu ebsent herselff frum zee pruject, es it dues nut feet zee durecshun thet she-a is poorsooeeng. Ve-a hed errunged thet iferyune-a ves tu meke-a a shurt presenteshun, ebuoot furst impresseeuns und creeteefe-a reecshuns. Um gesh dee bork, bork! Ve-a ell egreed thet zeere-a ere-a muny erees thet verrunt infesteegeshun, su hefe-a errunged tu meet oon Thoorsdey (4t) tu present reseerch thet ve-a deefided es a gruoop in oorder tu mexeemise-a zee gruoond cufered. Bork bork bork! Mure-a tu cume-a.... -Bee Jerrett

MORON
De Highwic House (HH) Group had our firss meetigg today affeh de inishul trip t' the, ERRRR, site chairid by Cris de Groot. Duh. All membehs webuhre present; duh, howebeh Laura had decidid to absent hehself from de probuhjeck, as it does not fit the, uhhh, direckion dat she is pursuigg. Webuh had arrangid dat ebehyone was t' make a short presentashun, bou' firss ipresshuns 'n cratibe reackions. Webuh all agreid dat dehe are many areas dat warrant inbestigashun, so habe arrangid to meet on Dursday (4d) t' present research dat webuh dibidid as a group in ordeh t' maximise de ground cobehed, GEEEHEEHEEE. More t' come.... -Ben Dgarrett

PIG LATIN
Ethay Ighwichay Ousehay (hHay) Oupgray adhay ouryay irstfay eetingmay odaytay afteryay ethay initialyay iptray otay ethay itesay airedchay ybay Iscray eday Ootgray. Allyay embersmay ereway esentpray; oweverhay Auralay adhay ecidedday otay absentyay erselfhay omfray ethay ojectpray, asyay ityay oesday otnay itfay ethay irectionday atthay eshay isyay ursuingpay. Eway adhay arrangedyay atthay everyoneyay asway otay akemay ayay ortshay esentationpray, aboutyay irstfay impressionsyay andyay eativecray eactionsray. Eway allyay agreedyay atthay erethay areyay anymay areasyay atthay arrantway investigationyay, osay avehay arrangedyay otay eetmay onyay Ursdaythay (4thay) otay esentpray esearchray atthay eway ividedday asyay ayay oupgray inyay orderyay otay aximisemay ethay oundgray overedcay. Oremay otay omecay.... -Enbay Arrettjay

Good times, good times...

2 Mar 2010 22:17:16

Highwic House Meeting - 2nd March 2010

The Highwic House (HH) Group had our first meeting today after the initial trip to the site, chaired by Cris de Groot. All members were present; however Laura had decided to absent herself from the project, as it does not fit the direction that she is pursuing. We had arranged that everyone was to make a short presentation, about first impressions and creative reactions.

Laura participated in the presentations, going first with some good observations about the better narrative presented at the Kerikeri flagship, which tied in historical objects and current retail product.

Ben (me!) went second and concentrated on the visitor experience other than the reception/interpretation rooms, thinking of ways to connect the horde of people traversing Broadway and the oasis of calm that is HH.

Guy talked about the possible of connection between the past and present in some contemporary furniture makers, and also mooted the idea of a cafe for the Newmarket crowd.

Alexey considered the branding of HH and the potential areas of synergy. This involves the solid business case that HH presents, an area that most members agree with - how to create a brand that has financial value, without compromising the Historic nature of the building?

Tom presented on the connection between the two project rooms, and how the facility should create a natural flow that the visitor can intuitively map.

Shavoun talked about the potential cafe situation, and how it could tie in with the nature of the building/park/garden.

Finally Bruce made some very astute observations about the nature of displaying information. He divided the experience into three layers. 1: Didactic (Initial contact - 5 mins max), 2: Deeper meaning (sought by further interested parties) and 3: Knowledge of a specialized nature, sought by professionals or academics.

We all agreed that there are many areas that warrant investigation, so have arranged to meet on Thursday (4th) to present research that we divided as a group in order to maximise the ground covered. More to come....

-Ben Jarrett

2 Mar 2010 22:05:15

The Walkmen - On the Water

I don't know if it is the coolest music video ever, but it is very cool! It reminds me, not unsurprisingly, of Watership Down.......

Watership Down really scared the %@& out of me when I was a kid, I can't believe it was touted as a children's film - especially General Woundwort! Nightmares.....and then everyone was balling their eyes out to this: