Generative Disease: Cold Sores II

For midterm in Dan Shiffman's Nature of Code, I chose to create generative cold sores. Currently the sores are distributed using Perlin noise. My next step is to incorporate hierarchy into the distribution.

Generative Disease: Cold Sores

*Test image in photoshop

For my midterm in Nature of Code I am going to attempt to simulate the look of cold sores on pictures of my friends. Here is a break down of the steps I think will be necessary to create a realistic effect:

1. Create a father point and assign an amount of energy. The amount of energy will determine how large it will be and how many children it can have.

2. Create children points that surround the father point. Children points energy levels should be smaller than the fathers energy level. Some children can have children of their own if they are large enough.

3. The energy level of each point will determine the size of a circle like shape that emanates from the point. The circles of all the points will be averaged together and a blob shape will be drawn.

4. Repeat step 3 but decrease the energy level each time. At the same time, change the color so that the resultant shape defines the form of a blister.

5. Determine the direction of the light source in the image and use that vector to add shadow and then highlights.

Worm Boarding at Cottontail Hill

Worm Boarding at Cottontail Hill from Matt Richard on Vimeo.

This video has been sitting on my computer for far too long. It was recorded in January of 2006, and the sport of Worm Boarding lasted only for two days.

Upon finding a water heater box in a suburb of Washington DC, Adam Colton and I attempted to ride inside the box down hills. The first night we had no clue how to balance together and we were only able to travel 20 feet before crashing into a curb, rolling over, or just laughing too hard to continue. This did not deter us from understanding the mechanics of what would become known as "Worm Boarding".

On the second day of trial runs we made a breakthrough in balance technique. Undoubtedly Adam was better at steering, so he would lead. I was pretty good I being still and didn't mind not seeing where I was going, so I was a natural for the rear of the "Worm". A few more runs on lesser neighborhood hills and it was time to do what we knew we must, attempt to ride down Cottontail Hill from the top! This hill is so steep that when it snows it is well-nigh impossible to drive up. Adam C. being who he is, grabbed his camera and Adam S. provided a steady hand in filming.

We tried several times to no avail. Sadly, the box did not live past that day and no one has ever "Worm Boarded" since. I encourage all of you in trying to ride down a hill in a box. Since you are sitting, you have less distance to fall which means that it doesn't hurt, plus the box does a lot to save your skin. Be sure to wear clothes that cover, and always wear a helmet.

Granpa looks for OpenCV in the kitchen

Winslow Porter and I played with the new OpenCV library for Processing. Thankfully Granpa was around in the kitchen for us to Capture.


Grandpa Loves Valentines Day from Winslow Porter on Vimeo.

We also found footage from 1969 of a van making an illegal U-turn in San Francisco.


Rainbow Image Detection from Winslow Porter on Vimeo.
This effect was created by Andy Best in a tutorial he wrote for processing's OpenCV library. You can check out the tutorial here.

Then I stayed up playing with the sketch until I went to class. I did capture an amazing smile though.


All-nighter smile from Matt Richard on Vimeo.

Pictures from early on in the evening.

Nature of Code week 3: Vectors and Forces

Created a simple simulation of fish swimming in a circle. Then I worked on adjusting the look and feel to create a nicer looking visualization. Click the links to see them in action.

Fish Tornado
Fish Tornado 2
Fish Tornado 3

Hue is New York?

I am interested in using cameras to gather color data about New Yorkers' wardrobes. The information could be used to create the ideal outfit for a specific part of town or to create a wonderful portrait of the city.