Added Reality Interface in real life?

[To set up the scene here]: Norman Jayden, an FBI agent is sent to investigate a string of murders of young children, all of them drowned in rainwater. Jayden here is using Added Reality Interface (ARI) glasses, which uses physical space (i.e. the real world) and augmented space (within it's technological boundaries that's inside the glasses and ARI). What appears to be that he's outside atop of the high mountain, his actual spaces are within a small, somewhat unused desk room, with his desk coming along in the AR space, without any of the file cabinets, posters, or window in the physical office.

ARI (Added Reality Interface)

My inquiry into virtual reality is that whether or not this type of technology is possible in terms of virtual reality creating synthetic environments within my years of existence. How can certain cues in physical space activate augments in virtual space in relation to our limiting senses and technology?

Could I use my ARI glasses, take them outside public space and use it as a means of being socially aware of other people combining social networking and electronic devices (e.g. Facebook connected to your phone with the ARI glasses).

[From 11-2-11] Maybe something like this, but in the form of a phone:

Something like this, without the usage of a phone because holding a phone up to your face[1] would be grievous to your wrists, as you hold the phone steady for long periods of time.

Footnote:

[1] - You probably would look like a weirdo if an app like that exists and as you walk past by strangers, holding your phone as if you're video recording because you have a lens at the back, a sign to others to believe that you're recording them. This would cause people to look at you weirdly, but rather the glasses would give you a form of disguise that you're not in a way, looking at their augmented profiles while they whiz by you, some may be holding their [boy/girl]friend's hand.

Just be careful when the other person looks at you weirdly. If they do, just look straight forward, since the augment will probably be visible of range, like a comment bubble on a Youtube video.

Layar, Hoppala, and What Else...

On October 25, our class took a small walk around the campus to check out all of our augments coming from physical space within our electronic devices (e.g. smartphones). Here are some pics from our walk.

Then I had a rainbow following me everywhere. Maybe it's telling me something...

So from our walk, I had trouble with my phone uploading all of the augments that were posted on one layer, which as you can see in the last photo, a majority of spinning loading circles surrounded my phone screen and the only image (for some reason likes me), is the rainbow. My speculation is that the rest of the images were the size of 400[+]x400[+].

I'm in hope that there is a ton of potential in augmented reality where the possibilities of physically interacting with augmented objects within the GPS-controlled application.

Intro to Layar+Psychogeography

First off, I'm not sure whether we have discussed about psychogeography in class, which according to Guy Debord, a founding member of Situtationist International, is "the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals."

Now the task of the activity of the map is to imagine that you are running with an unlit Olympic torch at the start [1]. You then run to some fire [2], which leads you to a lit Olympic torch [3], and finally, you must make your way to the grass area within the concave boundaries of the outside Burk Hall building. You are running on a track [4] and you have to reach the rock, which you will stand up and bestow upon your torch with your phone.

It's an experiment within virtual space and psychogeography, to which your imagination will be dependent upon something that doesn't exist in a physical context, rather virtual.

My funny, yet subtle tale of my GoCar experience

October 13, 2011 was the day when our class (although it was an option for anyone to have a chance at the GoCar) got the chance to drive around the GoCars for our locative media class. I was pretty excited, but nervous at the fact that it was gonna be my first time driving around San Francisco, considering the fact that I was a bit paranoid of traffic over there (or overall paranoid of everything) but then again, it seemed like a great chance to experience the other parts of the city I have yet to explore. There were a couple of locations and attractions that I've always wanted to explore, like Ocean Beach, the windmills in Golden Gate Park, and most of SF that tourists don't frequent, or places that doesn't smell or look like downtown. It's quite a tale, with some antics and quirks that went along and a bit of incompetency, so here's my journey:

First up, I decided to ride a cable car, which was my first time riding in one. It was a sunny, hot day and I wanted to become a tourist for a day. The line got pretty long, where the line started close by the ticket booth. I got to ride on the cable car by hopping onto the side, which was a bit fun, but quite expensive ($6.00 for a one-way trip). I pulled out my Android phone to check out Google Maps and found the location of the GoCars station, to which the address I typed in was '2175 Hyde St.', according to the schedule posted on the class website. Now this is where some things went a bit wrong that day.

Now I thought the cable car would take me directly or close by the GoCars station, where our class was meeting, but I actually took the cable car that was going to Powell & Mason. I panicked for a bit, but didn't worry as much to see that according to my GPS, the address wasn't far from where the cable car took it's last stop. The consequence for that was that I had to walk up some steep hills to get to Hyde St.. It was a brutal walk, because for one, I was going to be late, since the time was around 2:10 and we were suppose to meet at 2:30, and two, I was carrying a heavy bag on my shoulder. So yeah, think about that and always remember to bring a water bottle with you.

I finally got up the hill and was on Hyde St.. Now all I had to do was simply find '2175 Hyde St.' and starting riding around SF. But there was just one strange thing about the address that I took from the website; when I got to the 2100 Hyde street sign, '2175' doesn't exist. So that was when I called Paula and told her that I was lost, but never questioned the fact that the number might have been wrong or not, but I didn't fret, only to walk back and forth for almost 30 minutes, until I did something else that changed my perspective on where the station was: I googled GoCars and saw that the address number was 2715, not 2175. Oops.

All of sudden, I put my phone in my bag and ran for it. I almost rolled down the hill when I got to 2300 because of the sudden incline. I became a bit haughty, after seeing that I was getting closer to 2700, where we were suppose to meet up, to the fact that I was starting to have this manic laugh, like when Dr. Evil laughs when he wants to rule the world by holding the world ransom world for a billion dollars, only that I was gonna rule the streets of San Francisco for one or two hours.

So forward to testing the car, I finally got on the road with the GoCar. It was a thrill to drive on a not-so-busy Beach St., which was fantastic to see tourists and locations that I've never been to before. The audio navigator was pretty good in giving me a historical tour of the places I was driving on and to my destination. What was exciting about the navigation was that it gave a choice to go to certain locations, like whether I wanted to check out the recreational areas, the restaurants, or simply go back to where I started and finish my tour immediately (no way I would do that, yet).

My first major drive was going through Beach St., then I made my way by going to Bay St., which I came to see Fort Mason Green, a park that is part of Fort Mason Center. I then took a turn at Laguana St. in order to drive through Marina Blvd. I then took Mason St., to which I was led to one of the panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The tour guide gave me an option to park my car to check out the Farallones Marine Sanctuary, or take a stroll around the Golden Gate Promenade and its beach. I had to take all of my stuff with me everywhere whenever I would park my car because the trunk didn't have a proper key to lock my stuff, so I couldn't frolic around the beach, playing in the sand or run around and the fact that I had class at around 5:00, I needed to limit my time with the tour.

On my trip to the beach, I found these strange, geometric bedrocks, spread with seaweed on it. Every time the waves would recede back to the sea, the water that is engulfed into the spacing of the rocks was a beauty to look at.

I got back on my car, but had a bit of trouble getting the car started, not knowing where to start the engine at all. It was troubling for me because cars were coming and going, delaying their parking time and my useful incompetence, which will be explained later on. I was then told to go to Crissy Field Ave., make my way towards Long Ave, and then drive to Marine Dr, which headed towards Fort Point and a much closer view of the bridge. I got to the location, only to sit in my car, as if I was watching a drive-in move, at the same time, looking at the back of my trunk because there was no lock to it.

Looking at the waves with the cool, breezy wind and city buildings in the background made the viewing almost movie-like, where the static buildings and movement in the area was a canvas, already painted by architects, but is continued by the inhabitants of the city. I move on to Lincoln Blvd and led on get up and close to the toll booth of the bridge via parking lot. I thought I was going to be led to drive on the bridge a couple of times during the whole trip, but nevertheless, it was quite a sight to be near the bridge without paying a toll. I quickly drove around the lot and as I about to head back on the road, a couple was dancing to some swing music, people were viewing the spectacle, I was slowly driving to check out the scene, only because there was a police car in front of me. I yelled out for an encore, but never got one.

I went back on the road, heading towards the Presidio. I come towards Baker Beach, my second stop to another beach area. I recall that this was a nude beach, but luckily, none were to be found. I remember seeing this beach on television a couple of times, where most of the time, the beach was used as a background drop for nude models to pose for a calendar being sold for AIDS or cancer charities.

I carry on my destination back to the road and head onto El Camino Del Mar for a while, leading me to a location where I recall coming to a couple of times. It's one of the most beautiful spots to look upon that I have become fond of. I come across Lincoln Park, an 18-hole golf course and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, one of my favorite that houses classical works of art, from Monet (Water Lilies) to El Greco (St. John the Baptist). I had a bit of fun driving around the fountain twice, which almost made me a bit dizzy after the second time.

I made my way back on to El Camino Del Mar and continued to explore the richness of the forestry, taking a break from the concrete and buildings that flood people's minds when they think of SF man-made buildings/structures (Transamerica Pyramid, Bank of America Center, City Hall, Fisherman's Wharf). I make my way to Point Lobos Ave and head on to the Great Highway, leading to one of the most longest beaches I've seen so far in my life, Ocean Beach. I've always wanted to check out the place before, but never got to because it always started to turn to dusk when the bus would reach my would-be destination.

I then head towards to Golden Gate Park, which lead me to see the two Dutch Windmills. As I go through the park, I keep on driving in John F. Kennedy Drive, where I saw the Bison Paddock (unfortunately, all of the Bison were in their cages by then), a somewhat hidden, beautiful, small waterfall situated around Lloyd Lake (if I recall). I made a turn at Transverse Dr. and was told to keep driving towards Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, but another part of that road was closed, so I made a turn to Crossover Dr and that's where I get lost at one point of the trip.

After some confusion, I made my way back to the "right" streets when the navigator finally speaks up and tells me that I'm at the Haight-Asbury district, a street well known for it's upbringing on hippie culture. After leaving the Haight, I got caught up in traffic. This is where my trip started to get much worse. At one point, while sitting on a red light, having a bunch of cars right behind me, I thought to myself, "I wonder what this switch does...". 

The engine stops. The light turns to green. Why was I such a dope to follow my impulses? I was so terrified, that I got out of my car immediately, pushed my car to the side and tired to start the engine again. As I got it to work, I get closer to a fire hydrant, which I lost my grip with the hand brakes, twisting the engine throttle forward, thus crashing into the hydrant. Fortunately, the crash created a dent in the middle of the car; I'm just reluctant that it wasn't my first time crashing a vehicle (my first time crashing a car that I drove was the first time I ever drove a car myself; my Nissan Xterra. I was trying to clean the garage one summer day and I happen to hit one of the pillars on the front of the house. It made a huger dent on the side of the SUV, but was fixed later on.)

As time was passing by, I got more bored and worrisome that I was going to be late for my class that already started. I was waiting for the navigation to speak up to where I was going, but I just drove endlessly around random streets that I tried to correlate the street names I recognized that was likely close to downtown. But after ten or so minutes, I finally found Hyde St., and that's where my haptic trip ended.

So that was my experience with the GoCar Tours. I had the most fun exploring San Francisco this way and would genuinely love to have a friend join the ride with me, only on the condition that he/she share driving privileges. I would have never seen another part of the city that didn't look like old buildings, only to believe that there is a part of SF that doesn't look like downtown at all. If I was given the chance to go another go at Cocarting, I would absolutely do it. I thank Paula for giving us a chance to taking a test drive on the GoCars. It gave me a chance to explore SF like I never did before. The experience of sightseeing in an open space without the hassle of a personal motor vehicle is fantastic in that you do not have to maintain it yourself. I didn't tell the guys about the dent though, but hopefully they'll bill me for that.

Sorry guys.

Street Art: From Textiles to Not Getting Arrested For It

I really admire artists taking their work outside rather than an art gallery or museum, although some of the work featured here are contained in galleries. I'm a bit apathetic in doing public art interventions, but considering that San Francisco hosts a wide variety of artists, I, a little 21-year old East Bay kid, shouldn't be scared of spreading my artwork around this beautiful, but egregious city.

Yeah, Screw the Fax Machine!!!

I find this video to be pretty funny, in terms of making a satirical eulogy to old electronics.