Introduction

Welcome to the official blog post for our project, “Engineering Creative Collaboration”. This initiative is an exciting blend of art and technology, where we, the team STADM, use advanced projection techniques to depict Earth in various artistic styles on a weather balloon.

Project Vision

Our aim is to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of our planet through diverse visual narratives. By using real-time Earth data from NASA, we render these visuals in Unity, creating a dynamic and immersive experience that combines scientific accuracy with artistic expression.

Technical Framework

  • Projection Method: Two projectors are strategically positioned to ensure seamless mapping on the spherical surface of a weather balloon.
  • Software Utilization: The project employs Unity for creating detailed 3D visuals and meshes, incorporating artistic effects such as shaders and particle systems. TouchDesigner then takes these visuals and adapts them to the curved surface of the balloon.

Team Roles

  • Tran Tran: Focuses on data integration, ensuring that the latest and most accurate data from NASA is utilized for the simulations.
  • Dmitry Froemke, Steve Linder, and Alvin Zhen: They are responsible for the creative aspects, developing the Unity visualizations that capture various artistic perspectives of Earth.
  • Miguel Angel Rivas: Manages the projection technology using TouchDesigner, aligning the visual output with the physical setup.

Learning and Development

Every team member is dedicated to learning specific software and techniques—ranging from Unity to TouchDesigner—to ensure the project’s success while also contributing to personal skill growth.

Exhibition Plans

Our project will be showcased in a dimly-lit room during the art walk in Week 7, where the central weather balloon will display our interactive Earth visualizations, aiming to engage and educate viewers about environmental and cultural perspectives.

Conclusion

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to develop our project. We look forward to sharing our journey and the final piece with you during the upcoming exhibition.

Here, images and videos of the project development and testing phases can be included to visually engage the audience and give them a sneak peek into the creation process.