Hi,

I was just wondering if I could get some sort of 'ingredients' list of sorts (patches that I might be able to 'mix' together, + hardware, I might need), in order to control a moving light (DMX) and make it follow someone on a stage.

I've seen things where Pd is able to follow a wiimote. Could I put a IR sensor on someone and then have Pd track that and then send the position to a light??

Am I hoping for to much?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks,
Toby

@tobyclbain Hello Toby......
This will give you an idea of the principles and the maths for a radio tracking system...... including how to calculate the "space coordinates" for the dmx values...
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMkfPNse7QAhVDfxoKHWwxD44QFgg6MAc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprojects-web.engr.colostate.edu%2Fece-sr-design%2FAY08%2FRAMbox%2Fdocuments%2FSemester%20Report%20Fall%202008%20ver%201.1.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFS7JZhvZC-JmdoV3uFPTy3Ga7WLw

IR is a bit more delicate because there is generally so much interference......... from other heat sources.... like people, amplifiers, lights etc...... onstage. There have been quite a few posts on this forum about using the xbox kinnect camera, as it has an infrared camera built into it....... but there will be interference problems. A lot of work has been done on "object" / face recognition. And "bone" recognition as well using targets (comes from the car crash test dummy research).

The reactivision system uses amoeba patterns to recognise objects.......... see......
http://reactivision.sourceforge.net/
It can track objects using the kinnect.......
http://tuio.org/?software

Professional systems use triangulated radio, or IR body worn transmitters, pulse modulated for ID.

Of course, once you have the data inputs into Pd all of the logic and maths can be done, and the dmx can be sent through a comport.
David.

@whale-av As always, thank you very much for your help! I will look into using the xbox kinect.

Thanks,
Toby

@tobyclbain here's an example of tracking a guitar position with gesture recognition:

Cheers~

@EEight That was amazing! Is that your work? If so, any chance I could get a copy of the patch with the Kinect part?

Many thanks,
Toby

@tobyclbain This should be what you are looking for Toby......
http://www.workinprogress.ca/guitar-neck-tracking-gesture-recognition/
all bits downloadable!
David.

@tobyclbain Not sure if the patch is still working also it's not just pd, but also a software (Gesture toolkit kit) + a library (kinect stuff). Kind of a mess, good luck.

Thanks guys!!