Monday, May 31, 2010

every little bit counts

i met a man at a parking ticket dispensing machine 2 weeks ago. he was pressing at the buttons vigorously, trying to get his ticket printed, and he pondered aloud, why wasn't it printing. i asked if he had entered his car license number. he tried again but that wasn't it. then it hit him, he didn't insert the minimum payment. so he did and the out came the ticket. he looked triumphant. meanwhile, i muttered under my breath, darn, i'm short 20 cents. he immediately turned to me and handed me the rest of his coins. i refused at first but he smiled and insisted. i thanked him profusely though it was just a few coins, he owed me nothing but left me deeply moved by this simple act of kindness. this young malay man has inspired me, that every little bit of kindness counts and that kindness transcends all...

Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.

- Adam Gordon

i'm glad on this day that i recall this little story, to have read this little poem and to have this opportunity to share...

Sunday, May 23, 2010

daydreams at night

i really hate these moments at night where i lie awake in bed and just day-dream
i'm usually thinking about absurd things, things that i want happen but never will
i think about someone and my thoughts wander, playing out scenarios and conversations
i think about the things i've done and things i should have done, all so regretful and hopeful
i think about the world, about how it was and how its so simple then but not so now, its very disturbing
i think about where we're all heading, betting that all beliefs are wrong but yet hoping that something makes sense in the end
i'm thinking about my calling, about how i don't really live up to my expectations
expectations that i suspect are all shaped by everything around me, such that i'm not sure if its mine to call
i'm thinking my job is simple, but everyone tells me i can do better, live better elsewhere
so much so that i actually believe and try to act on it, but i'm hesitant, i question my nature
i'm thinking how will i live as i age, my body no longer agreeing with me, perhaps it never did
i wish i could make it do what i want, i wish i could just replace the parts that are broken
i wish i could look differently, think differently, feel differently, act differently, all perfect
~sigh
i really hate these restless nights when my head roams and it leads to nowhere but just tired days in the office...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

the ice cream man

the ice cream man rides up to the boy standing eagerly by the roadside
his signature jingle playing over loudly i could hear it from the 8th
i imagine the man asks, "what would you like today son?"
"a chocolate flavoured one for myself and a strawberry one for my sis please"
the man smiles, pops open a little cover and reaches into the metal box
out comes two treats in wrappers, one brown and one pink, he holds it in front of him
the boy, eyes wide, gleefully moves closer with coins clenched warmly in his palm
the man drops the ice cream, snaps forward and grabs the boy by the wrist
with his left, he gagged the boy with a chemical laced white handkerchief
the boy struggles for a short moment before going limp, dropping the coins
the ice cream man scans around for witnesses before kicking open the bottom of the box
and swiftly pushes the boy into the secret compartment, then closes it
he scans around again, wipes his brow as he starts up his little vehicle
he putters away, innocent jingle playing, none the wiser, treats melt into the road
i wonder how long it would take before the repeating jingle drives someone mad...

Sunday, May 2, 2010

augmented reality display

idea by me

virtual displays using a 3D anchor for distance, size and 3-axis angle placement.

devices:
1. sensory and display eyeglasses:
- stereoscopic high definition cameras mounted on both the left and right sides of the frame, used to capture moving images particularly the distinct image of the anchor.
- transparent or semi-opaque LCD lens to display processed image (overlay over the image of the anchor while parts not covered by image remains transparent).
- 3 accelerometers to allow for accurate head 3-axis movement sensing and positioning.
- wire connected to a processing unit to send stereo image and accelerometer information to it as well as receive audio signals from the processor.
- directional head phone stubs that project audio to the ears. stubs are located near the ear cups for private audio transmissions.
2. processing unit:
- wireless transceiver that receives display data from the anchor and sends instructions to the anchor.
- wire connected to eyeglasses that receives stereo image and accelerometer information for processing and also transmit audio signals to the eyeglasses.
- high speed real time processor that computes the positioning and size of the image to display on the eyeglasses.
3. anchor:
- 3-coloured (red,green,blue) cubes suspended in open space on a stand connected to a base.
- wireless tranceiver on the base to transmit display image and audio to the processing unit as well as receive instructions from the processing unit.
- wired connection to another device (e.g. computer) that generates the image for display.
4. algorithm:
- display image is transmitted with a template cube size.
- size of the image to be displayed is based on the relative size of the cubes calculated against the template cube size. perceived distance is emulated by sizing the image.
- image real-time tilt and roll is calculated based on the 3 eyeglass accelerometers and their relative changes to each other as well as gravity.
- image real-time rotation is based on the relative sizes of the cubes captured by the stereoscopic cameras on the eyeglasses.
- processing unit validates the positioning and size of image by modelling the 3 cubes in a virtual stage and then projects/overlays the result on the image on the eyeglasses.
- tri-coloured cubes give the processor imaging hints such as hue, shadows, lighting, contrast to allow a more life-life image.

diagrams to follow...

downside:
1. not a true depth display, e.g. objects actually in front of the anchor will actually get obscured by the projected image - can be mitigated by blue/green screen behind the anchor.
2. there will always be a noticeable lag unless processing performance is incredible.