Found Connections is an interactive installation where users can explore a social network in an augmented reality video display. Each user is given a “paddle” with a tracking marker printed on it. A video camera tracks the markers and overlays character icons from a popular TV show in the virtual mirror video display. The markers are tracked in 3-dimensional space and lines representing the different relationships between the characters are displayed connecting them. As different combinations of characters are detected in the space, audio clips of dialog between those characters are triggered.

This installation presents an alternate way for fans of the television show to discover the relationships between their favourite characters and creates a hybrid virtual/real space.

Found Connections YouTube Video

Technologies used:

• Custom C++ code
• OpenGL for 3D graphics
• ARToolkit for augmented reality marker tracking
• Max/MSP for sound synthesis
• UDP network socket for communication between tracking/graphics software and audio synthesis
• USB Webcam

Found Connections is a collaboration of Michael Ang, Joshua Dickens, David Bamford and Karl Channell.

• TV of Tomorrow Show 2009 - March, 2009 (FoundConnectionsTVofTomorrow)
  • Behind the scenes video (flickr)

• Networked Performance Blog - 2005
• ITP Winter Show 2005 - 2005