The following are all multimedia projects developed by Aidan for offline delivery. Many are site-specific installations developed during his employment at the Queensland Art Gallery. If you would like to learn more about this projects, please contact us. Selected projects are featured below:
Featured projects:
'Secret Agent Society' e-Learning
Climate Smart Retail e-Learning
DJ Scratch Booths
'Photo Booth Portraits'
'15 Seconds of Fame'
'I am Talvin Singh'
'Light and Easy Brisbane'
Prime 2004
Maze
Department of Families
Secret Agent Society has been announced as a finalist in the 16th AIMA Awards (Best Learning and Education).
While working at Liquid Interactive Aidan was lead developer for ‘Secret Agent Society’, a large-scale educational program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The premise is that participants are trained to become ‘secret agents’ and in doing so are educated about the recognition of emotional gestures and the expression of feelings and other interpersonal skills. This is taught through dozens of engaging activities over four major gameplay levels.
Programming software of this magnitude involved a considered approach to development. Features included:
- Custom development of many shared classes that apply to common functionality and global assets amongst the game.
- Saving/importing and exporting of user ‘profiles’ that allow users to save their journey through the game the resume later. The profiles also constantly record a high level of detail as to the user’s progress through the game for teacher evaluation/examination.
- Programming of an image editing activity that works much like a miniature ‘Photoshop’, allowing the addition and manipulation of countless image layers.
- Integration of large amounts of 3D footage (animated by Liquid Animation), and the creation of interactive narratives with this footage.
- Programming of interactive games, as well as sophisticated and unique e-learning activities.
LAUNCH
YEAR: 2009
COPYRIGHT: Social Skills Training Institute
ROLE: Lead Programmer
This project involved the development of an e-learning program used as part of Queensland Government’s ClimateSmart campaign to educate retailers in energy efficiency.
Aidan developed a series of re-usable and externally controllable AS3 Flash interactive assets (roleplays, quizzes, drag-and-drops and other activities) as well as all HTML/CSS styling that was applied to the program.
The program is open by registration of targeted participants only and not accessible to the public.
YEAR: 2009
ROLE: Programming
Aidan designed 10 DJ ‘scratch booths’ as the major attraction of the ‘Contemporary Media Lounge’ at the Gallery of Modern Art. This technically challenging undertaking involved programming the control of digital turntables via both serial and MIDI interfaces.
The end result proved to be both robust and extremely popular with teenage and young adult audiences, allowing them to ‘scratch’ and filter music using both a touch screen interface and turntable platter. Ryan Taylor provided the interface design which was then implemented in Flash by Dan Triechel.
Read an article about the DJ Scratch Booths as featured on 'The Cool Hunter'.
LAUNCH
Sample flash interface (designed for touch interface, functionality omitted)
YEAR: 2008
ROLE: Coordination, programming, concept development
Presented as part of a Warhol exhibition, this computer-based interactive photographed then digitally modified the participant, allowed them to choose a preferred colour scheme, then specify an email address to send their Warhol inspired ‘Photo Booth Portrait’.
Aidan developed the concept then designed and programmed this enormously successful activity, from which more than 110,000 portraits were generated and emailed over a 5-month period.
YEAR: 2007
ROLE: Coordination, programming, concept development
Aidan programmed software where participants are video recorded for a short period of time before the footage is filtered then projected back to them at half the original speed. Audiences found this simple re-enactment of motion captivating to watch as it emulates Andy Warhol’s process in the creation of his ‘Screen Test’ artworks.
Extensive preparation and testing was commited to the development of this activity. Aidan also utilized serial communication with an IO board, and worked with Phil WIlson (electrician) to integrate relay switches to control lighting as part of the interactive experience.
YEAR: 2007
ROLE: Coordination, programming, concept development
‘I am Talvin Singh’ was created in collaboration with UK/Indian musician Talvin Singh, and installed on six touchscreens within 'The Fifth Asia–Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’. Visitors remix Talvin’s music by triggering up to twelve videos (produced by Browndog Productions) of the artist playing different musical instruments.
Alongside coordinating the project, Aidan developed a platform for the interactive using QuickTime and Director. The application combined a intuitive interface with solid technical function, maintaining synchronicity and no latency in a heavy use environment.
LAUNCH Video Documentation
YEAR: 2006
ROLE: Coordination, programming, concept development
This computer-based interactive is based on the work of Chinese artist Yang Zhenzhong, and allows children to appear as though they are holding up a bus. With the help of ‘Scoots’ the animated exhibition mascot, visitors can then use the interactive to photograph this illusion and email it to a friend.
Fiona Lee illustrated the character and interface, Kate Ryan provided concept development and production support while Aidan Robertson co-ordinated, animated and programmed the project.
Building a robust solution was necessary as it involved incorporating live video, flash, run-time FTP, email and image processing. During the course of the exhibit a total of 30,000 emails were sent from the interactive.
LAUNCH
Sample email sent from interactive
Sample flash interface (camera and email functionality ommitted)
YEAR: 2006
ROLE: Coordination, programming, animation, concept development
This project was featured in the ‘Prime lounge’ at the Queensland Art Gallery as a part of 'Prime', a multi-arts event for young people aged 13-25. It allowed users to remix audio composed by dance outfit ‘Kid Kay Ferris’ (now The Famous). Users interacted with a touchscreen to produce amplified music and synchronised, projected visuals.
Aidan also created a website for the event.
YEAR: 2004
ROLE: Coordination, programming, animation, concept development
LAUNCHVideo Documentation Clip (1.9 MB)
Aidan worked with the Art Gallery to produce a joystick-controlled interactive activity as part of ‘Play: An Exhibition for Children’. Project involved extensive and well planned Lingo scripting.
YEAR: 2001
ROLE: Programming, animation, concept development
Aidan assisted in the production of this multimedia exhibit for the Queensland Government Department of Families. The installation was featured in a pavillion of the RNA show. Work undertaken included the fabrication and wiring of physical sensors for children to stand on to activate the game, as well as programming to allow the sensors to interface with the computer.
YEAR: 2002
ROLE: Sensor construction and installation, programming
© Copyright 2009 Aidan Robertson
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