Artefactos de Computación


"The fact that mathematics does such a good job of describing the Universe is a mystery that we don't understand. And a debt that we will probably never be able to repay."- Lord Kelvin, 1897


















I. Introduction

White Sands, New Mexico










 
II. Cosas que nunca existieron?

Computation
n.
The act of calculating.
Finding a solution to a problem using numerical methods .
Artifact
n.
An object created, used, or modified by humans. Especially something of historical interest.











III. Generating Computational Artifacts

Do not create the image, build the system that creates images.

Iteration, Combination, and Reintegration










IV. Friendly Technologies


Illustration from ExplodingDog.com - thanks!
vector based
fast drawing
ubiquity of Flash player

graphic / multimedia focus
deployable to web
large development communities
much much fun
bitmap based
fast calculations
native 3D support
sketch book, rapid development
Java extensible
free








 
V. Iteration

 
Binary Ring
Single simple path wandering object
Instantiated several thousand times
Resulting structure is inherently complex











Binary Ages (proce55ing)





Diffusion Limited Aggregation (DLA)
The sticky wandering particle
Hints of emergence...

Chroma DLA(swf) (Source: FLA)
 




Intersection Aggregate
Project with Reas, Hodgin, Ngan
Algorithmic construction
Plot the intersections of 100 slowly moving circles over time ...
 
Intersection Aggregate (proce55ing)
Intersection Momentary (proce55ing)







Sea Thing
Self-similar parts
Operating on same simple rule
Resulting behavior is emergent
Parts unaware of the whole

Sea Thing (swf) (Source: FLA)




Lorenz Attractor
Deterministic chaos
Sensitive to initial conditions
Strange attractor, five thousand iterations
Lorenz Attractor (swf) (Source: FLA)






Henon Phase Attractor
Drop particles into a transformation field
Expose the travel histories of hundreds of thousands of particles over time
Strange attractor, one million iterations

Henon Phase Space Deep (proce55ing)




Mandelbrot fractal
Iterated function system in the complex plane
Vast areas remain unexplored




Buddhabrot
Alternate rendering of the Mandelbrot
Invented in just the last few years
Strangest of all attractors
One hundred billion iterations (rendered over the course of six days)

 




Substrate
Simple rule, repeated endlessly
Growth patterns resemble tectonics, crystals, cities...

Substrate (proce55ing)








 
VI. Combination

All possible combinations.
 
 
 
Nine Block
16 basic elements
Arranged every possible way (as defined by a few simple rules)
Reveals a universe of 10,816 unique permutations

Nine Block
sorted (swf) (Source: FLA)
shuffled (swf) (Source: FLA)





Fractal Invader
Two basic elements (on or off block)
Arranged in 5x5 grid with lateral symmetry
Produces 32,768 unique invaders!

Invader Fractal (swf) (Source: FLA)
 









 
VII. Reintegration
The most mysterious form of complexity!
 
Fibonnaci sequence
Simple form of feedback
 



 
Simple Binary Network
No feedback


On / Off switches tied together randomly



Next state determined by previous state of connections, by these rules:
    If odd number of connected switches are On, switch On
    If even number of connected switches are On, switch Off



Simple Binary Network
(swf) (Source: FLA)
 
 
Complex Binary Network
Feedback, reentrant pathways

Binary Network Sound Machine
(swf) (Source: FLA)






Cellular Automata, One Dimension (+ time)
On/Off cells arranged in rows
State of cell determined by previous state + states of neighbors
     
     
Wolfram 8-bit 1D Cellular Automata (swf) (Source: FLA, CADeepField, RuleBox)
 
Cellular Automata, Multi-Dimensional (+ time)
Growth not restricted to one dimensional space
Values of cells not restricted to binary







Happy Place
Self-similar objects, allowed to combine at will
Results in both 'good' and 'bad' configurations
Left long enough, with fitness criteria applied, the best possible legged swimmer will emerge






Sand Traveler
Pursuit attractor
Hundreds of particles, all in pursuit of one another
 



Sand Traveler (proce55ing)
 




One Legged Creatures
Self-similar objects, allowed to combine at will
Results in both 'good' and 'bad' configurations
Left long enough, with fitness criteria applied, the best possible legged swimmer will emerge

Legged Creatures (swf) (Source: FLA)










Spring / Mass / Motor system
Complex structural forms from two simple elements
Add motors and sensors to see hints of life emerge...

Spring Mass System (swf) (Source: FLA)











VIII. Beyond the Computer
How do we preserve these artifacts?

A. Archive






B. Open Source





C. Physical Transformation
 

















IX. Conclusion


Best way to learn: Work By Example

The secret to success with programming: Do Not Give Up

Best way to master: Code Something Everyday

 
 
 
 











X. Resources

Personal Web Sites
Levitated Daily Source
www.levitated.net/daily/
Complexification | Gallery of Computation
www.complexification.net/gallery/

People and Places
Ed Burton is here at OFFF 2005!
sodaplay.com
Karl Sims
www.genarts.com/karl/
Exploding Dog
www.explodingdog.com
Obsolete Computer Museum
www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org
Processing
www.processing.org
University of Michigan 3D Lab
mu3d.ummu.umich.edu

Books
ActionScript: The Definitive Guide 2nd Edition
Colin Moock
ActionScript 2.0 Essentials
Colin Moock
The Fractal Geometry of Nature
Benoit Mandelbrot
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Douglas Hofstadter
The Web of Life
Fritjof Capra
These lecture notes available online:
levitated.net/notes/AOC/