CUGR Proposal Draft – New Media Capstone

FIRST DRAFT

Version 1.5

ABSTRACT

I want to create a device that allows K-12 students to experience an essential aspect of animation, the keyframe. Students aren’t exposed to the concept of keyframes unless they take a specialized class, and I want to create an easy to use device that allows someone with no prior experience with animation to experience the potential expression opportunities that come with animation.

THE PROBLEM

K-12 Students have little to no exposure to the creative potential of Adobe products prior to College. A large portion of Adobe products utilizes keyframes in order to carry out actions based on the user’s decisions over a segment of time. If younger students had a tactile, interactive method of animating for school projects and for leisure, not only does that open new avenues of creativity, but it could inspire kids to learn more about Adobe products and get a head start in the world of animation at a young age. This kind of preparation is vital if a student should suddenly show interest in the Adobe Suite. Certain college classes cover the basics of animation through the Adobe Suite, but if a student comes to this class with some form of prior knowledge, then the potential for growth in their skills increases dramatically.

http://inservice.ascd.org/10-reasons-to-use-animation-in-the-classroom/

OTHER SOLUTIONS

https://www.digitalmediaacademy.org/3d-modeling-design-and-animation-camps/

https://www.digitalmediaacademy.org/filmmaking-photography-camps/adventures-in-animation/

https://quickdrawanimation.ca/courses-and-programs/courses-and-workshops/summer-animation-camps/

All these courses teach fundamentals of animation to students; however, these are all registered classes that involve a lot of preparation and costs parents a few hundred dollars. My idea will bring a tool of creation into the classroom for students to develop their ideas and convey a story on their own time with the help of their own teachers. These classes will go into higher detail about animation and how to use the software provided, but I am trying to gently introduce the concept of keyframes to students who may have no prior knowledge.

YOUR SOLUTION

With my project, I hope to create a fun, engaging, straightforward, and easy to use tool for animation that will introduce students to the concept of creating and manipulating keyframes. I want to create a humanoid mannequin that can be moved into any realistic position and be able to take the precise movements in the joints of the mannequin and translate them into a character on a screen. From that point, I want the user to be able to take each position and keyframe them, allowing anyone to create a character animation without knowing how to construct or rig a character in After Effects, and get an early understanding on how keyframes work. My knowledge of Arduino and character animation will help me construct multiple prototypes, and I plan to have easy to understand buttons with clear indication on their purpose to add/remove keyframes and advance/rewind the timeline for animation. With this tool, students will be able to animate their own stories and ideas and open new avenues for expression in their futures.

TASKS

Tasks	Expanded
Preliminary research	Explore previous projects and gain inspiration
Design guide Check	Explore key values/ consider human sensitivities
Research Unity	Gain knowledge in the aspects of the Unity environment
Practice animation in Unity	Gain proficiency in modeling and animating in Unity
Sketch prototype	Draw several models of animation figure including Arduino components and 3D printed components
Assemble Circuitry	Prototype with an Arduino and several Potentiometers and begin mapping values
Establish Serial Communication	Research Unity and Arduino code to establish a software serial link from Arduino to Unity
Create Character Skeleton	Begin constructing a character in Unity to use as a Puppet for Serial Communication
Upgrade Arduino Code	Understand how many joints need to be represented by Potentiometers in the Physical model and create timeline control panel. implement
Upgrade Arduino Code	Understand how many joints need to be represented by Potentiometers in the Physical model, implement
Software.Serial Check	Make sure serial communication is maintained with additional potentiometer, make code adjustments as needed
Physical prototype	Build a wooden figure including Arduino components and check to see if manipulation of figure translates to Unity skeleton
Map values	Adjust limbs of wooden figure to match Unity skeleton, adjust component values so that the movement of the wooden figure maps to the movement of the Unity Skeleton
Research/Outsource 3D printing	Begin research on 3D printing, if time becomes a factor, hire someone.
Design Mannequin Limbs in 3D	Use a 3D modeling software to construct limbs that encase Arduino components, put together
Final Test	Check to see that

NEEDS

For this project, I will need a computer to develop models on which I already have. I will also need to train myself in the use of Unity and 3D modeling software. The hardest part of this project is going to be either teaching myself how to 3D print or finding and hiring someone to do it for me. The exhibition space required to present a project like this could be as small as a table to set my mannequin upon, or a large projector to show my Unity animation screen on.