Attendees Experience New Technologies at the SIGGRAPH 2013 Studio

Studio sessions at SIGGRAPH 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, offer a collaborative working environment and  give attendees a chance to come together to learn, experiment, and create.  Attendees can try out a wide range of new techniques and media in 3D printing, modeling, mobile devices, and animation software and get help from experienced hands.

“Studio is a stand-out program at SIGGRAPH year after year,” said Patricia Clark, SIGGRAPH 2013 Studio Chair from Arizona State University. “It’s an adult technology playground.  It’s more than just seeing the new technology and what it can produce, but attendees also have the chance to collaborate and work side-by-side with experienced professionals that they may not have ever had the chance to meet before.”

Below are a few highlights of each facet of SIGGRAPH 2013’s robust Studio sessions.

Studio Talks
Attendees get a behind-the-scenes look at Studio-related technologies, artwork, and concepts and have the chance to discuss the technologies with the presenters. Attendees can choose from a sampling of the offerings below or view the full list of Studio Talks here. 

Playing Audrey II: Creating a Digital Actor Through Game Technology
Monica Evans and Kathryn Evans, The University of Texas at Dallas

This talk discusses how a team of faculty and students used digital game technology, motion capture, and facial animation to create a fully realized digital actor (the man-eating plant Audrey II from the musical “Little Shop of Horrors”) that performed on-stage with live actors in November 2012.

The Bleeding Edge of 3D Printing and Digital Fabrication
Daniel Collins and Don Vance, Arizona State University; Robert Michael Smith, New York Institute of Technology; John William Penn, JWP Design

This presentation provides an overview of new directions in 3D printing and digital fabrication. It includes short video clips of a variety of different systems.

Red Ball - Performing With iPads
Marla Schweppe, Rochester Institute of Technology; Darren Stevenson, PUSH Physical Theatre

PUSH Physical Theatre, a Rochester-based group, added iPads to their traditional tools of magic, mime, and movement in the performance of Red Ball. They added five iPads to the mix, performing with graphics created by Marla Schweppe.

Studio Workshops
Attendees engage a series of in-depth, intimate workshops, taught by the best in the industry. Attendee highlights include the following, or see the full list of Studio Workshops here.

Make Mobile Apps Quickly
Gil Irizarry, Conoa, Inc.

Using a variety of free open-source tools, build mobile apps quickly and easily.

3D Scanning and Fine Tooning With FaceGen
Ketrina Yim, PhaseSpace, Inc.

Using high-resolution video capture and software from FaceGen, Autodesk MotionBuilder, and other vendors, Ketrina Yim works with attendees to create 3D characters from their own faces and animate them in real time with live expressions by building a facial rig inside MotionBuilder.

3D Data Capture
Daniel Collins, Aubrey Wigner, and Joseph Hudy,  Arizona State University; Dan Gustafson, NextEngine, Inc.; Denise Grauzinis-Bartels, 4D Dynamics Bvba; Chris Lane, 3dMD

A hands-on demonstration of the various 3D data capture devices in Studio 3D.

Studio Projects
Attendees get hands on experience with the following technologies.  See the full list of Studio Projects here.

Air Painting & More: Revolutionary New Ways to Paint!
Jeremy Sutton, Sutton Studios & Gallery

Experience air painting with the Leap Motion Controller and Corel Painter Freestyle, an exciting new digital-painting paradigm in which you control your brush strokes through finger movements in the air, plus the latest in photo painting with Corel Painter and painting on the iPad.

CUMOS+: Cubic Kaleidoscope Workshop
Minori Yamazaki, Keisuke Shuto,Junichi Kanebako, and Hiroko Uchiyama, Joshibi University of Art and Design

In this workshop for producing cubic kaleidoscopes, attendees draw pictures on a computer and use a cutting plotter to cut them into polycarbonate mirrors. Then they incorporate colorful light into the interior of the cubic kaleidoscope, using color-seal film and permanent-marker pens.

Pi Drums
Barry Moon, Hilary Harp, and Byron Lahey, Arizona State University; Miller Puckette, University of California, San Diego

PI Drums are ordinary drums transformed into programmable electronic instruments. Program your own interactive musical interfaces using the Pure Data graphical programming environment and Raspberry PI computers.

Romibo Robot Project
Aubrey Shick, Carnegie Mellon University

Social robot therapy is known to benefit individuals with autism, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and other social and emotional disabilities. The Romibo mobile robot allows attendees to enjoy participating in the evolution and development of this technology by contributing personal experiences and expertise through clever hacks.

Interactive Card-Weaving Design and Construction Yuki Igarashi
Jun Mitani, University of Tsukuba

An interactive system to assist design of original weaving patterns and their construction. Users can design the color of each warp yarn, the direction of four yarns passing through each card, and the direction and number of rotations of the cards.

Interview With SIGGRAPH 2011 The Studio Chair: Chris Williams

Following is a brief conversation with Chris Williams, The Studio Chair from Knowledge Adventure! (pictured at right).

He currently is their Creative Director and attended the University of California, Riverside.


For someone who is new to SIGGRAPH, what should they expect from their Studio experience this year?

This year is going to be spectacular! It is all about D.I.Y. wrapped in a Steampunk theme. The Studio has always been about getting hands-on experience with all types of equipment that one may not normally encounter in their daily lives. This year we took it a step further by focusing on cool technology and techniques that anyone could do themselves. One doesn’t need a $250,000 3D printer for rapid prototyping; you can start experimenting with something such as a $1,200 Makerbot. Since it comes in kit form, it allows for complete understanding of the technology during the construction process. It is great to discover that technology isn’t magic hidden behind a black box. Anyone can have access to it.

Not only does The Studio have some of the coolest toys at SIGGRAPH, but we also have some amazingly creative people. We have individuals from all over the world and from every discipline who are passionate about teaching and collaborating with other creative individuals. The Studio is the prefect venue for large exchanges of ideas.

When did you first come to SIGGRAPH and what specifically clicked in your brain that it was a good fit?

I first came to SIGGRAPH over 10 years ago when it was in Los Angeles. I was in awe with the assemblage of so many creative people in one place. I thought I found seventh heaven when I stumbled on the Studio. It was full of wonderful technology that attendees could use, experiment with, and learn on. There was the latest software, futuristic hardware, and a creative buzz that filled the air. I found that I was signing up for every workshop possible and ended up spending almost all of my time at SIGGRAPH there. I have never left.

How will it be the same or different from prior years?

The Studio will always be based on a “hands-on” area where technology is fueled by fun creative energy. This year is no exception! We have a host of donated equipment and software that attendees can try out, learn about and experiment with. The main difference this year is that we were heavily involved with the Unified Jury. It was a great experience to review and select projects, talks and workshops that would best fit inside The Studio. Along with curated venues, the juried selections promise to bring incredible talent together and a sharing of ideas.
What is one … or a few …. of the most special aspects of The Studio to you personally?

The Studio volunteers as well as the presenters! Each year, I love returning to SIGGRAPH, The Studio and working with, problem-solving with, creating with, such talented people. It really is like returning home and seeing old friends and family. Everyone who volunteers their time, equipment, and software really cares about teaching and sharing with others new technology and ideas. That is pretty special. That is SIGGRAPH.

Past attendees’ comments mentioned that the Studio atmosphere was a bit chaotic, how have you tried to address that this year?

What is great about The Studio is that it is always a bit chaotic. Even with all of the endless hours of planning, most of the donations and workshops aren’t finalized till the 11th hour. It should be commended the amount of corporate wrangling and solicitation it takes to host The Studio. Most of everything at The Studio is donated and all the time is volunteered. With that said, each year we outline new pipelines and procedures that will make for a more organized attendee experience.

Participating in the formalized venue of the Unified Jury was a monumental step in better organization. This year we have also tried to create a layout that allows for easy flow-through of traffic while encouraging exploration of each venue. Regardless, The Studio will be a fest for the mind.

What are some of the things you are most excited about in the Studio?

I am usually excited about getting “hands-on” experience with the latest technology and software. I look forward each year to which new 3D printer will be available or newest motion capture technique that will be in The Studio. This year, I am really looking forward to all of the great talks and presentations in The Studio!

I am incredibly excited that we will be starting off The Studio with the highly anticipated roundtable talk with Cory Doctorow moderating! We then continue the week will all sorts of industry talks, creative talks, hands on presentations, and fun workshops. I like that The Studio talks and presentations are a little more personal. Instead of being in a giant room with an industry legend on some tall far-away edifice, attendees are up close and personal and can ask questions. It is a little more interactive than just spectating.

What drew you to volunteer to be considered as The Studio Chair this year?

I wanted to give back! For years, The Studio has provided numerous techniques and experiences that I have been able to use in my professional life. I have learned many methods in The Studio and applied them in creating our company’s video games. Besides the obvious tips and tricks for 3D modeling and animation, there have been many non-obvious ones which include large format printing for advertising, pre-press printing and color correction for retail venues as well as lenticular imaging to showcase our 3D products. Because of the SIGGRAPH Studio, I was able to bring additional value to my company and colleagues. I find it an honor and privilege if I can help and teach others so they can benefit from the same experience.

On a personal level you have managed to stay with the same company for 16 years - which is rare in any industry – what makes it such a good fit and how have you done it?

I love the company that I work for, Knowledge Adventure! The company has been around for about 20 years during which it merged with Davidson and Blizzard (way before WOW) which then was acquired by Cendant, Havas, and finally Vivendi/Universal. I have had the benefit of working on all types of titles, licenses, and art styles. The work is hard, but we also play hard. The office is full of toys and we shoot Nerf guns at each other everyday. I have a great and incredibly talented team whom I would go through the "Gates of Hell" with.

We noticed you have an inspiration for talking spirits and skateboards, please elaborate on that interesting combination.

Creating Ouija boards and skateboards is a direct result of The Studio. While SIGGRAPH was in San Diego, a laser engraver was donated to The Studio and I fell in love with the sheer potential of the machine. For the next couple of months, I saved my pennies (lots) and bought my own laser. I liked the detail that the laser could give me so I wanted to produce art with incredibly intricate designs that I could combine with woodworking. The spirit boards came out of my fascination with the Victorian Era and the skateboards from growing up in California. I never would have been creating these boards without the experience gained from The Studio.

[Editor's note: Image on the left is one of his creations.]

Sources tell us that you have a particular passion for Circus Peanuts, any validity to this rumor?
I love Circus Peanuts and will consume about a bag a day. I use them as mini-brain batteries (in fact, I just ate four so I could write this :). I am naturally spastic, but I don’t think the “Peanuts” help matters. I love the taste, texture, and that they are a “fat free candy.” It is a “win – win”. The love is probably more about their texture as I dislike “peeps” and regular marshmallows (mushy).

The best is when someone tries them. It only happens once! They twist their faces up as soon as the sugar overload hits them (amateurs). They usually only finish half which usually means “more for me.”

Fun fact – When they were designing Lucky Charms, they first used bits of Circus Peanuts for the marshmallow addition. It was a success as they took longer to get soggy in milk. The rest is history. I also like Lucky Charm marshmallows but they are too small and too hard to get a good mouthful.

Usually when I say that I eat lots of circus peanuts, people often conclude it is the nutritious natural nut not a big squishy orange facsimile of a peanut. It’s like a cartoon peanut and that makes me happy.

Finally, to achieve your personal “Mission Accomplished” for The Studio in 2011, what would you hope attendees feel as they look back on their Studio experiences?

I would hope that attendees feel that they experienced many new and interesting technologies and techniques which they could bring back to their place of work and share with colleagues. In addition, I hope that they are inspired both technically and creatively by the workshops, sessions, presentations, and the people. I figure if they can take away a useful experience or technique that they can apply to their daily lives, then we have been successful.

[Editor's note: The Studio is packed with content including Studio Workshops, Digital Artistry Sessions, and Studio Talks. Attendees are encouraged to plan in advance as there will be limited capacity.]

Cory Doctorow Slotted to Help Open SIGGRAPH 2011 in The Studio

The Studio at SIGGRAPH 2011 is planning on kicking off this year’s conference with a Roundtable Chat on Sunday 7 August 2011 (12pm – 1:30pm) at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

The Studio is the place for technical experimentation and innovative creation. It’s where inventors, artists, and dreamers gather to experience the latest hands-on technologies to explore new possibilities and collaborate with other creative people.

With this in mind, The Studio has gathered a group of technologists, programmers, and creative entrepreneurs working within a variety of disciplines for a discussion that explores the past, present, and future of digital technologies.

Scheduled Moderator: Cory Doctorow, SIGGRAPH Keynote Speaker and a contributor to The Guardian, The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Wired, as well as co-editor of the popular blog Boing Boing.

Scheduled Participants:

• Hyeong-Seok Ko, SIGGRAPH Asia 2010 Conference Chair and founder/creator of the Digital Clothing software suite;

• Michael Raphael founder and President of Direct Dimensions, focusing on rapid solutions to 3D scanning

• Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways, the revolutionary company that has changed the 3D printing game worldwide.