Pong becomes a musical and visual game, assigning sounds and images to each of the two players involved. These sounds and images compete to get control over the playground. When a player takes the lead in the game, his sounds are played more often, and his images and movies will appear more frequently. The looser's sounds become more distorted, ...
The BigEye software, developed by Steim in Amsterdam, is a tool for translating video information into computer-events. Video input is digitized and the computer tracks the movements of selected objects in real-time. The Farmers use the Pong puck movement and other game parameters to generate sounds, display images, play movies, ... For more information on the BigEye, spam steim@xs4all.nl and mention Young Farmers Claim Future as a recommendation.
The Digital Documentary
Genetic Sound BreedingEditing sound generators can be a dull and time-consuming job, even with the editors Young Farmers programmed for this purpose. A large amount of interdependent parameters is involved and a small perturbation in one parameter can cause a tremendous change in the color of the edited sound (this definitely sounds like chaos). As a matter of fact, the editing of such a sound generating machine can be seen as the optimization of a complex multi-parameter problem where optimal means this sounds great to the composer.
Until recently the optimization of complex multi-parameter problems was handled using calculus-based, enumerative, and random search methods. In some cases these methods do not yield the desired results. Research suggests the need for optimization techniques based on the genetic notion of the survival of the fittest. The resulting techniques are referred to as genetic algorithms.
In genetic algorithms, the parameter set of the complex multi-parameter problem is encoded as a string (genes). Solving the problem starts with the selection of a population of strings (parameters are accorded values). This population can breed a new generation, exchanging string information (crossover). Some mutations can take place during this breeding process. The society thus obtained is set to breed a next generation. From now on, only those strings containing the most optimal information for the problem to be solved (fittest), are allowed to reproduce. Repeating this simple technique for some generations can yield optimal solutions.
This is the technique Young Farmers wish to use, in order to create new sounds for their sound generators. While drinking a nice cup of black coffee, the Farmers will allow their sound-parameter-strings to blind-date in a cosy digital environment. From time to time the Farmers will peep at the intimate activities and allow only the hottest sounds to breed for a new generation.
Correct information on Genetic Algorithms can be found in:
Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization and Machine Learning. (David E. Goldberg)
The following article in Leonardo (Vol. 26, Number 4, 1993) covering the realisation of a digital micromovie, proved to be enlightening:
Orchestrating Digital Micromovies (Glorianna Davenport, Ryan Evans, Mark Halliday from MIT's Media Lab)
Also of interest for this realisation:
The Dynamics of Dialogue (1990, Ivana Markova and Klaus Foppa)
The CD
All this material is property of Young Farmers Claim Future and may only be abused with permission:
Young Farmers Claim Future
Herbert Van de Sompel & Guy c. Jules Van Belle
Herbert.VandeSompel@rug.ac.be