MCS

Author: mweier

  • Explorations in generative design

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    mweier

    Nervous System is a fantastic experimental design studio unlike most others. They use new technologies to reinterpret natural phenomena, prototyping and mass-producing 3d objects such as light fixtures, jewelry and sculpture from mathematical processes. Most of their designs look as if they were copied from a biology book because, in a way, they were. Various…

  • Computational Artists

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    mweier

    I had the pleasure of attending the FlashBelt conference on interaction design, architecture and computer generative art.   What is computer-generative art?  Using computers to write tools to create art.  Within these tools are algorithms and interactivity designated to translate images in new ways, to recursively add geometry, and even to translate soundwaves into visuals.…

  • Mandelbrot sets. Up close and 3D

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    mweier

    Recursive algorithms are pretty to look at alone based on their simplicity and power.  Fractals drive this home on a visual level, though historically they’ve focused more on how to fit every color of the rainbow and less on the intricate forms within. All this has changed thanks to this stunning site which reveals incredibly…

  • Moebius Transformations, Visualized in 3d

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    mweier

    This short animation on youtube has a very interesting visualization of Moebius transformations which shows how they can be directly projection mapped to emanate from a 3d sphere.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX3VmDgiFnY&NR=1

  • XKCD – a Math Comic/Blog for those not already in the know

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    mweier

    While it’s anything but consistent (randomness abounds from comic to comic) you may want to check out XKCD – a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language by Randall Munroe, a CNU Physics Graduate who has been through the trenches of sorting algorithms, number theory, and more. He varies from very funny to bizarre to…

  • GAC Alum on Web2.0’s role in shaping Politics

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    mweier

    Jon-David Schlough (GAC ’00) is one of the many GAC alums who I know that, while not a CS major, has gone on to work in the internet communications industry here in the Twin Cities. His latest work for the Al Franken campaign’s online presence is at last connecting his knowledge of web technologies with…

  • Edwin A. Abbot’s Flatland – the Film(s)?

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    mweier

    For those mcs students who have ever struggled with the idea of n-dimensional spaces, Edwin Abbot Abbot wrote an interesting novel regarding the evolution of dimension. In Flatland, he explores the notion of 2-dimensional civilizations being brought into contact with 3-dimensional civilization. Since the book’s been around since 1884, you can read Flatland it in…

  • Math Music Videos

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    mweier

    Any of you familiar with musician Jonathon Coulton may know that he’s got a flair for tongue in cheek, obscure errata, and a prodigious amount of work (in one project, he released a song a week for over a year). At any rate, I wanted to start by not so much to glorify Jonathon Coulton…

  • Job Opening for Multimedia Coder in Minneapolis

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    mweier

    Pixel Farm Interactive, the interactive multimedia agency I work for downtown in the warehouse district of minneapolis is in the process of hiring a qualified Flash/javascript programmer. I thought I’d post the opening here for any ’06 or earlier grads to check out. There is a lot of growth in the web and cdrom industry…

  • Difference Engines out of Toys?

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    mweier

    As you may or may not know, one of the first calculators (abacus excluded) was a giant gear-laden monstrosity conceived of computing pioneer Charles Babbage back in the early 1800’s. His “difference engine” used gears to calculate 7th order polynomials to 31 digits of accuracy. here are a few modern attempts at using his logic…