MagicArt + OGL GUI
Drs. Richard van Balen
SOFTWARE ARTIST Software becomes ART |
Richard van Balen was described by his computer science professor at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) as the most talented software designer he had ever met.
In addition to Scientific Software Engineer, he is also a medical Biologist with specialisations in Neurology, Quantitative Pathology and Medical Informatics. With his artistic, almost hypnotic, mobile 3D app MagicArt Relax he will try to help the world with stress reduction ( Investor / Marketeer wanted ! ). In this report you will find more information and videos about MagicArt Relax and the OpenGL based OGL GUI Window System with incredibly fast 2D / 3D image manipulation and display. |
MagicArt Relax App
MagicArt Relax, a 3D animated anti-stress app, offers 9 magical, calming and visually pleasing, digital animated works of abstract 3D ART, with relaxing music.
In many people, after a short period of time, the eyes automatically begin to detect and follow the constantly new appearing patterns of color and motion. As a result, the brain stops thinking of other things, resulting in pleasant relaxation.
Each work of ART comes in 4 variations, totalling 36 relaxing artistic 3D animations.
In many people, after a short period of time, the eyes automatically begin to detect and follow the constantly new appearing patterns of color and motion. As a result, the brain stops thinking of other things, resulting in pleasant relaxation.
Each work of ART comes in 4 variations, totalling 36 relaxing artistic 3D animations.
- Healthier and cheaper than anti-stress medication.
- Relaxing at home or on bus, train and long flights.
- Distraction while in hospital or in waiting rooms.
- Time flies while watching!
Try to see if it works for you.
Watch, Listen & Relax!
Watch, Listen & Relax!
Anti-Stress Software
Stress is a huge problem worldwide and there are countless people who have difficulty mentally switching off to calm down. This leads to many health problems. Among other things, to sleep problems, because without switching off you will not get the relaxation you need before going to sleep.
The visual system is very profound in humans. A whopping 30% of the cerebral cortex is reserved for visual perception, only 3% for hearing. As a neurobiologist, he knew that if the eye is intensely following something, it will draw complete attention and automatically prevent the brain from thinking about other things. This is the basis of the MagicArt Relax app. It shows almost 1000 colored triangles that gracefully move to the tune of relaxing music, whereby new color and movement patterns constantly emerge. In many (but not all) people, the eye automatically searches for and follows these patterns, which brings the brain to rest and provides a pleasant relaxation. This can help you fall asleep, but it can also help to overcome a tense mood during day-time after a difficult negotiation or after an argument that generates violent emotions and anger. Prelude
Long ago, in 2000, Drs. Van Balen was asked by his former employer and computer science professor at the University of Amsterdam whether it was possible to significantly speed up the display of images on computer monitors. Because the faculty group research subject is concerned with searching for images in extensive image and video archives, the need for faster image manipulation and display was very high.
Since it became standard at the time that every desktop computer was equipped with a graphics card, it was obvious to try and see how much faster the display and the manipulation of images would be if this was done directly on the graphics card rather than being handled by the CPU as was normally the case. Vertical Divider
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A Sensational Result
At that time, the CPU in MsWindows systems was not even able to manipulate two large images simultaneously, such as zooming and panning, or rotating the images without stuttering.
After a short training period to learn the OpenGL language, which allows to program the graphics card in a platform independent way, the results were sensational. On an ordinary desktop computer of ca. $600 USD it was suddenly possible to manipulate thousands of images smoothly in real time. When he showed the results, for example in a demo program where 1000 cubes danced around with his picture on each side of the cube in virtual 3D space (see video below), the spectators thought the PC was a Science Workstation costing well over $50.000 USD. Everyone was completely amazed when they learned that it was a computer costing ca. $600 that you can buy in any electronics store. Software becomes ART
This demo program turns into abstract Art if you show coloured cubes instead of pictures. It was quickly discovered what a relaxing effect this coloured abstract Art had. After 5 minutes, some people had trouble keeping their eyes open and many spoke of a hypnotic effect. It was also found that time seemed to pass faster when watching (time flies effect). At the time it had even been considered whether this stress-reducing software Art form could be used commercially, for example in relaxation rooms in wellness hotels or in waiting rooms of doctors or dentists, but also to relax patients in a hospital. Only much later, after the smart phone revolution, did he take up this idea again and developed the MagicArt Relax mobile app. Coming soon: Download a free demo version "MagicArt 147 Relax" with 3 of the 9 artworks to see for yourself how it affects you. |
From Image Manipulation to
OpenGL GUI Windowing-System
OpenGL GUI Windowing-System
OGL Fluid GUI
A 3D Carousel with OGL Demos
A 3D Carousel with OGL Demos
The OGL GUI Windowing System
Because of the sensational success that it was now possible to manipulate thousands of images in real time instead of only a few, the university asked Drs. Richard van Balen to further build on this. He then single-handedly developed a versatile GUI windowing system that, in reference to being completely programmed in OpenGL to run on the graphics card, was called "OGL GUI" (pronounced Oggel Gooey).
Easy Programmable (C++/Java)
The OGL GUI Windowing System was structured such that students and scientists working in the department could develop impressive and visually demanding applications with little effort and in a simple manner.
OGL GUI offers a toolkit that supports standardized image manipulations both in a virtual 3D world and in a 2D environment. 3D image objects and 2D image objects can easily be placed and manipulated at a specific 2D / 3D position. Tagging Based Manipulation To prevent that everyone has to figure out how to manipulate these image objects, OGL is designed in such a way that with a tagging system, with tags such as RotatableTag, ZoomableTag, SelectableTag, DestroyableTag, MovableTag, etc., you only have to specify what the user is allowed to do with each of the objects. The OGL Toolkit then handles all the interactions/work for everything the tags allow.
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The programmer can also define custom tags and assign them to 2D/3D image objects. This then allows to manipulate all image objects with a specific tag or tag combination: for example, select, rotate, zoom etc. all objects with the "UserGreenTag", or move this object group fluently to a new position.
The advantage of this set-up is that the OGL system is very easy to program. The GUI components, such as sliders and buttons, are also very easy and intuitive to use. The Holy Grail: Truly Reusable Components The special thing about OGL is that every OGL component can be integrated into any other component. In addition, every OGL application automatically forms an OGL component and is therefore reusable. The video above shows a demo where different OGL examples are put together in a 3D carousel.
UvA Research Search in Image/Video Archives You can see how suitable OGL is for visually impressive applications in the video below. It shows the Similar Images & Concept Browser, which you can use to search for visually similar images or specific image concepts in an extensive image archive. Please note the extremely fluid graphical user interface (Fluid GUI), a concept that Apple made popular in 2007 with the iPhone.
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Similar Images & Concept Browser
Fluid GUI by Drs. R. van Balen