Kids Moving Things on Screen with a Web Cam and Flash

There was a request to use Ostrich for helping sooth kids with trauma – sound like a good cause.  We put together a simple package to help the designer get under way.  It shows two MovieClips on stage that trigger camera motion.  This can be as many clips as you want.  You could then animate the clip, play a sound, etc.

Download Zip File Example

(still need to download Ostrich at right and have the files in the com directory installed in a folder in your Flash class path)

It becomes more tricky to have the clips move location – you would need to adjust the code to dispose of the MotionCursor object for the clip that has changed position and then make a new MotionCursor for it.  Certainly possible but tricky.

Ostrich Flash Lets Flash Designers and Developers Easily Capture Motion in a Webcam with Just Flash

Ostrich is a set of open source Adobe Flash classes that lets designers and developers easily capture Web cam motion – from even the cheapest of Web cams – and use that motion as a gesture interface or art pieces.  For instance, activating buttons or having effects follow your motion, etc.

Please see the videos available in the video link above that show Ostrich in use and discus the ActionScript code.  The code section provides a quick look at the code which is something like below:

// make an OstrichCamera object            
 myCamera = new OstrichCamera();    
 addChild(myCamera);            

 // make an OstrichCursor object (there are more parameters available)
 myCursor = new OstrichCursor(myCamera); 
 addChild(myCursor);  

That’s it. Now a cursor follows video motion.  This is really cool technology and has been around at least as long as Toronto’s David Rokeby premiered his very nervous system back in the 80’s of making music with gestures.  Toronto’s Gesture Tek is a world leader in gesture technologies with patents also stemming back to the 80’s.  The technique of using difference blend modes on successive Web cam frames was shown by Grant Skinner in Flash 8 a few years back at an FITC conference in Toronto.  Many thanks to these pioneers.  Various modifications and additions have been made in the Ostrich classes so enjoy!

Ostrich to Let Designers and Developers Capture Webcam Motion in Flash Launching in August!

Ostrich, the seventh in a series of advanced interface open source solutions will launch in August after Inventor Dan Zen goes to Hawaii to recover from the launching of six previous sites available at Flash Feathers – http://flashfeathers.wordpress.com and also linked to at right.

So have a look around – we look forward to bringing you Ostrich soon!

Fairy follows the fingers of Dan Zen - do you see the Ostrich?

FLASH FEATHERS

• ROBIN – multiuser chat and realtime game classes with Flash and PHP
• FALCON – easy data transfer between Flash and server scripts
• HUMMINGBIRD – parallax effect with mouse movement for 3D menus
• GOOSE – multitouch emulator and processor with just Flash and Browsers
• PENGUIN – tilt emulator and processor for tilt and translation apps
• WOODPECKER – sound frequency and wave animation for MP3 and FLV
• GOOSE – motion capture so a cursor follows your Web cam motion
• DODO – blob detection to provide blobs anywhere there is Web cam motion

Each Flash Feather has its own Blog with the name of the bird followed by flash then .wordpress.com.  The exception is Penguin which is plural – penguinsflash.wordpress.com.

http:// BIRDNAME flash.wordpress.com

TOUR
Each site has:

• an ABOUT page, a CODE example page and a VIDEO tutorial page at the top
• an introduction in the top left column
• a Download section at left with a link to the zip file(s)
• a Donate area (Karmatja) which links through to paypal
• a Friends section at the left to add your site if you use the Flash Feather
• news about the specific Flash Feather in the blog area
• links to all the Flash Feathers at the right
• an aggregate news feed of all Flash Feathers at bottom right

ZIP FILE
The zip files come with:

• readme.txt file with information about installing classes
• a samples folder with example FLA and AS files
• an icons Flash file with neat little icon components
• a com/ folder that holds the packages and classes needed

FRIENDS AND DONATIONS
Please let us know if you use any of the Flash Feathers and we will add you to the Friends area at left.  If you use the Flash Feathers for a commercial venture or would care to donate that would be super!

All the best and we hope you build exciting things!

Dan Zen