IO+Brush

=I/O Brush= The I/O Brush is a unique technology-based graphics tool that works like a digital eyedropper to allow people to take the color, texture and movement of any physical object and to immediately draw with that attribute. The I/O Brush looks like a simple wooden paintbrush but is actually imbedded with a small video camera that contains lights and touch sensors that translates an object into “ink” bringing users endless creativity.

The idea of I/O Brush is to let build the own ink. People can take any colors, textures, and movements they want to experiment with from their own environment and paint with their personal and unique ink. Instead of picking up the liquid ink, I/O Brush lifts up and captures photons. The brush houses a small CCD video camera in its tip with a ring of white LEDs around it. Force sensors are also embedded inside of the brush, measuring the pressure that is getting applied to the bristles. When the brush touches a surface, the lights around the camera briefly turn on to provide supplemental light for the camera. During that time, the system grabs the frames from the camera and stores them in the program. The canvas is a large touch screen with a back projection screen.


 * Credit:** Kimiko Ryokai and Stefan Marti, Massachusetts Institute of Technology


 * Gold Award** - Industrial Design Society of America 2005 Industrial Design Excellence Award

Video
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 * Analysis**

It is great tool for kids and people who like experimenting with colors and patterns. Also, this brush allows picking up movements and recording the history of what is happening. It is so fun to watch thousand blinking eyes on the canvas. Once "kids made a stuffed animal dance before it was sampled, they were happy to see the stuffed animal appear on the canvas dancing when they touched the ink" 1. So, they could come up with very unique way to express creative ideas. According to developers, "adults used the history function more symbolically than children. For example, one adult embedded a picture of his mouth moving behind a little bug he drew as a surprising touch to the portrait. Another adult drew a window through which the audience could see moving letters/message when they touched the window." 2. These examples illustrate the creative potential and willingness to participate in such fun activity.

I think this lively I/O Brush might be a possible solution for fun entertainment in the park. Not only kids would enjoy, but adults would also participate in such a fun activity if the canvas and brush is installed. Because the technology allows children and artists to rely on the context they are in, they may inescapably pay attention to the objects and elements that surround them.

The project is still ongoing and will continue to develop.

1 [] 2. Ryokai, K., Marti, S., Ishii, H. (2005) "Designing the World as Your Palette." In Proceedings of Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '05), (Portland, OR, April 2 - 7, 2005) , Oregon Convention Center.
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