I feel confident in my cross-stitch pattern generator idea! (But if you wanted to see what else I had been considering, check out this post.) In short, the idea is to create a web application that turns an image into a cross-stitch chart that utilizes more than the single-color stitches seen in other current online pattern generators. I want to utilize edge detection for outlining, as well as turn “dithering” into multi-color stitches. Adding ornamentation such as beads is a reach goal.
After a few weeks of uncertainty about what to call this project idea, I have come up with what will suffice at least as a working title: Pix2Stitch.
“Pix” refers to both “pics” or images as well as the “pixels” that display them. “2” is a homophone of “to” in English, but it also represents the two lines in each X-shaped cross-stitch. “Stitch” refers to the fact that a user is generating a chart to follow for embroidery!
In order to create Pix2Stitch, I will need to:
identify a suitable programming language
find or develop a series of algorithms to transform an image into pixel color data
analyze this data to find an optimal color palette from among available thread colors (DMC floss)
utilize further algorithms to detect edges and segment pixel data into cohesive shapes
develop a way to output the resulting chart
Already I am gathering resources and talking to experts, including the brain behind Pixel-Stitch and TCNJ’s own Dr. Salgian from the Computer Science department.
I predict that this project will be very challenging, so I will learn a lot about design and development, including User Interface and Experience (UI/UX). Already, I am learning about how computers “see” and store color data in bits. Foreseen ups include making breakthroughs in what features the program has. Foreseen downs include potentially having to come up with my own algorithms to get it working.
Continue to follow my work here on this blog, category “Robin Friedman.”
I currently have two ideas for my senior thesis project, of which to pursue I will make a final decision very soon. For the first idea and one I had in mind when going into this class, is to create a demo reel of work I have created thus far in my areas of motion graphics, 3-D animation, cinematography, and more. The idea is to have all of my best works compiled in a cohesive, fluid segment that can be easily viewed and accessed by any person wishing to see. I believe this is a great way to sum up my time here in college, to show all that I have to offer, and show it in a way that would be representative of my skills in editing.
Video editing I would say is my biggest strength. It is also the type of work I love doing most. Composition, rhythm, flow, artistic direction… these are all elements that go into it, and are all elements I love spending lots of time on perfecting. I believe my senior thesis project itself would be a demonstration of my largest skill, while also featuring the other skills I have. Below I will have attached a recent video I edited as part of rush marketing for my fraternity.
Materials for this project will include all works I have completed up until now (which I have saved, for the most part – other pieces were unfortunately lost in hard drives failures), as well as any programs I need to edit/create them. These programs can include Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, MAYA, and Final Cut Pro. The only fear I have at this point is not having enough examples of work to create the vision of a video I have. To remedy this I plan to make more pieces on the side, adding to what I already have. I hope to learn the extra leaps it takes to really create an impressive piece that potential employers will be sold by.
ALTERNATIVE IDEA: CMF PROJECT
This is my other project idea for my thesis, it is a lot more ambitious and pretty exciting to me. Given I have permission to pursue, I would like to begin preliminary works for my Spring 2020 Campus Movie Fest film idea, which will be a cyberpunk-themed 3-D animated experience. Last semester, my friend Greg Patten and I created (with some help from others) a 3-D animated film called “A Hero’s Journey” which was originally set to be a VR-compatible short film. Due to our crew being limited to only us two for the majority of the time, we could not tackle this endeavor, although research was made. The film won the silver tripod award for Best Editing, of which I am very proud to have edited, and also got nominated for the golden tripod award at the CMF National Convention. We did not win, in the end, however looking back we really made this project in a last-minute effort, and with better help this time, we plan to go big this upcoming one.
My idea for the senior thesis project is to create AdPrice.io, a social media marketing reference tool for the internet. This will be a website that marketers can use to quickly view the current Pay Per Click (PPC) and Cost per Thousand Impressions (CPM) for advertisements across the most popular social platforms.
While researching the topic, I used many relevant keywords on Google to try and find the existence of such a tool already online. However, all I came across were social media marketing blog articles, mostly written by advertisement agencies, which sporadically mentioned potentially outdated price figures. There does not seem to be web tool that has been built for this purpose, where the important PPC and CPM numbers for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat, Pintrest, etc. are all easily viewable and updated on a single page. Like I previously mentioned, the closest thing I could find was a cluttered list on an old blog article, written by a social media marketing agency which was trying to sell their services. AdPrice.io would not have ulterior motives, and wouldn’t clutter the webpage, making for a fast and friendly experience.
I have purchased the domain, and am thinking of building the site on a TBD wordpress template. With some templates, it is impossible to tell the site is wordpress. I love working with wordpress, graphic design, and learning about social media marketing (something I do a lot of during my free time), so this project would definitely leverage my skills. Hopefully this project can help me land a dream job of working in content marketing for a startup, and helps me to learn a ton about the subject.
Ideally, I would love the price values to be as updated as possible, but I believe it is impossible to gather real time values. I will do more research, but it does not seem like there are any APIs or bots around that grab the current values, and it would be difficult to create these. Since price values do not change very quickly, I was thinking this site could be more of an educational experience where I update the going rates a few times a week (easily viewable on the top of the page), and then break down the individual nuances and strategies for advertising on each of the platforms on the rest of the page. I could also attach a blog as a separate page, which would help for google rankings. I still need to spend time thinking about the type of content I want on the site, in addition to the actual PPC and CPM’s.
As far as backup plans go, I would make a content strategy and video for my startup Vey.io, but right now I’m confident in AdPrice.io and am currently trying to figure out a logo. Thanks for reading!
It’s a game where you play minigames. In VR. That’s pretty cool!
I’m not great at making games, so I’d like to design games instead. Having made games before, I know the kinds of things that go into them and the different kinds of workflows that development includes. As such, this document will be the “everything you need” to make my game: Minigame Masters.
The ups will definitely come in designing each of the minigames. However, there is so much more that goes into a game other than just the games itself. I have to think about the UI, the music, the player experience, and so on. It’s going to be a lot less fun when I get into the actual building part. My skillset just isn’t as proficient as it should be for that kind of work.
If all else fails, I could jump into one of the other 30 ideas I have: Esports set design, voice acting an interactive meta/4th wall-breaking story, Dragon’s Lair-esque game…
I’ve already posted my design document, but here it is again: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JhwvaiGwqwkBxH0IY7rEHbV4f1-gaTnqvjX4YQjqyTA/edit?usp=sharing
I decided that for my senior thesis I wanted to blend to interests of mine, toy figures and 3-D printing. For several years now I have collected various toy figures as a hobby of mine. I always love the articulation and detail that certain figures have. Recently though, thanks to a Digital Fabrication class I took last year, I was introduced to 3-D printing and instantly fell in love with it. Now with thesis I have the chance not to only collect toys, but have the chance to design and make my own. I want to show people my creations in a very tactile and fun way. Anyone at one time or another during their childhood has played with toy figures and I bet some of them decided that they wanted to take them apart and make their own, (albeit in a probably destructive and messy way). What I want to do is make a toy figure that takes the key essence of 3-D printing at its core, its relative limitlessness. Say you have shelving holder problem, just print the holder. Missing part of a furniture piece? Take the dimensions of one and print it yourself. Gifted a plant, but don’t have a pot on hand? Well make the pot! I want this idea that a toy isn’t set in 2 arms, 2 legs, and a head. I want it so that you can mix and match arms and legs to your liking, giving it a personal touch that only you can do.
At the baseline for my project, I want to give you a toy figure that has sets of arms and sets of legs with multiple attachment points for various tools. There will be “hard points” on places like shoulders and arms to also add on some customization. Yet I have to mention that the overall inspiration of my toy is not human like at all. I didn’t grow up playing with action figures, but more of robotic mechanoid types of toys, boxy and rigid. Human anatomy can be a tough thing to deal with when you’re an amateur toy designer, but a robot/mecha gives so much freedom to work with. It makes more sense to be able to change out parts on a bionicle than a he-man .
As for materials, it will be a 3-D modeling program, a 3-D printer (or two, or three) a sketch book and my brain. While it may seem simple to have just these things to work with, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
There’s a reason being a toy designer is a fully fledged professional job. Its part design, part engineering, part psychologist. You have to design a toy that is pleasing to the eye based on the trend and minds of a set demographic while also making it structurally sound in the even of rough play. Using a robot as a baseline helps me give a scaffold versus a human like toy, but then again the designing can be hard. It has to make sense to the person enjoying the toy, not me. Also I have to account that my project solely depends upon my ability to use effective the printers in the IMM makerspace. I have to make sure my prints work out successfully while dealing with the fact that failed prints that hours long will happen and I will not be the only one using the space A failed print will be an up and a down. It will show me where I went wrong, but also tell me that 6 hours of printing went up in a plastic mess. There will be times that I design something great only for it to not work out in the product. I am not an engineer so I don’t have the full knowledge of what goes to what in structural things. Though I do love just watching the printer print so in the end, it will still be me doing something I love
Below are some is a very very rough prototype of a robotic head I printed this week. I took 1hour and a half just to print it so keep in mind, its a long process with a promise of iffy results. Nonetheless its fun to do and look at
I intend on engaging in a thesis project called “More Knowledge”. The final deliverable will be a unique LP-length hip-hop album with fully original lyrics and either sampled or organically produced sounds. It will carry the name “More Knowledge” for three main reasons:
I will gain more knowledge and wisdom of the music industry, writing, recording, DAW’s, editing techniques and production skills through hands-on experience
“More Knowledge” is a reference to my academic experience – the thought being that there are always new things to learn
It will also be me attempting to bestow my lifeview and lessons learned upon others in a creative and expressive way through music
I want to undertake this project so that I can learn more about a subject I’m passionate about, while at the same time conveying a personal message to an audience. I have undergone a great deal of adversity in my life as someone who has struggled with mental health concerns, dysfunctional family situations, and personal and academic challenges. I have learned a lot from experiences in my childhood and young adult life, and I wish to share my stories with others.
Perhaps, some may be able to relate or find value in the messages the songs will contain. Because the tracks will consist of ideas and emotions that are personally significant to me, it will ensure that I am intrinsically motivated to produce content. Assigning this endeavor as my thesis project will also ensure that I am extrinsically motivated. I want to earn a good grade and present my best work to my TCNJ faculty and peers.
Many IMM Seniors seem to have a wide range of skills, and I am no exception to this commonality. I am a practicing WordPress web developer and I also have advanced skills in photo/video editing, video effects, 2D animation, 3D modeling/animation, graphic design, etc. However, I will be starting this thesis project with only beginner/intermediate music production skills. That is why this is a great opportunity to expand my skills in this area, and I would be remiss if I did not take it.
Moreover, I think music and particularly hip-hop, is the ideal medium for expressing messages and storytelling of this nature. Music leverages consciousness to affect the emotions of individuals. It can be interpreted in different ways and listeners often bring their own experiences and personal meanings to mind when listening to someone else’s music. Also, people don’t always have time to read or watch a video, but everyone has time to play a song while going about their daily routines. I imagine that my messages will stand a better chance of reaching a wider audience in the form of music.
Anticipated Challenges:
I know this is going to be a difficult project to undertake, but there will also be moments that are very enjoyable and/or rewarding. It will grant me the ability to learn and critically develop a means of communication for which I have room for improvement. Since I do not have an extensive musical background, much of this initial process will be conducted through research/experimentation and trial/error. I know there will be many opportunities for embarrassment. I have been known to be vulnerable to perfectionism in the past, and I am aware that I will have to quell any negative inner voices before presenting my songs/prototypes in front of the class.
I am also quite worried about delving into beat production. My prior experience and knowledge of music theory is very slim. I have no keyboard skills and have not yet owned and used a midi keyboard or drum pad. I also cannot yet read or interpret musical notation. I have writing skills, creative ability, and some technical knowledge of Logic Pro X, sampling/synthesis, and audio editing interfaces. However, it is apparent that I will be mostly starting with a clean slate when I begin attempting to produce fully original music.
Luckily, I will be able to learn in an inclusive setting that might allow me the space to develop a slight systematic desensitization to public embarrassment. I realize that a lot of what I produce has the potential to not be good, but accepting that fact and receiving real-life experience and feedback will undoubtedly cause me to grow and improve. This project will certainly be a lofty undertaking, and there is a lot of content that I plan on producing. However, I am excited to continue on this path to “More Knowledge”.
Anticipated Materials:
Software
Logic Pro X
Audacity
any necessary plugins or digital instruments
YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, other sources for research and development of skills
Hardware
powerful personal computer with advanced editing capabilities
external ssd
pair of studio headphones
recording interface
decent microphone for prototype recording
auxiliary/MIDI cables
MIDI keyboard and beat pad
sampler/synthesizer
necessary batteries and power cables
Explanation of Alternative Idea:
My fallback idea would be to create a website or app that is designed for longboard skateboarders. Its primary function would be to serve as a source for enthusiasts to find and explore all of the great skate locations in NJ. It would be maps connected, and users would be able to navigate to a link for directions so they can skate any spot they see. Moreover, it would be great to add some social features like the ability for users to comment, share, and post community locations of their own.
There are currently some forums and reddit threads on the subject of longboarding, but there exists no one central hub for finding great spots. I see this as a potential opportunity to fill the gap provide a great pool of information for longboarders. It can be challenging to find exciting, safe, inclusive, and semi-private locations to practice the sport. This is especially true if one is engaged in any extreme aspects such as downhill, freeride, or slalom. The site/app will alleviate frustration and serve as an easy go-to source so that longboarders do not have to aimlessly search for the next great spot.
For my thesis project, I’ve decided to create an interactive video relaxation program targeting people with mental, physical, visual, auditory, and sensory disabilities. However, everyone will be able to use it as well. The name of this project so far is called Engage-Me-Now, as seen in the title, to promote engagement for everyone. Using sensory-friendly visuals and audio, it would be an entertaining form of interactive media that engages and relaxes its users. Now, there are apps specifically for this, using meditation and tracking behaviors, but I wanted to do something else that everyone can do and enjoy doing, looking forward to relaxing and playing it. That is what would be a huge strength of this project, since it’s something that hasn’t really been done before.
I came up with the idea based on my childhood, as a person with learning disabilities that stem ADHD and Auditory Processing Delay, and my time in occupational therapy. I played a game called Interactive Metronome that consists of clapping your hands together every time you hear a “ding”, like a metronome, for a certain amount of reps. However, the program has evolved much more since I last used it, so I would often get bored with it due to the lack of actual entertaining engagement, which I know they have more of now. In a way, this program helped me relax over time and significantly increased my focus, memory, and cognition. Although I’m not exactly striving for a program just like this, I do need to give credit where credit is due, and I would’ve never thought of this thesis idea in the first place without my experiences with Interactive Metronome.
For my thesis, I would likely use Adobe After Effects for the visuals, Adobe Premiere to tie the program together, possibly some programming, and Adobe Audition for the audio. I would also be researching different examples of sensory-friendly interactive media, such as museum exhibitions, projects, videos, and games, which I have already started. I think a weakness in my project would be that I don’t really know much about programming, so that could impact the amount of which I want to accomplish. Also, everyone has different needs and sensory triggers, so it might be very hard to actually get something to work in the way that it won’t upset anyone.
I don’t have rough sketches just yet, and I’ve summarized the notes of my early findings throughout this post (very sporadically). However, I am updating my thesis slide deck as I do more research. I will be contacting my old speech pathologist, who worked with me since I was a toddler, and also get into contact with other people with disabilities on campus to learn more and create better prototypes. I also don’t really have any other ideas, at this point it would just be minimizing the amount of work I actually can do in this project.
To be honest I didn’t expect the words of the legendary Steve Jobs to relate so much to my own experiences in life. You’d think a man so successful in life would be so from the start, but from his speech, that was far from the truth. Back in college, Steve Jobs had no idea what to do with life or how college would lead him to it, which is what I still feel since I was a freshman. Yet despite my worries of the future prospects yet unknown, I take comfort in Steve’s words that you just have to trust that it will work out okay in the end. Even despite the fact he quit college, Jobs never truly gave up on himself and looking back he could see that sometimes, drastic actions that are against societal status quo can be the best decisions you ever make. Though I have decided to continue my college career to the very end, I do have the belief that it will lead to something worthwhile, even if I can’t see it yet, heck it might not even be here just yet.
Professor Randy Pausch (1960-2008) during his last lecture at Carnegie Mellon (9/18/07)
Over the years, I have often found myself falling down the YouTube rabbit hole, consuming countless hours of TED Talks, motivational speeches and lectures from great minds – household names who have changed the way we interact with the world around us. This week, I was lucky enough to watch an inspirational talk that is easily the best one I have seen yet. On September 18th, 2007, Professor Randy Pausch delivered his Last Lecture at Carnegie Mellon University. Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, Randy taught us the ingredients to achieving our dreams.
Once I finished the over hour-long ride, I wasn’t sure where to begin in summarizing my reaction. The first thing I did was send the video to my brother, because I just wanted more people in my life to experience Randy’s wisdom. The second thing I did was look at the notes I had scribbled while watching – a few short quotes and the titles of various concepts he had bestowed upon me.
“Brick walls let us prove how badly we want things.”
The words Randy spoke during his Last Lecture taught me something that I had not understood an hour before I started watching. It was that I want to lead my life like Randy Pausch. Hearing the wildly different childhood dreams that he had, and how he achieved them all through being himself, and having fun, was eye-opening.
I also came to the realization that this was the perfect time in my life to watch this lecture. I am currently in the final year of the Interactive Multimedia Major, and soon I will be venturing into the “real world”. While this fact is extremely anxiety-inducing, Randy’s words helped me understand that I can reach out and grab the tools needed to build my dreams. All it takes is a willingness to work hard, be loyal, never stop learning or challenging myself, and to have fun.
“It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s about how to lead your life”
I want to use Randy’s teachings to help my Senior Thesis Project, as well as future ventures in my life. His words about Head Fake Learning deeply resonated with me, and will remember this concept when building my website for thesis and on my free time. People learning, without realizing they had an educational experience, is a magical thing.
Perhaps the remarkable clarity of Randy’s lecture came from a perspective he gained while facing his tragic diagnosis. All we have is time, but our time is limited. His legacy is far greater than a single lecture, but I will forever connect his name to this video, and forever be thankful to have experienced it.
Steve Job’s speech really speaks to me about life and its expectations. Despite The pressure set up for him to attend college from the time he was born, he gave it a shot, and found it wasn’t for him. In choosing to drop out and form his own path is where he found success. And even once he found success, it wasn’t a happily ever after. He faced another huge struggle being fired from his own company, but eventually used it as a chance at a new beginning instead of allowing it to drag him down. This is the sort of mindset I hope to carry through life. Everything is temporary, and change is constant, so you must keep looking to the future and knowing that if you are not happy with where you are now, you can find a way to get to where you want to be.
These concepts can be applied to any aspect of your life, even a senior thesis project. There’s a long road ahead that will bring many challenges and changes, but I hope to welcome and overcome them the best I can to produce something I can be proud of.
