Cloth Simulation

Since I have no knack for sewing or knitting, I decided to give something similar a try on my computer screen:) As a quick and fun programming exercise, I wrote this simple cloth simulator based on the mass-spring model. The cloth is a simple grid of 13x13 nodes, each node connected to its neighbors by three different types of springs (structural, shear, and flexion). The cloth is initially suspended in air, and each end gets detached by a programmed keystroke. The node position is determined by the influence of the internal spring forces, the gravity and the wind. And lastly, the simulation is based on the leap-frog numerical integration method, slightly a higher order of accuracy than the Euler.
There're many features that could be added to improve the system, like adding a few more user-interaction GUI controls for the spring constants and the integration timestep size, as well as improving the lighting and rendering aspects, not to mention prettying up the scene a bit:)
Over all, it was a fun and rewarding exercise which kept me occupied for a few days.

Fortune Telling Display

Holy cow! The last two weeks have been totally crazy and I am happy to return to my totally nutso routine, because frankly I could use a routine (nutso or not). I was just itching to finish up my tribute to some of my favorite toys as a kid, teen, and adult - fortune telling novelties! I never did find my mini-Magic-8 ball, but when I do, I will just glue it to it's rightful place on top. I was sure to include just a little bit of everything (minus the Magic-8 and Ouija). I included the "gemstone" from a mood ring, one of those fortune tellers kids fold out of square paper, a palm reading chart, the super cool packaging from a Fortune Teller Miracle Fish (lining floor of inside), mini tarot, and horoscopes. I love creating little interactive pieces like this one (which invites you to help yourself to a fortune). I like encouraging people to look and touch objects on display in my home. In February I created a display of small objects of (personal) importance. Some people look at it, moving their head to peek around objects, other people remove objects and then return them, and some people close the display lid, hiding the objects. I certainly don't watch my guests to see what they do, but I always appreciate the different reactions when I do notice. The fortune telling piece is hung in my guest bathroom. I thought people were more likely to appreciate it and help themselves to a fortune if they were in private. As I don't have a medicine chest or cabinets in my guest bathroom, this will give my guests an alternative place to snoop!