Fall 2023
2023 Field Installation
Behind the scenes photos of the Desert Media Art Fall 2023 field installation in the Abu Dhabi desert. Four great electronic artworks were installed for the day. Videos coming soon!
CircuitPython
CircuitPython with MacOS Sonoma
MacOS Sonoma (as of Oct 30, 2023) has a bug that causes delays to writes to certain CircuitPython boards. Writes to the virtual filesystem on the CircuitPython are delayed by approximately 5-30 seconds, which causes strange errors, particularly with autoreload enabled. If your code doesn’t run immediately after saving and Read more…
Wildlife
Abu Dhabi Desert Road
The area known as Abu Dhabi Desert Road offers an interesting look at the movement of the dunes and the interaction of human construction and desert wildlife. The dunes have been blowing across the road and the fixed reference makes their shape more visible. The irrigated and planted areas at Read more…
Installation
Dunewind Resonator
Dunewind Resonator by Michael Ang, Scott Kildall, and Tegan Ritz McDuffie is a set of electronic sound sculptures that transform a sand dune into a musical instrument that responds to the wind. The five wind-activated sculptures that compose Dunewind Resonator were installed at the top of a sand dune in Read more…
Fall 2022
Desert Art Installation!
The Desert Media Art class of 2022 installed their final projects in the desert! We worked out in the dunes for a few hours before and after sunset. Each group installed their project and took some documentation that will be used for online videos and their final installation at the Read more…
Tutorial
Tutorial – RGBW NeoPixels
Typical NeoPixels have LEDs which each have three colours: red, green, and blue. RGBW NeoPixels have four LEDs per pixel: red, green, blue, and white. Why add an extra white LED? Can’t we make white just by mixing red, green, and blue? Since “white” isn’t a colour by itself, but Read more…
Tutorial
Tutorial – NeoPixels with Prop-Maker FeatherWing
NeoPixels are LEDs that can be programmed to show specific colors. They are connected serially, allowing long chains of them to be easily controlled. You connect the first NeoPixel to a data output from your CircuitPython board, and each additional LED is connected in a chain. Pre-wired strips, rings, and Read more…
Class
Final Project
Your final project should: Create an interaction or performance between your electronic device and people, the environment, and / or plants/animals. For example: A robot that moves through the dunes A light sculpture A sound installation using multiple CircuitPython boards An installation designed for insects Use CircuitPython and at least Read more…
Uncategorized
First group installation!
It’s week 3 of the first class of Desert Media Art – and me just made our first group installation! Each of us made a one-pixel “story” that’s programmed on a battery powered CircuitPython board. Each device has it’s own processor, multi-colour LED, and battery. We put all of our Read more…
