Internet-enabling interactivityfor artists, musicians, and

designers

Computer-coordinated Art

• Changes in response to environment or user input• Is electrical/electronic, but often with elements of

traditional media• May output multimedia, movement,

environmental changes• Embodies the artist’s intentions in its

physical/media structure and in a computer program.

The situation pre-EZ I/O

• Custom, engineered solutions are the rule for interactive works

• Artists must seek engineering assistance

• Struggle with technology stymies creativity

A first step

• While at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Rodemer and Csikszentmihalyi develop this inexpensive interface board

• Result: an explosion of student work

EZ I/O

• Once at the University of Michigan, Rodemer receives an OVPR grant to develop the first EZ I/O board

• The EZ I/O is adopted worldwide by artists, art schools, musicians, designers, museums.

What the EZ I/O enabled

QuickTime™ and aSorenson Video 3 decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Aging Technology

• RS-232 serial communication superseded by USB, Ethernet

• The World-Wide-Web

• Speed deficit

• Number of inputs, outputs

• Versatility

• Telepresence

The New EZ I/O

• Internet-enabling EZ I/O

• Telematic programming of I/O

• Ubiquitous presence of art

• More universal access via the Web

The New EZ I/O

• Splitting the EZ I/O into a two chip solution

I/O ChipInternet Interface

Fast Inter-ChipCommunication Real

World I/O

Internet

Adding More I/O

Original EZ I/O New EZ I/O

10 Digital Inputs

10 Digital Outputs

18 Digital Inputs

18 Digital Outputs

10 Analog Inputs

2 Analog Outputs

16 Analog Inputs

5 Analog Outputs

8 Servo Controllers

Using Larger PIC Microcontroller

New EZ I/O Demo

• Dallas Semiconductor’s TINI Board

Current Issues

• Such web-enabled input/output is in its infancy

• Internet Latency (keeping ping time down)

Future Work

• Our solution should be useful for 3-5 years

• Legacy I/O - maintaining the serial interface

• Wireless Networking (802.11b) = enables ubiquity

• Create standard Web I/O

• Affordable for artists and students (>$200)

Thanks to

• CARAT

• OVPR

• Dean Bryan Rogers, School of Art & Design

• NIQ, Inc. CEO Greg Merriman