Thursday 11 November 2010

Zombies!

Well, I know this isn't really reflecting on my own activities, but this is a small article I wrote through the study of current technology. This is a personal interest of mine, and it's also a university study :)

Technology...
Is it allowing us to bring the deceased back to life?!

Zombie Loan (Anime)
...Of course, I don't mean this literally. Sorry to disappoint you, but this doesn't mean bringing real corpses into play. What I'm actually talking about is live holographic images and scenarios with artists that have passed on.
I've been researching the evolution of technology online and in university, and I've come across a most extraordinary piece of footage. I'm sure you've all heard of Vocaloids yes? Well, in Japan, the vocaloid team developers (Crypton Media) have created something unique. It's a live rock concert with Hatsune Miku singing on stage for an audience as a 3D Hologram.

Here's a quote from Aaron Saenz "Everyone gets a little obsessed with famous musicians now and then, but things get really weird when the famous musician is actually just a piece of software. Hatsune Miku is a rising star in Japan and abroad, singing catchy J-pop that matches her blue-green hair." Below is some footage of the concert. (Watch through to the chorus, it gives us a visual concept of how realistic this is, and can be with new developments in the near future).


Okay so how does 'bringing the dead back to life' come into this? Well if we look at this from a future development perspective, then there's a broad amount of areas we can study and design using this technology. It has been suggested that our next step could include bringing holographic images of artists like Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley to a real audience.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Yes it means we can still gain the experience of seeing famous icons live, but won't this hinder some peoples views? People that follow the opinions along the lines of "when people die, they should stay dead". I think this also includes some religious views. Following the other side of this argument, these events could enlighten new artists, and it'll help a great artists legacy live on, rather than eventually withering and fading away. My personal opinion is that it's a great idea, because all the hard effort and time an artist puts into his music shouldn't be left to eventually die out and be forgotten, it should live on and be remembered for many years ahead. So what's your views on this matter?

Here are a few videos of some other technology developments I've found that I find very interesting:

Androids.

No matter how we look at things, in a good or a bad view, these machines are being designed. Developments on Lifelike human computer will exist, the question is whether it'll be useful state of the art technology, or could it mean the destruction of our developments? Will these machines ever create, or imitate a consciousness of their own?
Another topic, will we as human beings ever gain the ability to attach electrical icons to our own bodies? Like chips in the brain for example?

3D Graphic Image Mapping.

This video is just to show some of the extraordinary developments that currently exist. The video is based on a projection shown on a building, with graphical changes throughout the screening process.

Head tracking.

It's more advanced than in-screen 3D technology, this actually make the images appear to come out of the screen.
Your welcome to watch the whole thing, the visual effects however come in at 2:30.

References:
Vocaloid
Android

Thanks for reading this, let me know what your views are, I find these developments very interesting :)

Tuesday 2 November 2010

The.MCM.Expo... !!! Review :)

Okay so let me start by saying this...
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FREAKING AMAZING!!!!!!

...Feel much better now :cool:
So the convention was great, and I'm determined to go again next october. I've decided to cosplay Agito from Air Gear next time, so I can skate everywhere :) Plus a mate of mine already attends as Ikki so it makes sense.
This time however I went as a Soul Reaper from Bleach, which was fun, but there was an awful lot of Soul Reapers about the place. Bleach is too popular. So if you go to a convention like this, I suggest going as a cosplay from something less popular, it sparks peoples interest a lot more :angel:

The hotel I stopped in was the Premier Inn, which was good accommodation, but me and my mates were never really there except for nighttime. Next time I think I'm going to get something cheaper and less luxury, because you only need the room to sleep and shower, I though I'd be spending more time there, but even after the hours of closing the expo, people still linger about and have a good laugh. I spent most of my day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday there, from like 6am until 8/9pm, and it was totally worth it!
I brought like 20ish new anime's, some box sets and some films.

Heres what I got:
Complete Series -
Ouran High School Host Club
Otogi Zoshi
Tokyo Underground
Jyu-Oh-Sei
Devil May Cry
Heat Guy J

Films:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Origin: Spirits Of The Past
The Sky Crawlers
Naruto Movie: Guardians Of The Crescent Moon Kingdom
Blood: The Last Vampire (Anime)
Ghost In The Shell 2.0
Ghost In The Shell Innocence

Volumes:
MAR: Marchen Awakens Romance (1 to 4)
Noein (1 to 3)
Astro Boy: Volume 1 (Free)

I also brought Volumes 1 & 2 FMA Manga, and I got the Avatar: Activist Survival Guide free.

I met some pretty awesome actors, I met Colin Ferguson who plays Jack Carter in A Town Called Eureka, I also met Jordan Hinston whom plays his daughter Zoe Carter.
I also met Chris Gauthier, who's acted in many things! Including: A Town Called Eureka, Sanctuary, Smallville, Supernatural, Watchmen, Stargate, Freddy vs Jason, Dark Angel, 40 Days & 40 Nights, Insomnia, Agent Cody Banks, Scooby Doo 2, Dead Like Me  and Need For Speed Carbon!
As well as these I met three people from 'Haven'. The main character: Lucas Bryant who plays Nathan Wuornos, and the two directors of the show.

There was loads of people doing dances and games, and lots of skilled people showing off their talents too. I video'd tones of this stuff, so take a look. Click on my Youtube link at the bottom of this post =]

All in all I can't really think what else to write about right now, there's so much that went off, it was really epic. Please ask me questions or something, I'd be happy to answer as best I can :)

Visit my Youtube account for videos: Tony2une
Visit my Photobucket account for Pictures: Photobucket