Generative Fluid Profiles for Interactive Media Arts Projects

Abstract

This paper presents a real-time, interactive fluid simulation and vec- tor visualization technique that can be incorporated in media arts projects. These techniques- referred to collectively as the Fluid Automata system- have been adapted for various configurations, in- cluding mobile applications, interactive 2D and 3D projections, and multi-touch tables, and have been presented in a number of differ- ent environments- both academic and artistic- including galleries, conferences, and a virtual reality research lab. We describe specific details about the fluid simulation component, which, by changing a small number of parameters, allows users to quickly generate a vast number of ''fluid profiles'' and thus to explore a wide range of aesthetic possibilities that are easy to incorporate into media arts projects. In particular, we present this fluid simulation (and accom- panying visual representation) as an example of how media artists can create novel versions of existing visualization techniques in or- der to emphasize variability, experimentation, and interactivity.