More information, credits and links

Step 9: More information, credits and links

Twitr_janus was built upon the generosity of various open source communities. Here are some references to further information...

Processing

In Twitr_janus, Processing was used to create a master brain. This received data streams from the web services, stripped out control data and then communicated it to an Arduino microcontroller board attached to the puppet head.

The Processing function used to strip the data from feeds and APIs was the loadStrings(); function.

Processing is free, open source and has a strong artist-led community of coders so there is a fair amount of help available on the web. It has it's own environment to code in, which is Java-based, so that may be an issue for some people, but does appears to be offering some javascript. I have not used the javascript version.

processing.org/
The main Processing site

processing.org/reference/
Processing look up reference

www.openprocessing.org/
OpenProcessing is an "online community platform devoted to sharing and discussing Processing sketches in a collaborative, open-source environment."

You can upload and try out some sketches (mainly useful for visual ones, for which Processing was originally designed). Lots of sketches to down load and fork.

Twitr_janus eyaballs on open processing .org
This is an example sketch on Openprocessing.org. Its a sketch that I wrote to test out eyeball positioning functions. It moves 2-d eyeball graphics onscreen, in response to keyboard arrow keys. Freely available to download and hack/rip off as much as you want.

www.local-guru.net/projects/ttslib/ttslib-0.3.zip
GURU TTS (text-to-speech library for use in Processing) by Nikolaus Gradwohl (I think)
Guru TTS is the Processing library that enables Twitr_janus to speak. This was downloaded and needs to be installed into the Processing folders:

The complete Twitr_janus Processing sketch is available to download here from GitHub as a text file:
github.com/downloads/rosemarybeetle/Twitr-Janus/twitr_janus_code15.txt

Arduino

In Twitr_janus, Arduino is the microcontroller circuit board that manipulates the hardware inside the puppet head. This includes eyeball movement, jaw lip-sync to speech and illumination of the indicator warts on its head that light up as incoming data is received.

www.arduino.cc/
Arduino is "an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments."

Arduino language is based on Wiring and the Arduino programming envirinment is based on Processing as above.

Arduino is really similar to Processing. Sketches in both have a basic structure of:

initialisation code (include libraries, declare and initialise variables)
definitions for functions (such as checking twitter, moving eyeballs, etc.)
a central looping function (the main repeating function that checks for new states when the skethc is running)

arduino.cc/en/Reference/Servo
The eyeballs inside Twitr_janus' head are driven by servos. Within the Arduino sketch, the servo.h library is loaded. This does the heavy lifting, so you just have to send a position number to the board, and the library will convert it to a servo command.

The complete Arduino sketch is available to download here from GitHub as a text file:
cloud.github.com/downloads/rosemarybeetle/Twitr-Janus/twitr_janus_arduino_09.txt

Twitr_janus and other related posts on Making Weird Stuff

makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk
This is my blog where I post about making things. Mostly rather silly. These posts are about individual pieces of work needed to create Twitr_janus. Some otehr posts are included tha toffer more information on relevant techniques in other projects.

Making a video eyeball - How to take apart a Microsoft Lifecam and insert it into a deodorant ball to make a video eyeball.
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/hacking-microsoft-lifecam-to-make-video.html

Detailed description of stripping speech data from Google spreadsheet:
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/twitrjanus-is-now-speaking-data-sent.html

Making video and audio connections over Skype
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/twitr-janus-has-sight-and-hearing.html

Building a relay circuit to handle car door lock power switching from Arduino
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-self-contained-relay-circuit-unit.html

Hacking a computer amplifier to get a measurable audio signal for lip-sync triggering, including Arduino peak-detection code
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/hacking-out-audio-amplifier-for-text-to.html

Creating a silicon latex mould from a plaster face mask model.
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/making-silicon-latex-mould-for.html
Separate papier mache technique post
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/head-for-pantomime-goose-costume-part-2.html

Prototyping face masks with latex test-mouldings, inclduing use of sawdust as latex strenghtening
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/first-mouldings-from-twitrjanus-face.html

Designing and creating a clay face mask model for face.
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/modelling-twitrjanus-face-puppet-mask.html

Brief overview of Twitr_janus
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/twitrjanus-overview-november-2012.html

Building the puppet head by papier mache over positive cranium moulding
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/making-twitrjanus-skull.html

Fixing servo mountings inside puppet head
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/making-servo-mounts-inside-twitrjanus.html

Testing Processing script for eyeball control. Includes use of onscreen eyeball simulation
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/remote-control-eyeballs-using-remote.html

Setting up audio connections
makingweirdstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/hacking-out-audio-amplifier-for-text-to.html

Miscellaneous

These pages explain in fantastic detail, how someone took apart their Microsoft LifeCam. This was so useful - respect to this guy!
Gary Honis - Hacking open a Microsoft LifeCam
ghonis2.ho8.com/lifecam/lifecam1.html