Date of Completion

5-4-2021

Degree Type

Honors Thesis

Discipline

Engineering (ENGR)

First Advisor

Hossein Asghari

Abstract

The objective of this project is to create a modified version of the Chinese pole circus apparatus in order to artistically musicalize and visualize a circus performer’s movement in real time. Wireless, wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) allow for tracking the position of the performer’s hands and feet. The vertical height of the performer is then used to play a corresponding pitch on a musical scale, while the position with respect to the other two dimensions is used to produce a bird’s-eye-view visualization. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags added to the pole improve the accuracy of the IMU position tracking by providing anchor points with which to recalibrate an IMU's position in space. This works to reduce the effect of drift, the result of small inaccuracies in the acceleration data collected by the IMUs which are compounded when integrating over time to determine velocity and position. This project allows an audience to experience the movement of a circus performer from a new perspective. In addition to the choreography, the audience is left with a unique musical composition and visual art pieces they can remember. More importantly, the audience can experience the movement from a perspective that cannot be experienced without the use of this technology.

Download

Share

COinS