Dorkbot PDX would like to welcome you to the latest installment of our semi-regular presentation series:

DorkbotPDX 0×09
@ Backspace
115 Northwest 5th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209
One Night 8-10pm

What’s happening? Two great and inspiring talks!

LAMOSO
Christi Denton

The LAMOSO (LAsar/MOtion/SOund) is a MIDI controller; that is, it’s a device that sends MIDI to my computer. MIDI is a standard music protocol that allows electronic musical instruments (e.g., the LAMOSO) and computers to communicate with each other. It’s not audio – it’s digital data that includes values for pitch, length, volume, etc.
So… the LAMOSO uses lasers and photogates to send signals to a computer, which then turns that data into sound.

The lasers hit (or don’t hit) photogates. The photogates connect to a Teensy++, a “microcontroller development system” (it’s the computer chip thingy in the pictures), and that sends my computer data about whether there is or is not a laser beam light hitting the photogate. Max, a music programming language, is used to interpret that data into music.

Visually and musically, what this means is that there’s lasers crisscrossing an area, and when those lasers are broken, it changes the music.

Digital Painting
Jeremy Rotsztain

Jeremy Rotsztain writes software to generate digital images that closely resemble
paintings. Instead of working with paints and pigments, he prefers to use digital materials. He collects popular images from the Internet and iconic scenes from Hollywood films — and uses their pixels and sounds to generate entirely new
compositions.

Jeremy will be presenting and discussing two recent works:

1. “Obsessions” (prints made from photos of adorable pets)
   
2. “Action Painting” (abstract expressionist animations made from high octane car chases, violent punches, fiery gun shots, and sublime explosions).
   

OpenDork
You!

An open-mic session for those looking to show off a project, ask a question, solicit help, or incite collaboration.