I AM TRULY SURROUNDED BY MY work: My computer runs on megabytes and RAMs; my car moves because of sparks and subsequent combusion, and sports more digital equipment than I care to imagine; and even my gym has the latest techno-gizmo to tell me just how many calories I've used up on a five-mile (albeit stationary) "bike ride." I cannot seem to get away from science and technology--but as a science writer, I do not mind, because it is more fuel for my science articles.
Science and technology encompass all our lives. If you find your hands sweating during the latest Space Shuttle launch, or you enthusiastically tell your friends the reasons why tsunamis crash along a coastline, you may be a potential science writer. And you do not have to be another Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, or Isaac Asimov to succeed at it.
I became a science writer through the back door. I was a professional scientist who analyzed water samples and plotted flooding along sinuous river systems. A side trip back to college changed my life: The day my professor handed back the first draft of my thesis and said, "This reads like...well...an article for the general audience," sealed my fate. I have thanked her insight for ten years now.
You do not have to be a scientist or have a science background to write articles and books about science and technology. In fact, it may be helpful for you not to have a science background, because then you won't be caught up in the science jargon. If you are interviewing an astronomer on interstellar objects who says that MACHOs are found at the periphery of our galaxy, you would not just nod your head. You would ask him or her to explain--not only the acronym (Massive Compact Halo Objects)--but why MACHOs are important to your article.
The best part about science and technology writing is the range of topics from which you can choose--and each of those subjects can be further broken down into narrower topics for other articles. Topics include the physical sciences, (geology, chemistry, etc.); biology (plant, human, viral, bacterial); space science; or medical science. Many science writers also delve into technology: computers, robotics, and electronics. Under technology, a science writer may describe remote sensing techniques used to detect and track volcanic eruption plumes across the planet; or under medical science, show how using supercomputer modeling can help us understand how drugs react within the body.
Science writing does not have to be about current scientific developments; it can also be about science in the past or future. Science past had its wonderful moments of serendipity; science future has its promise of a better life. And do not overlook science fiction for article ideas. After all, most people know about "warp drive," an idea often referred to on "Star Trek." A science writer might ask, "Can we go faster than the speed of light? If we could, what type of propulsion would be needed to catapult a spaceship to such speeds?"
Although there is a myriad of topics to choose from, all science and technology writing must apply to and excite the readers. Will they be able to use the discovery in the present or future? Will it help their children to live happier lives? Does the topic stimulate their imagination, and is it enjoyable to read? Or will the story tell them about a person, place, or thing that they never knew about before?
Now that you have decided to try your hand at writing science, you will need the following:
* Intense curiosity. When you are curious about a subject in science, you are more apt to dig deeper, ask for more explanation--and your enthusiasm will show in your writing. An editor once told me, "The attention span of the reader is directly proportional to the writer's interest in the story."
* An interest in research. You may have all the curiosity about a subject, but you also need the tenacity to do the research. Science writers today have it easier than they did in the past: We have access to tremendous amounts of information, not only in libraries, but through computer communication services, where you can find articles on your subjects and leads to help you find other sources.
* Ability to recognize a good idea for a science article. A good idea for a science article is not "DNA"; a good science article idea is how DNA is being used as genetic "fingerprints" in crime investigations--and how it is also under fire because the technique is so new. Article ideas are everywhere, but the science writer has to know how to focus on that one kernel of interest.
* Contacts and sources to interview. A science writer's most valued possession is his or her contact/source list: past interviewees (experts in the fields you are writing about), reference librarians, earlier contacts from science conferences, public information offices of science-oriented institutions, organizations, and universities--and, of course, other science writers.
* Insistence on accuracy. The science writer's creed, to borrow from Thoreau, should read, "Simplicity, simplicity--not to mention accuracy, accuracy."
* Good interpretative skills. Science writers have a serious responsibility to their readers: They must interpret and present what they uncover in their research and interviews in a clear and interesting way. This interpretation is not always straightforward. I have heard it compared to translating Japanese into English: There are nuances of the Japanese culture integrated into their language that cannot be translated into English. It is often the same with explaining science to the general audiences, and as Nobel physicist Richard Feynman once said, not all science can be explained in a basic way. But do not use this as an excuse; a science writer must do the best he or she can to get the subject across to the reader.
Coming up with a good science article idea is not as difficult as it seems. There are many sources that spark ideas: newspapers, science journals, news releases, computer communication services (the ubiquitous "information highway"), and numerous publications from universities and science-oriented organizations--also other people's conversations: I began to research my article on microrobots (for Sky Magazine) when I overheard two people joking about "minimachines" taking over the planet Mars. The real microrobots may never take over the red planet, but the suggestion triggered the idea. It also started me on the trail of just how far we have come in space-oriented microrobotic research.
After you come up with a specialized science topic, your first stop should be the library to check on magazines. Read through current magazines and explore magazine topics in the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (and similar indexes) from the past year or so. This will help you avoid writing about an idea whose time has come and gone; also you will not send a query to a magazine that has just published an article on the same subject with the same angle. If your idea seems to be on track, then gather basic information on the subject from science magazines, brochures, encyclopedias, or books.
Next comes the query, usually a less-than-one-page "outline" (in text form) of your proposed article. The query persents your idea, sources, and credentials to the editor. A word of caution: Know your magazine. Do not send a query on industrial robotics to Woman's World, or an idea on the future of the American/Russian cooperation on the Space Station to Sailing; but also remember that certain non-science magazines will take science or technology topics, including some inflight and general audience magazines. Know your science magazines, too: Articles for Omni have a different slant from those for Popular Science.
The day the editor says, "Go for it," is the day you take all your basic information and outline-query letter, and get to work. Now is also the time to call on your sources for interviews. Some science writers write a sketchy first draft to their story before the interviews--a way to organize their thoughts and frame the questions to ask the interviewee in some semblance of order; other writers do a first draft after the interview. In either case, you will need a list of questions to ask your experts. Always remember that the only dumb question is the one you did not ask.
Writing a publishable science article takes the ability to explain complex concepts without baffling or confusing readers. One of the best approaches is to discuss the subject or idea in terms the reader can relate to. For example, in my article on agriculture in space (for Ad Astra) I wove familiar gardening terms (and references to many gardening problems) into the piece so the readers could relate to growing plants in the Space Station and beyond.
Another strategy to give your science article life is to use anecdotes. Usually, your interviewees have interesting stories to tell, such as how their discovery was made, or about the first patient to use their new drug. Since the general public often thinks of science as another world, descriptions of the scientists and their surroundings will "humanize" your article, showing that the expert has the same idiosyncrasies that we all have--right down to worries about money or celebrations of victories.
Of course, there are two more qualities that keep all science writers going: patience and perseverance. It takes patience to get an interview with a busy scientist (and sometimes you will not get the interview at all); and patience to see your words in print. Plus, it takes perseverance to understand the intricacies of your science article--and to keep up with the new science discoveries that pop up every week.
There is more than enough science to provide you with subjects for science articles. As a science writer just remember that the universe is now your beat.
Abstract: Science and technology affect our daily lives and provide a broad range of opportunities for potential science writers. Such writers should bring to their work a curiosity, interpretative skills, accuracy, research interest, and the skill to recognize a good idea.
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition)
Barnes-Svarney, Patricia. "Science writing today and tomorrow." The Writer Nov. 1994: 15+. General OneFile. Web. 24 May 2013.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA15812453&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A15812453
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Friday, May 24, 2013
Science writing today and tomorrow
I AM TRULY SURROUNDED BY MY work: My computer runs on megabytes and RAMs; my car moves because of sparks and subsequent combusion, and sports more digital equipment than I care to imagine; and even my gym has the latest techno-gizmo to tell me just how many calories I've used up on a five-mile (albeit stationary) "bike ride." I cannot seem to get away from science and technology--but as a science writer, I do not mind, because it is more fuel for my science articles.
Science and technology encompass all our lives. If you find your hands sweating during the latest Space Shuttle launch, or you enthusiastically tell your friends the reasons why tsunamis crash along a coastline, you may be a potential science writer. And you do not have to be another Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, or Isaac Asimov to succeed at it.
I became a science writer through the back door. I was a professional scientist who analyzed water samples and plotted flooding along sinuous river systems. A side trip back to college changed my life: The day my professor handed back the first draft of my thesis and said, "This reads like...well...an article for the general audience," sealed my fate. I have thanked her insight for ten years now.
You do not have to be a scientist or have a science background to write articles and books about science and technology. In fact, it may be helpful for you not to have a science background, because then you won't be caught up in the science jargon. If you are interviewing an astronomer on interstellar objects who says that MACHOs are found at the periphery of our galaxy, you would not just nod your head. You would ask him or her to explain--not only the acronym (Massive Compact Halo Objects)--but why MACHOs are important to your article.
The best part about science and technology writing is the range of topics from which you can choose--and each of those subjects can be further broken down into narrower topics for other articles. Topics include the physical sciences, (geology, chemistry, etc.); biology (plant, human, viral, bacterial); space science; or medical science. Many science writers also delve into technology: computers, robotics, and electronics. Under technology, a science writer may describe remote sensing techniques used to detect and track volcanic eruption plumes across the planet; or under medical science, show how using supercomputer modeling can help us understand how drugs react within the body.
Science writing does not have to be about current scientific developments; it can also be about science in the past or future. Science past had its wonderful moments of serendipity; science future has its promise of a better life. And do not overlook science fiction for article ideas. After all, most people know about "warp drive," an idea often referred to on "Star Trek." A science writer might ask, "Can we go faster than the speed of light? If we could, what type of propulsion would be needed to catapult a spaceship to such speeds?"
Although there is a myriad of topics to choose from, all science and technology writing must apply to and excite the readers. Will they be able to use the discovery in the present or future? Will it help their children to live happier lives? Does the topic stimulate their imagination, and is it enjoyable to read? Or will the story tell them about a person, place, or thing that they never knew about before?
Now that you have decided to try your hand at writing science, you will need the following:
* Intense curiosity. When you are curious about a subject in science, you are more apt to dig deeper, ask for more explanation--and your enthusiasm will show in your writing. An editor once told me, "The attention span of the reader is directly proportional to the writer's interest in the story."
* An interest in research. You may have all the curiosity about a subject, but you also need the tenacity to do the research. Science writers today have it easier than they did in the past: We have access to tremendous amounts of information, not only in libraries, but through computer communication services, where you can find articles on your subjects and leads to help you find other sources.
* Ability to recognize a good idea for a science article. A good idea for a science article is not "DNA"; a good science article idea is how DNA is being used as genetic "fingerprints" in crime investigations--and how it is also under fire because the technique is so new. Article ideas are everywhere, but the science writer has to know how to focus on that one kernel of interest.
* Contacts and sources to interview. A science writer's most valued possession is his or her contact/source list: past interviewees (experts in the fields you are writing about), reference librarians, earlier contacts from science conferences, public information offices of science-oriented institutions, organizations, and universities--and, of course, other science writers.
* Insistence on accuracy. The science writer's creed, to borrow from Thoreau, should read, "Simplicity, simplicity--not to mention accuracy, accuracy."
* Good interpretative skills. Science writers have a serious responsibility to their readers: They must interpret and present what they uncover in their research and interviews in a clear and interesting way. This interpretation is not always straightforward. I have heard it compared to translating Japanese into English: There are nuances of the Japanese culture integrated into their language that cannot be translated into English. It is often the same with explaining science to the general audiences, and as Nobel physicist Richard Feynman once said, not all science can be explained in a basic way. But do not use this as an excuse; a science writer must do the best he or she can to get the subject across to the reader.
Coming up with a good science article idea is not as difficult as it seems. There are many sources that spark ideas: newspapers, science journals, news releases, computer communication services (the ubiquitous "information highway"), and numerous publications from universities and science-oriented organizations--also other people's conversations: I began to research my article on microrobots (for Sky Magazine) when I overheard two people joking about "minimachines" taking over the planet Mars. The real microrobots may never take over the red planet, but the suggestion triggered the idea. It also started me on the trail of just how far we have come in space-oriented microrobotic research.
After you come up with a specialized science topic, your first stop should be the library to check on magazines. Read through current magazines and explore magazine topics in the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (and similar indexes) from the past year or so. This will help you avoid writing about an idea whose time has come and gone; also you will not send a query to a magazine that has just published an article on the same subject with the same angle. If your idea seems to be on track, then gather basic information on the subject from science magazines, brochures, encyclopedias, or books.
Next comes the query, usually a less-than-one-page "outline" (in text form) of your proposed article. The query persents your idea, sources, and credentials to the editor. A word of caution: Know your magazine. Do not send a query on industrial robotics to Woman's World, or an idea on the future of the American/Russian cooperation on the Space Station to Sailing; but also remember that certain non-science magazines will take science or technology topics, including some inflight and general audience magazines. Know your science magazines, too: Articles for Omni have a different slant from those for Popular Science.
The day the editor says, "Go for it," is the day you take all your basic information and outline-query letter, and get to work. Now is also the time to call on your sources for interviews. Some science writers write a sketchy first draft to their story before the interviews--a way to organize their thoughts and frame the questions to ask the interviewee in some semblance of order; other writers do a first draft after the interview. In either case, you will need a list of questions to ask your experts. Always remember that the only dumb question is the one you did not ask.
Writing a publishable science article takes the ability to explain complex concepts without baffling or confusing readers. One of the best approaches is to discuss the subject or idea in terms the reader can relate to. For example, in my article on agriculture in space (for Ad Astra) I wove familiar gardening terms (and references to many gardening problems) into the piece so the readers could relate to growing plants in the Space Station and beyond.
Another strategy to give your science article life is to use anecdotes. Usually, your interviewees have interesting stories to tell, such as how their discovery was made, or about the first patient to use their new drug. Since the general public often thinks of science as another world, descriptions of the scientists and their surroundings will "humanize" your article, showing that the expert has the same idiosyncrasies that we all have--right down to worries about money or celebrations of victories.
Of course, there are two more qualities that keep all science writers going: patience and perseverance. It takes patience to get an interview with a busy scientist (and sometimes you will not get the interview at all); and patience to see your words in print. Plus, it takes perseverance to understand the intricacies of your science article--and to keep up with the new science discoveries that pop up every week.
There is more than enough science to provide you with subjects for science articles. As a science writer just remember that the universe is now your beat.
Abstract: Science and technology affect our daily lives and provide a broad range of opportunities for potential science writers. Such writers should bring to their work a curiosity, interpretative skills, accuracy, research interest, and the skill to recognize a good idea.
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition)
Barnes-Svarney, Patricia. "Science writing today and tomorrow." The Writer Nov. 1994: 15+. General OneFile. Web. 24 May 2013.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA15812453&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A15812453
Science and technology encompass all our lives. If you find your hands sweating during the latest Space Shuttle launch, or you enthusiastically tell your friends the reasons why tsunamis crash along a coastline, you may be a potential science writer. And you do not have to be another Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, or Isaac Asimov to succeed at it.
I became a science writer through the back door. I was a professional scientist who analyzed water samples and plotted flooding along sinuous river systems. A side trip back to college changed my life: The day my professor handed back the first draft of my thesis and said, "This reads like...well...an article for the general audience," sealed my fate. I have thanked her insight for ten years now.
You do not have to be a scientist or have a science background to write articles and books about science and technology. In fact, it may be helpful for you not to have a science background, because then you won't be caught up in the science jargon. If you are interviewing an astronomer on interstellar objects who says that MACHOs are found at the periphery of our galaxy, you would not just nod your head. You would ask him or her to explain--not only the acronym (Massive Compact Halo Objects)--but why MACHOs are important to your article.
The best part about science and technology writing is the range of topics from which you can choose--and each of those subjects can be further broken down into narrower topics for other articles. Topics include the physical sciences, (geology, chemistry, etc.); biology (plant, human, viral, bacterial); space science; or medical science. Many science writers also delve into technology: computers, robotics, and electronics. Under technology, a science writer may describe remote sensing techniques used to detect and track volcanic eruption plumes across the planet; or under medical science, show how using supercomputer modeling can help us understand how drugs react within the body.
Science writing does not have to be about current scientific developments; it can also be about science in the past or future. Science past had its wonderful moments of serendipity; science future has its promise of a better life. And do not overlook science fiction for article ideas. After all, most people know about "warp drive," an idea often referred to on "Star Trek." A science writer might ask, "Can we go faster than the speed of light? If we could, what type of propulsion would be needed to catapult a spaceship to such speeds?"
Although there is a myriad of topics to choose from, all science and technology writing must apply to and excite the readers. Will they be able to use the discovery in the present or future? Will it help their children to live happier lives? Does the topic stimulate their imagination, and is it enjoyable to read? Or will the story tell them about a person, place, or thing that they never knew about before?
Now that you have decided to try your hand at writing science, you will need the following:
* Intense curiosity. When you are curious about a subject in science, you are more apt to dig deeper, ask for more explanation--and your enthusiasm will show in your writing. An editor once told me, "The attention span of the reader is directly proportional to the writer's interest in the story."
* An interest in research. You may have all the curiosity about a subject, but you also need the tenacity to do the research. Science writers today have it easier than they did in the past: We have access to tremendous amounts of information, not only in libraries, but through computer communication services, where you can find articles on your subjects and leads to help you find other sources.
* Ability to recognize a good idea for a science article. A good idea for a science article is not "DNA"; a good science article idea is how DNA is being used as genetic "fingerprints" in crime investigations--and how it is also under fire because the technique is so new. Article ideas are everywhere, but the science writer has to know how to focus on that one kernel of interest.
* Contacts and sources to interview. A science writer's most valued possession is his or her contact/source list: past interviewees (experts in the fields you are writing about), reference librarians, earlier contacts from science conferences, public information offices of science-oriented institutions, organizations, and universities--and, of course, other science writers.
* Insistence on accuracy. The science writer's creed, to borrow from Thoreau, should read, "Simplicity, simplicity--not to mention accuracy, accuracy."
* Good interpretative skills. Science writers have a serious responsibility to their readers: They must interpret and present what they uncover in their research and interviews in a clear and interesting way. This interpretation is not always straightforward. I have heard it compared to translating Japanese into English: There are nuances of the Japanese culture integrated into their language that cannot be translated into English. It is often the same with explaining science to the general audiences, and as Nobel physicist Richard Feynman once said, not all science can be explained in a basic way. But do not use this as an excuse; a science writer must do the best he or she can to get the subject across to the reader.
Coming up with a good science article idea is not as difficult as it seems. There are many sources that spark ideas: newspapers, science journals, news releases, computer communication services (the ubiquitous "information highway"), and numerous publications from universities and science-oriented organizations--also other people's conversations: I began to research my article on microrobots (for Sky Magazine) when I overheard two people joking about "minimachines" taking over the planet Mars. The real microrobots may never take over the red planet, but the suggestion triggered the idea. It also started me on the trail of just how far we have come in space-oriented microrobotic research.
After you come up with a specialized science topic, your first stop should be the library to check on magazines. Read through current magazines and explore magazine topics in the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (and similar indexes) from the past year or so. This will help you avoid writing about an idea whose time has come and gone; also you will not send a query to a magazine that has just published an article on the same subject with the same angle. If your idea seems to be on track, then gather basic information on the subject from science magazines, brochures, encyclopedias, or books.
Next comes the query, usually a less-than-one-page "outline" (in text form) of your proposed article. The query persents your idea, sources, and credentials to the editor. A word of caution: Know your magazine. Do not send a query on industrial robotics to Woman's World, or an idea on the future of the American/Russian cooperation on the Space Station to Sailing; but also remember that certain non-science magazines will take science or technology topics, including some inflight and general audience magazines. Know your science magazines, too: Articles for Omni have a different slant from those for Popular Science.
The day the editor says, "Go for it," is the day you take all your basic information and outline-query letter, and get to work. Now is also the time to call on your sources for interviews. Some science writers write a sketchy first draft to their story before the interviews--a way to organize their thoughts and frame the questions to ask the interviewee in some semblance of order; other writers do a first draft after the interview. In either case, you will need a list of questions to ask your experts. Always remember that the only dumb question is the one you did not ask.
Writing a publishable science article takes the ability to explain complex concepts without baffling or confusing readers. One of the best approaches is to discuss the subject or idea in terms the reader can relate to. For example, in my article on agriculture in space (for Ad Astra) I wove familiar gardening terms (and references to many gardening problems) into the piece so the readers could relate to growing plants in the Space Station and beyond.
Another strategy to give your science article life is to use anecdotes. Usually, your interviewees have interesting stories to tell, such as how their discovery was made, or about the first patient to use their new drug. Since the general public often thinks of science as another world, descriptions of the scientists and their surroundings will "humanize" your article, showing that the expert has the same idiosyncrasies that we all have--right down to worries about money or celebrations of victories.
Of course, there are two more qualities that keep all science writers going: patience and perseverance. It takes patience to get an interview with a busy scientist (and sometimes you will not get the interview at all); and patience to see your words in print. Plus, it takes perseverance to understand the intricacies of your science article--and to keep up with the new science discoveries that pop up every week.
There is more than enough science to provide you with subjects for science articles. As a science writer just remember that the universe is now your beat.
Abstract: Science and technology affect our daily lives and provide a broad range of opportunities for potential science writers. Such writers should bring to their work a curiosity, interpretative skills, accuracy, research interest, and the skill to recognize a good idea.
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition)
Barnes-Svarney, Patricia. "Science writing today and tomorrow." The Writer Nov. 1994: 15+. General OneFile. Web. 24 May 2013.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA15812453&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A15812453
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Cancer research wins top prize in science contest: gala honors 40finalists in Intel Science Talent Search
Cancer Research UK, Race for Life, Glasgow 2010 041, a photo by Robert Pool's Glasgow Collection on Flickr.
The event honored this year's 40 finalists, who distinguished themselves from more than 1,800 entries. The budding scientists hailed from 16 states and split $630,000 in awards. The Intel Science Talent Search has been administered by Society for Science & the Public, which publishes Science News, since 1942.
"There are 40 individuals here who prove we still have the capability in this country to cultivate the next generation of innovators, thinkers, scientists and entrepreneurs," Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini told the students at the gala. "I'm keenly looking forward to watching you make wonderful things happen in the coming years."
Second place went to Andrey Sushko, 17, of Richland, Wash., who got a $75,000 award. He created a tiny motor, only 7 millimeters across, powered by the surface tension of water. A coating of water-repellent material made this unusual alternative form of energy possible.
Mimi Yen, 17, of Brooklyn, N.Y., won third place and $50,000 for identifying a gene that causes some worms to behave strangely. Males with a mutant form of this gene attach globs of mucus to each other's orifices, a behavior that's usually reserved for impregnating the hermaphrodites of the species.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Fourth place and $40,000 went to David Ding, 18, of Albany, Calif., who studied a branch of mathematics called Cherednik algebras. Benjamin Van Doren, 18, of White Plains, N.Y., won fifth place and a $30,000 award for showing that birds migrating in autumn get their bearings during the morning and tend to fly into the wind. The sixth place award of $25,000 went to Ned Patel, 17, of Geneva, Fla., for a device that uses sounds instead of pictures to convey information.
Coming in seventh was Anirudh Prabhu, 17, of West Lafayette, Ind., who received $25,000 for demonstrating that odd perfect numbers, which equal the sum of every number they can be cleanly divided by, have a lower limit.
Eighth through 10th places, which each come with a $20,000 award, went to Clara Fannjiang, 17, of Davis, Calif., for her work on creating images of celestial bodies that give off radio waves; Alissa Zhang, 17, of Saratoga, Calif., who explored three different ways to monitor blood glucose levels using light instead of needles; and Jordan Cotler, 17, of Northbrook, Ill., who developed a new way to send encrypted messages using quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of special relativity.
The other 30 finalists will each receive $7,500. All of the competitors have now joined an exclusive club of Science Talent Search alumni that includes seven Nobel laureates, four National Medal of Science winners, 11 MacArthur Fellows and physicist Brian Greene, who visited with students at a dinner on March 9.
"This is one of the most interesting groups of people I have ever met," said Marian Bechtel, 17, of Lancaster, Pa. "Only at a science fair do you get total strangers to bond within seconds about quantum mechanics and multivariable calculus." Bechtel was chosen by this year's finalists for the Glenn T. Seaborg award, named for the late Nobel Prize winner and longtime chairman of Society for Science & the Public's board of trustees.
Elizabeth Marincola, president of Society for Science & the Public and publisher of Science News, reminded the teens of the value of bringing a scientific mindset to all their endeavors. "My hope," she said, "is that each of you will look up, reach out and always use your science as a vehicle for good in this world."
Powell, Devin
Source Citation
Powell, Devin. "Cancer research wins top prize in science contest: gala honors 40 finalists in Intel Science Talent Search." Science News 7 Apr. 2012: 10. General Science Collection. Web. 8 May 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA286826090&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=PPGS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A286826090
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Technology and people with disabilities
This column has a simple purpose but a difficult goal--discuss issues that affect the lives, well-being, and state of mind of those who must live and cope with a disability and do so in a humorous way. Not an easy thing to do, since there is certainly nothing funny or humorous about having a disability or in the obstacles that those with chronic disabilities encounter daily (I've had multiple sclerosis [MS] for 40 years and use a wheelchair). However, I've personally found that humor has, to a great extent, helped me cope with my disability, and I hope this column helps others with disabilities to do so as well.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
It would be a gross understate-ment to say that I'm "technologically challenged." "Technologically inept," as my sons repeatedly remind me, is a more precise characterization of my (in)ability with today's gadgets. Terms such as "iPhone," "iPad," and "iPod Touch" mean little to nothing to me, a person who's still trying to figure out how to operate the remote control for the TV (that I've had for three years).
A recent conference here in San Diego put on by Cal State University Northridge--the International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference--really shocked me out of my electronic malaise and opened my eyes to the many ways today's tech advances can help individuals with disabilities.
Technology Designed for People with Disabilities
In the first demonstration at the conference, a man who was blind demonstrated his use of an iPhone 4S by holding it close to his ear and placing his finger over the phone's display screen. The smartphone voiced the particular application his finger was above. The man then scrolled through other applications, a description of each similarly being read to him, until he found the application he wanted. He then simply tapped the app to open it.
This smartphone allowed the man to use a touch screen without the necessity of a keypad and without having to buy other costly software.
Other Innovations
Other technological innovations demonstrated at the conference included the following:
* Eye-Pro GS Eyegaze from Words+. This technology permits individuals, who do not have the use of their arms or hands, to use a computer by moving a cursor with eye movements and without a mouse. To accomplish this, a small camera is installed on a magnetized base just about where the keyboard would be on a standard PC. The user then performs a calibration procedure, usually with the help of a technician, by staring at dots in different areas of the monitor screen until the dots turn green. The user then selects something either by staring at it for several seconds or by blinking hard. Cost: $7,480.
* Topaz XL HD Magnifier by Freedom Scientific. This is a high definition desktop video magnifier that provides sharp, magnified images of print of all sizes. The magnifier is sold with its own 17-to-24 inch screen and software that allows users to view magnified images on their computer monitors. Because it can be difficult for a user to find their place on a page when working at high magnification, the topaz magnifier contains a Find button that allows the user to zoom out for an overview of the page. Crosshairs allow the user to center the section of interest, and a release button then zooms the user back in to their working magnification level. Cost: $2,195 to $3,695.
* Proloquo2Go Software from AssistiveWare. This software enables people with autism, or who have difficulty verbalizing, to communicate by tapping symbols that are contained on small tiles. Sentences are then verbalized in natural-sounding adult or child voices. For instance, if the user wants to communicate "I am happy to see you," he or she would touch six tiles: the first being a stick figure pointing to itself (for "I"), the second being an equals sign (=) (for "am"), the third being a happy face (for "happy"), the fourth being a red arrow pointed to the right (for "to"), the fifth being a face with an arrow pointing to the eye (for "see"), and the sixth tile being two stick figures pointing to each other (for "you"). This app is loaded on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Costs $190.
* PlexTalk Pocket DAISY Player PTP1. This pocketsized gadget is a DAISY (Digital Access Information System)-compliant music, voice, and book player/recorder that's designed for people with vision impairments or dyslexia. It features a high quality built-in microphone for easy DAISY structured voice recording, and voice memo recording capability to help users remember telephone numbers, appointments, "To Do" lists, etc. An additional built-in large speaker allows playback of voice recordings, voice memos, DAISY audio books, text-based DAISY books and MP3's. Playback can be accessed from the External USB Drive, as well as using the Embedded Text-To-Speech Engine. Cost ranges from $275 to $350.
* Human Information Management Systems Braille Edge 40. This is a keyboard display that is linked to a personal computer, smartphone or tablet wirelessly using Bluetooth. Designed for the blind and visually impaired, it also helps users manage their daily activities by taking advantage of a built-in Notepad, Scheduler, Alarm & Clock, and Calculator. This is a new product. No pricing for it has as yet been released.
Levinson, Jerry
Source Citation
Levinson, Jerry. "Technology and people with disabilities." The Exceptional Parent Apr. 2012: 56. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA287391748&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=PPPC&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A287391748
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
It would be a gross understate-ment to say that I'm "technologically challenged." "Technologically inept," as my sons repeatedly remind me, is a more precise characterization of my (in)ability with today's gadgets. Terms such as "iPhone," "iPad," and "iPod Touch" mean little to nothing to me, a person who's still trying to figure out how to operate the remote control for the TV (that I've had for three years).
A recent conference here in San Diego put on by Cal State University Northridge--the International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference--really shocked me out of my electronic malaise and opened my eyes to the many ways today's tech advances can help individuals with disabilities.
Technology Designed for People with Disabilities
In the first demonstration at the conference, a man who was blind demonstrated his use of an iPhone 4S by holding it close to his ear and placing his finger over the phone's display screen. The smartphone voiced the particular application his finger was above. The man then scrolled through other applications, a description of each similarly being read to him, until he found the application he wanted. He then simply tapped the app to open it.
This smartphone allowed the man to use a touch screen without the necessity of a keypad and without having to buy other costly software.
Other Innovations
Other technological innovations demonstrated at the conference included the following:
* Eye-Pro GS Eyegaze from Words+. This technology permits individuals, who do not have the use of their arms or hands, to use a computer by moving a cursor with eye movements and without a mouse. To accomplish this, a small camera is installed on a magnetized base just about where the keyboard would be on a standard PC. The user then performs a calibration procedure, usually with the help of a technician, by staring at dots in different areas of the monitor screen until the dots turn green. The user then selects something either by staring at it for several seconds or by blinking hard. Cost: $7,480.
* Topaz XL HD Magnifier by Freedom Scientific. This is a high definition desktop video magnifier that provides sharp, magnified images of print of all sizes. The magnifier is sold with its own 17-to-24 inch screen and software that allows users to view magnified images on their computer monitors. Because it can be difficult for a user to find their place on a page when working at high magnification, the topaz magnifier contains a Find button that allows the user to zoom out for an overview of the page. Crosshairs allow the user to center the section of interest, and a release button then zooms the user back in to their working magnification level. Cost: $2,195 to $3,695.
* Proloquo2Go Software from AssistiveWare. This software enables people with autism, or who have difficulty verbalizing, to communicate by tapping symbols that are contained on small tiles. Sentences are then verbalized in natural-sounding adult or child voices. For instance, if the user wants to communicate "I am happy to see you," he or she would touch six tiles: the first being a stick figure pointing to itself (for "I"), the second being an equals sign (=) (for "am"), the third being a happy face (for "happy"), the fourth being a red arrow pointed to the right (for "to"), the fifth being a face with an arrow pointing to the eye (for "see"), and the sixth tile being two stick figures pointing to each other (for "you"). This app is loaded on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Costs $190.
* PlexTalk Pocket DAISY Player PTP1. This pocketsized gadget is a DAISY (Digital Access Information System)-compliant music, voice, and book player/recorder that's designed for people with vision impairments or dyslexia. It features a high quality built-in microphone for easy DAISY structured voice recording, and voice memo recording capability to help users remember telephone numbers, appointments, "To Do" lists, etc. An additional built-in large speaker allows playback of voice recordings, voice memos, DAISY audio books, text-based DAISY books and MP3's. Playback can be accessed from the External USB Drive, as well as using the Embedded Text-To-Speech Engine. Cost ranges from $275 to $350.
* Human Information Management Systems Braille Edge 40. This is a keyboard display that is linked to a personal computer, smartphone or tablet wirelessly using Bluetooth. Designed for the blind and visually impaired, it also helps users manage their daily activities by taking advantage of a built-in Notepad, Scheduler, Alarm & Clock, and Calculator. This is a new product. No pricing for it has as yet been released.
Levinson, Jerry
Source Citation
Levinson, Jerry. "Technology and people with disabilities." The Exceptional Parent Apr. 2012: 56. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA287391748&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=PPPC&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A287391748
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Windows sees a DVD drive as a CD drive
Troubleshoot an identity crisis in Windows 7. Plus: Install software from a CD or DVD on a laptop that doesn't have an optical drive.
A FEW WEEKS ago, reader Deborah's Toshiba laptop running Windows 7 began treating the DVD-ROM drive as a CD-ROM drive. It could play and burn CDs, but it wouldn't work with DVDs.
Deborah says she scanned for viruses, checked for updated drivers, and ran Windows' DVD troubleshooter--all to no avail.
Third-party DVD-burning programs continued to recognize the drive for what it was, and it worked with them without a hitch, suggesting that the problem was limited to Windows itself. Then, about a week later, the same problem cropped up on Deborah's HP desktop, leaving her with two DVD drives that Windows thinks are CD drives.
I suspect that a Windows update or a newly installed (or uninstalled) program corrupted the Windows Registry, leading the OS to think that functional DVD drives were CD drives. Since it happened on two PCs within a week, an errant Windows update is the likelier culprit.
See find.pcworld.com/72712 for a Microsoft knowledge-base entry and Fix-it tool that may help. (Always, always use System Restore to create a restore point before attempting such a fix.) In the meantime, at least Deborah has third-party software that works.
Install CD Software on a Laptop Lacking a CD Drive
Recently I acquired an HP Pavilion dmlz. To give the system a boost, I decided to replace its poky 5200-rpm hard drive with a speedy solid-state drive.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The Samsung SSD upgrade kit I bought came with a CD for Norton Ghost 15, a utility that would copy the entire contents of my existing hard drive to the new drive. But the dmlz, like many other ultraportable laptops, has no CD or DVD drive. How could I install Ghost?
I had two options. First, I could buy or borrow an external drive. A quick check of eBay reveals tons of USB DVD burners selling for $20 to $40--not a bad investment.
Second, I could try downloading the software instead. When I checked Samsung's support page for my SSD kit, I found not only manuals and drivers, but also Norton Ghost 15.
I downloaded the program, installed it, and then activated it by using the license key that came with the actual disc.
You can do likewise with Microsoft Office: Just download the trial version that matches the version you already own, and then activate it using your product key. (This gets a little trickier with older versions of Office, as Microsoft currently offers only the 2010 edition for download. You might need to hit up some torrent sites to find older trials.)
This method should work for the vast majority of other types of software as well. Usually you can download a trial or demo version and then unlock it with your license key. And as a bonus, your system will have the latest updates right from the get-go.
Broida, Rick
Source Citation
Broida, Rick. "Windows sees a DVD drive as a CD drive." PC World Apr. 2012: 92. Computer Database. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA283834120&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=CDB&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A283834120
A FEW WEEKS ago, reader Deborah's Toshiba laptop running Windows 7 began treating the DVD-ROM drive as a CD-ROM drive. It could play and burn CDs, but it wouldn't work with DVDs.
Deborah says she scanned for viruses, checked for updated drivers, and ran Windows' DVD troubleshooter--all to no avail.
Third-party DVD-burning programs continued to recognize the drive for what it was, and it worked with them without a hitch, suggesting that the problem was limited to Windows itself. Then, about a week later, the same problem cropped up on Deborah's HP desktop, leaving her with two DVD drives that Windows thinks are CD drives.
I suspect that a Windows update or a newly installed (or uninstalled) program corrupted the Windows Registry, leading the OS to think that functional DVD drives were CD drives. Since it happened on two PCs within a week, an errant Windows update is the likelier culprit.
See find.pcworld.com/72712 for a Microsoft knowledge-base entry and Fix-it tool that may help. (Always, always use System Restore to create a restore point before attempting such a fix.) In the meantime, at least Deborah has third-party software that works.
Install CD Software on a Laptop Lacking a CD Drive
Recently I acquired an HP Pavilion dmlz. To give the system a boost, I decided to replace its poky 5200-rpm hard drive with a speedy solid-state drive.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The Samsung SSD upgrade kit I bought came with a CD for Norton Ghost 15, a utility that would copy the entire contents of my existing hard drive to the new drive. But the dmlz, like many other ultraportable laptops, has no CD or DVD drive. How could I install Ghost?
I had two options. First, I could buy or borrow an external drive. A quick check of eBay reveals tons of USB DVD burners selling for $20 to $40--not a bad investment.
Second, I could try downloading the software instead. When I checked Samsung's support page for my SSD kit, I found not only manuals and drivers, but also Norton Ghost 15.
I downloaded the program, installed it, and then activated it by using the license key that came with the actual disc.
You can do likewise with Microsoft Office: Just download the trial version that matches the version you already own, and then activate it using your product key. (This gets a little trickier with older versions of Office, as Microsoft currently offers only the 2010 edition for download. You might need to hit up some torrent sites to find older trials.)
This method should work for the vast majority of other types of software as well. Usually you can download a trial or demo version and then unlock it with your license key. And as a bonus, your system will have the latest updates right from the get-go.
Broida, Rick
Source Citation
Broida, Rick. "Windows sees a DVD drive as a CD drive." PC World Apr. 2012: 92. Computer Database. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA283834120&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=CDB&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A283834120
Friday, March 9, 2012
Ultrabook: HP Folio13
The ultrabook has a chassis with a brushed aluminum finish inside and out in steel gray.
It measures 18mm (.7 inches) tall and weighs less than 1.5 kg. The laptop has a 13.3" diagonal LED Brightview display and sports a HD Webcam, supports Intel Rapid Start Technology, has a backlit keyboard and Dolby advanced audio with dual speakers and an HP triple bass reflex subwoofer. The HP Folio13 delivers up to 9.5 hours of battery life. It can be configured with a range of Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems, including Windows 7 Professional. A three-year limited warranty is available through an optional HP Care Pack. An optional TPM Embedded Security Chip protects data in e-mail and information on the hard drive for security-conscious users. Users who need a desktop-like environment or additional audio, video, network and USB connectivity can connect the HP Folio13 to the HP USB 2.0 dock.
Source Citation
"Ultrabook: HP Folio13." Express Computers 29 Feb. 2012. Computer Database. Web. 9 Mar. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA281599083&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=CDB&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A281599083
The ultrabook has a chassis with a brushed aluminum finish inside and out in steel gray.
It measures 18mm (.7 inches) tall and weighs less than 1.5 kg. The laptop has a 13.3" diagonal LED Brightview display and sports a HD Webcam, supports Intel Rapid Start Technology, has a backlit keyboard and Dolby advanced audio with dual speakers and an HP triple bass reflex subwoofer. The HP Folio13 delivers up to 9.5 hours of battery life. It can be configured with a range of Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems, including Windows 7 Professional. A three-year limited warranty is available through an optional HP Care Pack. An optional TPM Embedded Security Chip protects data in e-mail and information on the hard drive for security-conscious users. Users who need a desktop-like environment or additional audio, video, network and USB connectivity can connect the HP Folio13 to the HP USB 2.0 dock.
Source Citation
"Ultrabook: HP Folio13." Express Computers 29 Feb. 2012. Computer Database. Web. 9 Mar. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA281599083&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=CDB&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A281599083
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
HDV and old school 3D: mixing high-def footage and a 19th-Centuryillusionist's trick at the American Museum of Natural History.
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The newly re-opened Hall of Human Origins at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City tells the story of human evolution from our earliest ancestors through the development of modern language, art, tools and technology. Outfitted with the latest techniques in exhibit interactivity, it's a sight--and experience--to behold. But nestled among all of the Hall's 21st-Century features is the La Micoque diorama, an updated icon from the original hall that uses technology from another century.
The diorama depicts the famous archeological site of La Micoque in Southern France where excavations in the late 19th Century helped to provide insight into the day-to-day life of ancient humans 300,000 years ago. Set within the cliff-site diorama are a miniature scaffold, table and shed into which miniaturized live-action scientists working on the site are projected using what's called the "Pepper's Ghost" effect.
Pepper's Ghost is an illusionary technique that uses special glass and lighting to create the appearance of an object projected into a three dimensional area. This effect was originally used in theaters and magic tricks to make objects appear, disappear and morph into one another in front of people's eyes. Think Princess Leia's hologram projected by R2D2 in Star Wars. Developed originally by inventor Henry Dircks in 1862, the "Dircksian Phantasmagoria," as it was initially known, was made famous by John Pepper's implementation of it in a scene from Charles Dickens' The Haunted Man at the Royal Polytechnic in London that same year.
The effect relies on a special half-silvered mirror positioned at a 45-degree angle between the viewer and scene, a controlled lighting environment, a special viewing window and a hidden area where the object to be projected is located--all straightforward to implement in a diorama.
The original La Micoque diorama, which debuted at the Museum in 1993, employed the use of small television monitors hidden in front of and below the diorama, which ran a video loop of the scientists working. The images from the monitors were reflected onto a special mirror to create the effect. As part of the refurbishment of the Hall, Mindy Weisberger, the Museum's assistant director of video production, Exhibition Department, brought my production company, 24fps Productions, in to help update the video for the diorama. "We wanted to preserve a sense of continuity with the past, and the Pepper's Ghost effect was tremendously popular in the original hall. In spite of the simplicity of the method," and its 19th-Century origin, says Weisberger, "La Micoque consistently had visitors wondering, 'How'd they do that?' It is still a highly effective means for creating a magical environment in which moving figures bring a scale model to life."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Updating with HDV
To give the effect a modern gloss, the Museum would be replacing both the diorama and the media "projected" inside it. We had worked with the Museum in 2001 on the popular "Pearls" exhibit, where we created what was perhaps the first underwater HD chroma key shoot. This project also required us to shoot actors against a greenscreen. Though it didn't involve the plunking of cameras and large greenscreens into the water, it did have its own challenges. There would be three separate scenes that mimicked archeological work out in the field: an archeologist kneeling and excavating (which would be imaged onto the scaffolding of the diorama), a palynologist working at a table (placed next to a miniature model of a table), and a zooarchaeologist working at a table inside the shed. We would then key the green in the scenes to black, and finally give it to Lee Patrick, the Museum's media producer, for final processing. We decided to shoot the video in HDV with Sony's HVR-Z1U camcorder. Although the new LCD monitors for the diorama weren't high definition, the extra pixels of HD let us forgo setting-up ratio calculations to match the size of the actors with the size of the model. Lee could simply resize the video to make it exactly match the scale he needed.
Key Considerations
Pulling a good key was one of the most important factors in this project, so we devised a series of tests to compare different lighting setups, clothing colors and textures, props, keying software, colors and our overall workflow. We compared each of these variables against one another, ending up with a ton of useful data.
Our main lighting issues were making sure we had enough separation from the subject and background key, and preventing green spill onto the subjects themselves. We determined that a better key could be pulled if the subject were closer to the camera--up to a point. We found that the best key could be pulled using two front lights, each at a 45-degree angle from the subject. We used an ARRI 1K with Chimera Softbox for the key light, and an ARRI 650 with diffusion, mounted on a swing-arm, for the fill. This way, we could easily tweak its position for each scene. The background key material was lit with four 500-watt florescent color-balanced light banks, custom-built by my associate, Michael Frenchman. These lights also helped give us the right amount of hair lighting needed for good separation.
Our post workflow involved ingesting the HDV into our Final Cut Pro HD edit system and converting it to 1920 x 1080 8-bit HDCAM. Since HDV is an MPEG-2 format, it can be problematic during the edit; we've learned to always initially convert the HDV source into another format. After editing down the footage, we keyed our selected clips to black, stored the exported HDCAM files on a hard drive and gave them to Lee so he could scale and integrate them into the exhibit.
We had initially considered using Serious Magic's Ultra 2 software (now wholly owned by Adobe and sold as Adobe Ultra 2) for the keying. But since Ultra 2 wasn't available for the Macintosh platform, and the work-around with such large HDCAM files would have been problematic, we decided to go with dvGarage's dvMatte Pro, a keying plug-in that works directly within FCP as a filter.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
As one would expect with a greenscreen chroma key keyed to black, clothing with shades of green or dark colors didn't work very well. We also found light khaki shirts and pants to be too reflective, picking up too much green spill (there's a reason they are a top choice with archeologists who must dig all day in the hot sun). Light blues, darker khakis and grey worked better and absorbed most of the spill.
Props that had thin or spindly features didn't work well--they would disappear into the background once the key was pulled. Ziplock bags, which we used to simulate the collection of artifacts, worked very well. Their translucent features keyed evenly with the background, even while they were being moved around the scene.
We also tested and perfected blocking strategies for the actors, so the looping of the footage with props would be more seamless. Finally, we determined that white balancing against a WarmCards "Warm 2" provided a nice color tone that would hold up well with the Pepper's Ghost effect, which can, as its name implies, sometimes render the images too faded and ghost-like.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Having done such an exhaustive test, we found that the actual shoot went very smoothly. The Museum supplied the actors--grad students in archeological programs--and we shot several takes of each of the three scenes. To maintain the largest possible pixel resolution, we positioned the camera vertically, using a 90-degree ball mount for two of the scenes and turning our monitor on its side to view the scene correctly. We also draped extra key material on any surfaces that weren't going to be in the scene; this saved us lots of time when pulling the key.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Cleaning It Up in Post
After we ingested the footage into FCP, picked out the best takes and converted them into HDCAM, we set about the task of pulling the key. This was easier said than done. Despite all our tests, we realized that no lighting setup is perfect, nor is any keying software. We needed to develop a workflow that would clean up these imperfections.
The first step was to crop all unnecessary areas out of the scene. We then applied an overall key with the dvMatte Pro plug-in filter, studying the result on a high-definition monitor. Rarely did this single key work on all areas of the scene. Just as we were getting one area to pull well, the actors' hands would start to disappear. Adding additional key filters to the same clip would only exaggerate these problems. To address this, we duplicated the entire clip for each new key we needed, stacking them on top of one another in the timeline. Then we used garbage mattes to isolate the desired area of the scene requiring its own key, and we applied a separate dvMatte Pro key to each. In order for the non-matted area to be hidden (so black doesn't show through), each higher-stacked clip needed not only its own matte, but also an inverse matte of the lower clip. With multiple duplicate clips stacked on top of one another, it was a lot to juggle.
Once we applied all the necessary keys and mattes, we rendered each three-minute scene, which took, on average, eight hours per scene. Occasionally, we encountered problem areas that became visible only after rendering, adding time to the process for correcting and re-rendering. The entire project took a couple of weeks to complete.
The final scenes still had minor issues, especially when viewed on our high-definition monitors, but we determined that once the material was downconverted to standard definition, these problems would subside. Although a 2/3-inch chip camera may have given us a better signal with which to pull the key, the choice to use HDV worked out well.
As Lee was looping and scaling the scenes we had delivered to him on hard drive, experts from the Museum were modifying the original diorama to fit its new home in the newly renovated Hall of Human Origins. Alec Madoff, the original model-builder and the Exhibition Department's senior principal preparator, cut down the model to fit into a smaller space, while scenic artist Jack Cesareo painted a beautiful new backdrop. A digital video server fed the scenes to monitors installed inside the completed diorama.
R Haunting Redux
The Hall re-opened to the public on February 10, 2007. If you get the chance to visit the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, make sure to check out La Micoque. We were honored to be a part of a project that has a permanent residence at the Museum and even more thrilled to show how an old visual trick, finessed with the latest technology, still has the power to enchant.
Thomas Strodel is an independent producer and director. His New York City-based company, 24fps Productions, specializes in creating original programming for cable, broadcast and satellite distribution. You can contact him at tom@24fpsproductions.com, or visit his Web site at www.24fpsproductions.com. You can also find out more information about the American Museum of Natural History and its programs by visiting www.amnh.org.
Strodel, Thomas
Source Citation
Strodel, Thomas. "HDV and old school 3D: mixing high-def footage and a 19th-Century illusionist's trick at the American Museum of Natural History." Studio Monthly Aug. 2007: 30+. Computer Database. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA167926020&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A167926020
The newly re-opened Hall of Human Origins at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City tells the story of human evolution from our earliest ancestors through the development of modern language, art, tools and technology. Outfitted with the latest techniques in exhibit interactivity, it's a sight--and experience--to behold. But nestled among all of the Hall's 21st-Century features is the La Micoque diorama, an updated icon from the original hall that uses technology from another century.
The diorama depicts the famous archeological site of La Micoque in Southern France where excavations in the late 19th Century helped to provide insight into the day-to-day life of ancient humans 300,000 years ago. Set within the cliff-site diorama are a miniature scaffold, table and shed into which miniaturized live-action scientists working on the site are projected using what's called the "Pepper's Ghost" effect.
Pepper's Ghost is an illusionary technique that uses special glass and lighting to create the appearance of an object projected into a three dimensional area. This effect was originally used in theaters and magic tricks to make objects appear, disappear and morph into one another in front of people's eyes. Think Princess Leia's hologram projected by R2D2 in Star Wars. Developed originally by inventor Henry Dircks in 1862, the "Dircksian Phantasmagoria," as it was initially known, was made famous by John Pepper's implementation of it in a scene from Charles Dickens' The Haunted Man at the Royal Polytechnic in London that same year.
The effect relies on a special half-silvered mirror positioned at a 45-degree angle between the viewer and scene, a controlled lighting environment, a special viewing window and a hidden area where the object to be projected is located--all straightforward to implement in a diorama.
The original La Micoque diorama, which debuted at the Museum in 1993, employed the use of small television monitors hidden in front of and below the diorama, which ran a video loop of the scientists working. The images from the monitors were reflected onto a special mirror to create the effect. As part of the refurbishment of the Hall, Mindy Weisberger, the Museum's assistant director of video production, Exhibition Department, brought my production company, 24fps Productions, in to help update the video for the diorama. "We wanted to preserve a sense of continuity with the past, and the Pepper's Ghost effect was tremendously popular in the original hall. In spite of the simplicity of the method," and its 19th-Century origin, says Weisberger, "La Micoque consistently had visitors wondering, 'How'd they do that?' It is still a highly effective means for creating a magical environment in which moving figures bring a scale model to life."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Updating with HDV
To give the effect a modern gloss, the Museum would be replacing both the diorama and the media "projected" inside it. We had worked with the Museum in 2001 on the popular "Pearls" exhibit, where we created what was perhaps the first underwater HD chroma key shoot. This project also required us to shoot actors against a greenscreen. Though it didn't involve the plunking of cameras and large greenscreens into the water, it did have its own challenges. There would be three separate scenes that mimicked archeological work out in the field: an archeologist kneeling and excavating (which would be imaged onto the scaffolding of the diorama), a palynologist working at a table (placed next to a miniature model of a table), and a zooarchaeologist working at a table inside the shed. We would then key the green in the scenes to black, and finally give it to Lee Patrick, the Museum's media producer, for final processing. We decided to shoot the video in HDV with Sony's HVR-Z1U camcorder. Although the new LCD monitors for the diorama weren't high definition, the extra pixels of HD let us forgo setting-up ratio calculations to match the size of the actors with the size of the model. Lee could simply resize the video to make it exactly match the scale he needed.
Key Considerations
Pulling a good key was one of the most important factors in this project, so we devised a series of tests to compare different lighting setups, clothing colors and textures, props, keying software, colors and our overall workflow. We compared each of these variables against one another, ending up with a ton of useful data.
Our main lighting issues were making sure we had enough separation from the subject and background key, and preventing green spill onto the subjects themselves. We determined that a better key could be pulled if the subject were closer to the camera--up to a point. We found that the best key could be pulled using two front lights, each at a 45-degree angle from the subject. We used an ARRI 1K with Chimera Softbox for the key light, and an ARRI 650 with diffusion, mounted on a swing-arm, for the fill. This way, we could easily tweak its position for each scene. The background key material was lit with four 500-watt florescent color-balanced light banks, custom-built by my associate, Michael Frenchman. These lights also helped give us the right amount of hair lighting needed for good separation.
Our post workflow involved ingesting the HDV into our Final Cut Pro HD edit system and converting it to 1920 x 1080 8-bit HDCAM. Since HDV is an MPEG-2 format, it can be problematic during the edit; we've learned to always initially convert the HDV source into another format. After editing down the footage, we keyed our selected clips to black, stored the exported HDCAM files on a hard drive and gave them to Lee so he could scale and integrate them into the exhibit.
We had initially considered using Serious Magic's Ultra 2 software (now wholly owned by Adobe and sold as Adobe Ultra 2) for the keying. But since Ultra 2 wasn't available for the Macintosh platform, and the work-around with such large HDCAM files would have been problematic, we decided to go with dvGarage's dvMatte Pro, a keying plug-in that works directly within FCP as a filter.
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As one would expect with a greenscreen chroma key keyed to black, clothing with shades of green or dark colors didn't work very well. We also found light khaki shirts and pants to be too reflective, picking up too much green spill (there's a reason they are a top choice with archeologists who must dig all day in the hot sun). Light blues, darker khakis and grey worked better and absorbed most of the spill.
Props that had thin or spindly features didn't work well--they would disappear into the background once the key was pulled. Ziplock bags, which we used to simulate the collection of artifacts, worked very well. Their translucent features keyed evenly with the background, even while they were being moved around the scene.
We also tested and perfected blocking strategies for the actors, so the looping of the footage with props would be more seamless. Finally, we determined that white balancing against a WarmCards "Warm 2" provided a nice color tone that would hold up well with the Pepper's Ghost effect, which can, as its name implies, sometimes render the images too faded and ghost-like.
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Having done such an exhaustive test, we found that the actual shoot went very smoothly. The Museum supplied the actors--grad students in archeological programs--and we shot several takes of each of the three scenes. To maintain the largest possible pixel resolution, we positioned the camera vertically, using a 90-degree ball mount for two of the scenes and turning our monitor on its side to view the scene correctly. We also draped extra key material on any surfaces that weren't going to be in the scene; this saved us lots of time when pulling the key.
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Cleaning It Up in Post
After we ingested the footage into FCP, picked out the best takes and converted them into HDCAM, we set about the task of pulling the key. This was easier said than done. Despite all our tests, we realized that no lighting setup is perfect, nor is any keying software. We needed to develop a workflow that would clean up these imperfections.
The first step was to crop all unnecessary areas out of the scene. We then applied an overall key with the dvMatte Pro plug-in filter, studying the result on a high-definition monitor. Rarely did this single key work on all areas of the scene. Just as we were getting one area to pull well, the actors' hands would start to disappear. Adding additional key filters to the same clip would only exaggerate these problems. To address this, we duplicated the entire clip for each new key we needed, stacking them on top of one another in the timeline. Then we used garbage mattes to isolate the desired area of the scene requiring its own key, and we applied a separate dvMatte Pro key to each. In order for the non-matted area to be hidden (so black doesn't show through), each higher-stacked clip needed not only its own matte, but also an inverse matte of the lower clip. With multiple duplicate clips stacked on top of one another, it was a lot to juggle.
Once we applied all the necessary keys and mattes, we rendered each three-minute scene, which took, on average, eight hours per scene. Occasionally, we encountered problem areas that became visible only after rendering, adding time to the process for correcting and re-rendering. The entire project took a couple of weeks to complete.
The final scenes still had minor issues, especially when viewed on our high-definition monitors, but we determined that once the material was downconverted to standard definition, these problems would subside. Although a 2/3-inch chip camera may have given us a better signal with which to pull the key, the choice to use HDV worked out well.
As Lee was looping and scaling the scenes we had delivered to him on hard drive, experts from the Museum were modifying the original diorama to fit its new home in the newly renovated Hall of Human Origins. Alec Madoff, the original model-builder and the Exhibition Department's senior principal preparator, cut down the model to fit into a smaller space, while scenic artist Jack Cesareo painted a beautiful new backdrop. A digital video server fed the scenes to monitors installed inside the completed diorama.
R Haunting Redux
The Hall re-opened to the public on February 10, 2007. If you get the chance to visit the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, make sure to check out La Micoque. We were honored to be a part of a project that has a permanent residence at the Museum and even more thrilled to show how an old visual trick, finessed with the latest technology, still has the power to enchant.
Thomas Strodel is an independent producer and director. His New York City-based company, 24fps Productions, specializes in creating original programming for cable, broadcast and satellite distribution. You can contact him at tom@24fpsproductions.com, or visit his Web site at www.24fpsproductions.com. You can also find out more information about the American Museum of Natural History and its programs by visiting www.amnh.org.
Strodel, Thomas
Source Citation
Strodel, Thomas. "HDV and old school 3D: mixing high-def footage and a 19th-Century illusionist's trick at the American Museum of Natural History." Studio Monthly Aug. 2007: 30+. Computer Database. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.
Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA167926020&v=2.1&u=22054_acld&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
Gale Document Number: GALE|A167926020
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