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  • Google Glass, POV, and Augmented Reality

    When Google Glass debuted, I thought it was a cool piece of tech. Recording POV video and photos for my maker-oriented work and getting updates unobtrusively in class, meetings, and conferences were its main selling points to me. I wrote about some of my experiments with Google Glass and LEGO here. Unfortunately, it had its hardware and software limitations. One person who I interacted with took extreme umbrage with it. And, Google’s waning support over the years didn’t help either. Eventually, I sold it on eBay as I had stopped using it altogether.

    Use in Professional Settings

    Emily Hagenmaier and me at SEVCF 2.0 in 2014.
    Wearing Glass at City Tech’s Annual Poster Session in 2014.

    When giving presentations that related to interfaces and new media, I often wore Google Glass as a prop, which I would reference in my talk. Had I been very clever, I would have used it like a teleprompter, but it was often easier to read from notes printed or on a tablet in hand.

    I did get told off by someone who I didn’t know shortly before my co-presentation with Wendy Hagenmaier on “Digital Archives and Vintage Computing at Georgia Tech” at the Southeast Vintage Computer Festival 2.0 in Roswell, GA on 4 May 2014. I don’t know who she was, but she zeroed in the Glass, got perilously in my face, waved her hand dangerously close to my face and the Glass, and demanded that I stop recording video of her. I stepped backward and tried to explain that it wasn’t recording video or taking photos–I only had it conveying messages from my phone at the time. The thing about the Glass is that the computing unit got very, very hot–uncomfortably hot–if you recorded video for more than a minute or two. Of course, it would eat through its battery, too. So, full time recording wasn’t really possible. It did have a beta feature to take a photo when you blinked, but I never left the feature on as it resulted in lots of useless photos and depleted the battery. She was pissed and was having none of my explanation. Since we weren’t really having a discussion, I just said that I was sorry and walk away. It was an unnerving encounter since she was walking around with the organizer who remained silent during the exchange. Perhaps it had more to do with it being a Google product? What about it being a public space? What about the many other participants carrying smartphones with cameras as well as dedicated point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras? Perhaps she gained her intended effect as I was more cautious about where and when I wore them.

    For such an encounter, it would have been nice if the Glass had a built-in lens cover that lets others around the Glass wearer know at a glance if the lens was exposed or not, or if the camera part could have been modular in some way so that the wearer could have the AR but remove the camera when it wasn’t needed.

    Google Glass Kit

    I opted for the Google Glass Explorer kit that included detachable sunglasses. The kit included a single ear speaker that connected to the computing unit on the right side. An AC charger, USB cable, and felt carrying cases for the Glass and sunglasses were included, too.

    Before Its Time?

    Wearable technology like this seems inevitable. Good hardware and software design combined with killer apps/features would make this an invaluable tool, I think. The battery life and heat problems were downplayed during the initial public release, but they were real problems that robbed Glass of the bare minimum of functionality that it deserved. Had Google cracked those two issues, the software could have been developed further on a stable hardware platform.

    The lack of apps, poor battery life, heat production, and trouble with the voice activated features made me decide to resell it. Thankfully, I was able to recoup most of the cost when I sold it a year later.

    There seems to be steady interests in AR. Microsoft’s Hololens is neat, but it isn’t something that you can wear around all day. Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro looks cool, too, but it will be something aimed for specific use cases and not be a wearable augmentation to our daily, digital interaction with the world like Glass. Snap’s next generation of Spectacles seems like a high-tech version of Glass with full vision overlay, but it might be too opaque for all day and indoor use. Will something else come along to fulfill the promise of Glass?

    Catching the prismatic projected image on the Google Glass’ heads-up display in the mirror.

  • The New York Times asks, “Is it time to wear a mask again?”

    A toy bear wearing a surgical mask and sitting on a bookshelf in front of books.

    The New York Times asks, “Is it time to wear a mask again?”

    I haven’t stopped. While I want to protect myself from getting ill, I also don’t want to run the risk of passing on the virus to others who are unable to get vaccinated or have compromised immune systems.

    Protecting Ourselves from COVID is Like Playing World of Warcraft

    I think about mask wearing and vaccination and social distancing like I would playing World of Warcraft. A mask, like any armor, cannot protect you 100% from all potential damage, but if it is used in the right way, in the right circumstances, it significantly decreases your chance of bodily damage. Vaccination is akin to resistance to specific types of magic. It doesn’t make you invincible to that specific kind of magic, but if you are hit by it, having resistance reduces how badly you are injured. And, social distancing is like avoiding aggro or attracting enemy attackers. Don’t be like Leeroy Jenkins and charge directly into danger! Avoiding situations or using social distancing in situations where the virus might be passed around gives you a chance to fight another day!

    N95s That I Wear

    I recently switched to wearing 3M’s 9105 Vflex mask. It is flat packed and gives you a large space around your nose and mouth. The side handles are good for gripping when putting it on or taking it off. When you are hot and sweating, it maintains form and stays comfortable. I find it a good compromise between the other two I wear described below.

    This past year, I’ve mostly been wearing 3M’s 9205+ Aura. It is flat packed and smaller than the 9105. However, it feels soggy when you’re sweating. It’s elastic bands are less resilient than those on the 9105 or the 8210.

    When I was teaching, I preferred to wear the old school 8210. It’s tough, but bulky as it doesn’t pack flat. When you’re sweating, this mask maintains its shape and doesn’t get uncomfortable. However, it’s elastic bands do not have long life—the rubber gets stretched and will break after repeated wearing more quickly than the 9105 but lasts longer than the 9205.

  • Virtual Reality is Trying VR Again and Again

    Over the years, I’ve tried as best as I could to get interested in virtual reality (VR). The idea of VR excites me to no end. However, the reality of VR so far continues to underwhelm and frustrate me. The two biggest concerns that I have had are with eye fatigue, user interface design, and poor tracking and interaction with virtual environments. Below are some of the hits and misses that I’ve had experience with in commercial VR.

    2009: VFX1 Headgear

    The VFX1 Headgear was a bittersweet discovery. When I was much younger, I lusted over it when I saw it advertised in computer magazines in the mid-1990s. Unfortunately, it was priced out of my league and I didn’t know anyone who could afford one either.

    Fast-forward to my being a grad student at Kent State. One late afternoon as I was leaving the Satterfield Building–home of the English Department–I glanced at the recycling bins under the stairway by the exit and I saw a really big box emblazoned with the VFX1 Headgear on the side. Curious and expecting to find an empty box, I was shocked when I picked up the box and felt its weight. I opened it and discovered the headset inside. I brought it home and found the headset, cables, and manual, but there was no software or controller card. I was never able to find out who had thrown out the VFX1. I had hoped that I could find the person and see if they might still have that controller card in their computer, but I had no luck. I also tried to find the controller card through other venues–Craigslist, eBay, talking with vintage computer collectors–but I always struck out. I ended up selling it before we moved to Atlanta. Had I got it working, it would have not been an HD VR experience, but I had hoped to experience what it had been like when it launched.

    2015: Cardboard VR

    These Google-designed cardboard VR headsets are my favorites of all VR considering the simplicity of their setup and operation as well as cost. Also, they enabled me to easily introduce VR to my students–whether we used my phone or theirs. It just worked and gave immersive visual-focused with some sound experiences. I was let down when their development stopped.

    2017: Oculus Rift CV1

    Best Buy ran a sale on the Oculus Rift CV1, so I decided to give more substantive and immersive VR a try. In this particular configuration, I had an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB video card running the Oculus Rift. I was never able to get the focus 100% for my eyes and my small apartment’s limited space didn’t give me a lot of room to work in. Also, I had some real problems with interacting with environments and objects in games. Despite what changes I made to the Constellation tracking units, there were gaps between what I tried to do and what the software/hardware thought that I was doing. I ended up selling the set on eBay where I was able to recoup the cost.

    2019-2020: HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset

    When the local Microcenter had a stack of HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset and Controller Sets on sale for the bargain basement price of $129.99, I immediately bought one thinking that it couldn’t hurt to try this higher resolution than the Oculus Rift CV1 set at such a low price and I could resell it on eBay for more than I paid for it if it doesn’t work out. I am happy to report that I was able to get better visual acuity with the HP headset than the Oculus. However, it’s inside-out tracking presented the same kind of problems that the Oculus’ opposite style tracking had when it came to my interacting with virtual environments and objects. The frustrations of reaching not far enough or too far repeatedly was eventually too much. I boxed it back up and put it for sale on eBay.

    Future VR?

    I would like to try VR again in the future, but it might have to wait until I can move out of NYC. There just isn’t enough space in the apartments that I can afford for two people and a cat to comfortably coexist in a space large enough to accommodate movement-in-space VR. Of course, playing shooters or simulators in which I sit down while peering around with the headset on would be fine (analogous to the VFX1), but I would like to experience VR beyond that and interact within space. In the meantime, I’ll keep following VR developments until I can try again.

  • Academic Office Evolution 2012-Present

    In my post-PhD academic career, I’ve had two offices–one at the Georgia Institute of Technology and one at the New York City College of Technology, CUNY. Both were/are in shared office spaces. Thankfully, the desks were not shared (a loathsome experience that I had at Mindspring years ago), so I can keep my things on my desk without concern someone will move them or mess with them. Since I spend so much of my life at work, I like to make these spaces my own to make myself and perhaps others happy to be in their proximity. I’ve combed through my photo collection to find the following snapshots of my office spaces over the years.

    2012-2014, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Fall 2013

    The Brittain Fellows’ office space in the Col. Stephen C. Hall Building has an open floor plan in large rooms with each Brittain Fellow getting a large cubical space with cabinets and shelving. This was a great place to work, collaborate with colleagues, and interact with students during office hours.

    By Fall 2013, I had put up some favorite posters of LEGO LOTR, The Beastie Boys (not realizing that this could foreshadow where I was going next!), and the Philip K. Dick conference that I presented at in Dortmund, Germany. I had some favorite Star Wars LEGO sets and a cool Japanese-imported Iron Man snack box.

    2014-Present, New York City College of Technology, CUNY

    Fall 2014

    This picture shows my office space within the six-person office that I share at City Tech after I first moved some things in at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester. Each faculty member gets an allotted square footage of office space within a larger room shared with other faculty members. I have a great cohort of office mates who I have found to be collegial, collaborative, and supportive. It was agreed before I was hired that this office would not employ cubical walls, which might lend itself to a more open atmosphere of conversation and co-working than in other office areas with cubical dividers or fewer number of faculty members.

    Within the next month of Fall 2014, I had added posters to the wall of an Apple I computer board and Star Wars LEGO sets on my desk and bookshelf.

    By the end of the Fall 2014 semester, I had presented a paper at the annual research poster session, which I proudly displayed above my bookshelf.

    Spring 2015

    At the end of Spring 2015, I connected with Stanley Kaplan, a graduate of City Tech in 1969 who has worked as a lab assistant here since then. He had squirreled away these old computers in the Vorhees building.

    I purchased the polycarbonate utility cart below to ferry these computers from that building to the Namm Building–a distance of several blocks.

    Summer 2015

    By the end of Summer 2015, I had purchased a large utility shelf from Lowes, which I setup to hold most of the vintage computers. I positioned it in my bookshelf’s old space and slid the bookshelf over with a little gap to allow me to reach between my desk and the bookshelf for books on it.

    Spring 2016

    In early Spring 2016, Alan Lovegreen and I received 160 boxes of donated books from an anonymous donor in California. Alan had supervised boxing and loading everything in California, and when he returned to Brooklyn, we brought all of the boxes up to our respective offices. Thanks to our understanding colleagues in both of our offices, we were able to store the boxes until the library had cleared enough shelf space for this initial 600-linear foot donation of near-complete runs of the major SF magazines, novels, monographs, and journals.

    In this wide shot revealing all six desks in our shared office from late Spring 2016, you can see that the books have been moved to the library. My desk is the middle one on the left. Patrick is sitting at his desk in front of mine.

    Spring 2017

    By Spring 2017, I was carrying my MacBook Pro to work, so I cleared the center of my desk and daisy-chained the two Dell monitors (I hadn’t used my City Tech-issued Dell desktop since 2014–it’s not pictured here because by this point I had locked it away in my filing cabinet at the front wall of the room).

    The LEGO sets on my desk in 2017 were a MOC of Tony Stark’s workshop and Doctor Who’s TARDIS 21304.

    Also, I use the computers beside my desk to show off some of the postcards that Y and I receive via Postcrossing, which I’ve written about here and here. Admittedly, I have convinced some students that I was a distant friend of the British Royal Family with these!

    Spring 2018

    By the beginning of Spring 2018, my desk area had been overrun not only by the vintage computers but also by LEGO sets that my colleague and officemate to the right of this photo had acquired through grants. You can see that we now use the utility cart to move the LEGO sets around to our classes.

    Fall 2018

    Before the beginning of Fall 2018, I had donated my twin Dell monitors to Patrick so that he could have a super-wide 4-monitor setup on his desk. This opened up my desktop workspace considerably!

    Summer 2019

    At the beginning of Summer 2019, my cousin Ryan Cox gifted me his old clamshell iBook for the Retrocomputing Lab.

    Fall 2019

    By Fall 2019, my desk was once again overrun with LEGO sets–mostly Avengers (including my MOC/MOD Avengers Tower on the left) and some Star Wars. I was using my ThinkPad X220 as my work computer in the office and classroom.

    Then, the pandemic happened, and I rarely visited the office.

    Fall 2022

    During the pandemic, we received a sizable donation of books and magazines from Charlie Seelig and others. By Fall 2022, most of the boxes had accumulated in my office. They are in such pristine shape thanks to the United States Postal Service (sarcasm).

    Spring 2023

    At the end Spring 2023, I moved all of the donated boxes of books into the library and shelved most of them as I wrote about here, here, and here on the Science Fiction at City Tech website. While there is still a lot of stuff in my office space, it is tidy and clean while I am away on sabbatical.

    Reflection

    My office space reflects the ebb and flow of my work and projects. It reflects aspects of my life that I choose to share in the workplace with my colleagues and students. Those reflections are also things that I want to see as a reminder of what brings me joy and happiness. Having more than books and office supplies at my desk makes me glad to inhabit this space while I am at work. On occasion, it has brought some happiness to students and colleagues, too.

  • LEGO 75212 Kessel Run Millennium Falcon on Custom Display Stand

    LEGO Kessel Run Millennium Falcon on display stand.

    This is a lightweight custom display stand for a stock LEGO 75212 Kessel Run Millennium Falcon from the underrated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Like the stand that I built for my heavier modified Falcon discussed here, it provides an angle upward and a swoop to the left. The landing gear lock into place on the stand and are held in place by gravity.

    I hope there will be more Han Solo and Lando Calrissian adventures with Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover. I don’t think he and the rest of the cast of Solo got a fair shake due to the behind-the-scenes production turmoil. Let’s keep the dream alive!