ARTECT

The ARTECT tool provides a simple graphical interface that allows designers to build their own hybrid physical digital artefacts and experiences. Starting with a set of 3D models, a number of audio clips, some AR markers printed onto paper and a web camera, designers can select the items they want to use by dragging them onto the main editing canvas. Connections are made by drawing graphical lines between items. The tool also allows more complex behaviours, such as triggering actions based on the relative position of 2 markers or using physical input devices to manipulate a virtual object.

This is a research prototype available for testing purposes only.

Developed within the EU funded INSCAPE project at the Mixed Reality Laboratory, University of Nottingham.

• Java 1.5 or higher
• Java Media Framework 2.1 (JMF)

You can check to see if Java and JMF are installed by going to Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel. Java will appear in the list as either J2SE 5.0 Runtime Environment Update 14 or Java(TM) 6 Update 7, or similar. JMF will appear as Java Media Framework 2.1.1e. Java Media Framework 2.1.1e will also appear in the start menu.

Note: In Windows Vista and some versions of Windows XP, Microsoft's Java is not installed. Although ARTECT doesn't use Microsoft's Java, the Jave Media Framework uses the Java directory that is created by Microsoft's Java to store configuration information, and if this directory is missing then ARTECT will not be able to find any webcams. To fix, create a Java directory under C:/Windows (or the appropriate windows directory if it is elsewhere) before installing JMF.

• Download the ARTECT Installer
• Run the installer
• Select an install directory. Make sure you have permission to write to the location you try to install to, or you will receive an error like "Error opening file for writing: C:\Program Files\ARTECT\.eclipseproduct".

Before running ARTECT, you need to configure your webcams in the Java Media Framework (JMF). You'll need to do this any time you use a new webcam.

• Connect the webcam
• Start JMF Registry, this can be found in the start menu, under Java Media Framework 2.1.1e. The start menu link might not work, in which case it can be started from C:\Program Files\JMF2.1.1e\bin\jmfregistry.exe
• In the JMF Registry, select the 'Capture Devices' tab.
• Click the 'Detect Capture Devices' button. The JMF Registry will spend a several minutes detecting what capture devices you have installed, and their capabilities.
• Click 'Commit' to save the detected web cams.
• You can now close the JMF Registry, and you should be able to use your web cam in ARTECT.

You should now be able to use ARTECT. Go to the directory you installed it to and run artect.exe to start it. A tutorial is available from within ARTECT. Just select Help Contents on the Help menu in order to find it.