Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by atonse on Monday October 04, 2021 @09:19AM
(#28746318)
WOW I absolutely love, love, love this idea.
A really great way to play with guests. This was done a lot in older horror movies, where the eyes in a portrait seemed to follow people.
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by ksaj on Monday October 04, 2021 @06:09PM
(#28752724)
That was exactly my inspiration for the eyes.
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by linspace on Monday October 04, 2021 @08:35AM
(#28745844)
Simply awesome. I would consider adding a hidden camera to track people position and move the eyes accordingly. You could sell to people decorating their haunted mansions.
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by ksaj on Monday October 04, 2021 @06:11PM
(#28752754)
That would detract from the intention. I don't have it changing often because I'd rather the change happen when nobody is looking. It plays with their memory that way. If they saw it "move" then that would change their entire interpretation of what is going on. They wouldn't be questioning their mind and memory, and instead marveling at a simple technical wonder.
Also, e-paper doesn't change smoothly, so animation is out of the question. It takes some time for images to change, and that would sap it entirely of its magic.
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by atonse on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @01:54PM
(#28762990)
Yep the key here is that it makes you question your memory. "Wait... I could've SWORN that person was looking elsewhere earlier"
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by jvandonsel on Monday October 04, 2021 @08:11AM
(#28745661)
Show us pics and deets!
Re:Ask HN: What's your favorite E-Ink project?
by ksaj on Monday October 04, 2021 @06:15PM
(#28752805)
If you can wait til Christmas I have a huge improvement coming. It's going 3D, which I think will really add to the magical qualities. At that time I'll be posting a page on how to do both the "normal" and the 3D versions.
I consider the 2D version a prototype, even though it is already quite cool in its own right.
BUT the slide show is sneaky.
I will be changing the theme once in a while, but the one I have running right now is a series of coloured illustrations of an owl sitting on a branch. It's eyes appear to change position. There's a branch in behind that occasionally makes an appearance. Even a bit of text sometimes shows up.
I never mention it to people. I just let them second guess their own sanity when the picture isn't always the way they remember it compared to other times they looked at it. I'm really abusing the fact that it doesn't look like a computer screen here.
Although it is completely unrelated, my inspiration came from remembering the Johnny Castaway screen blanker from back in the 90's. It was based on random "skits" that appeared to tell a story.