Muiz is an interactive 3D artwork where the user can manipulate Kazakh ornament shapes (such as mүйіз, қосмүйіз, and қыңырмүйіз) using a sensor glove and head movement.
The project uses:
1. Arduino + flex sensors on a glove to read finger bends and hand gestures
2. A webcam to track the user’s head movement
3. p5.js with WEBGL to display the ornaments on a 3D canvas
Basically, the user controls and deforms existing ornament patterns in real time, like sculpting them in the air.
How It Works
Glove with Flex Sensors (Arduino)
– Several flex sensors are placed on the glove fingers.
– When the user bends a finger, the sensor value changes.
– Arduino reads these values and sends them to the computer (to p5.js) via serial communication.
These finger bends and hand gestures are used to control the ornament:
– change size
– twist the shape
– bend or “curl” the pattern
– blend between different ornament types
Head Movement: Camera Tracking
A webcam is used to track the user’s head position and movement (some libraries shown in class will be used)
Head movement can control the view in 3D space:
– turn head left/right → rotate around the ornament
– move head up/down → change vertical angle (look from above or below)
– lean forward/back → zoom in and out
It feels like walking around a floating 3D sculpture.
Initial finger mapping:
1. Index finger bend → scale (make ornament bigger/smaller)
2. Middle finger bend → twist/rotate the pattern
3. Ring finger bend → bend the pattern, make it more “curvy”
4. Small finger bend → thickness of the lines or 3D extrusion
5. Thumb + index pinch → switch ornament type (mүйіз → қосмүйіз → қыңырмүйіз)
6. Fist → reset shape to original form
7. Open hand → start a smooth animation (ornament slowly breathing, pulsing)