Thomas Langerak – Capstone Plan V1

Revised Idea:

To create a password alternative with a physical object, currently and most likely a game of chess.
One has to remember famous games of chess in order to unlock something (in this case probably a poem), to unlock this something one has to play the correct game against a computer.

Key in this concept is to show the progress in decrypting the message. When one gets the move right the correct word/letters is/are shown, with a wrong move the wrong letters are shown. In the first concept one was “gameover” but the conclusion was that this made brute-forcing incredibly easy.

I really want to make a tangible interface for this all, I think adds far more value to the project and I do not think it will be a large challenge. Yet it is not important for proof of concept. This brings me to a plan for the upcoming weeks.

On afterthought one could see it as the chess game in the first harry potter book/movie. Solve a challenge to move forward. But instead of winning the remembered moves are essential.

Plan:

  • I have thought long and hard about programming environment. Both Openframeworks and Processing appeal to me (maybe only Arduino is enough already). When going for a final design which is tangible I should look into a raspberry Pi. Here is a simple tutorial to get Arduino + Processing working the RaspberryPi:

http://scruss.com/blog/2014/01/07/processing-2-1-oracle-java-raspberry-pi-serial-arduino-%E2%98%BA/

The final choice will be made with regard to in which environment a chess engine is most easily implementable.

  • For a first prototype a chess engine is not essential. When everything is done correctly the moves of each piece are known beforehand, therefore no calculation needs to be done. Therefore I will probably will start with a mockup in processing.
  • The artistic challenge lies in the visualization. I am still still contemplating the how and what. I would love to make a tangible interface, since this solves some problems and I think it has more value both as a concept and an artistic piece. Though I do not think piece recognition will be hard, moving the chesspiece will be more of a challenge but definitely a solvable one.

To elaborate on the first prototype ( I am still wondering whether start doing this on a raspberryPi). This prototype will be text input based.

  • Notation into array per move (one array for moves of both sides)
  • Classic notation to more easily understandable notation. Classic notion is quite hard to get. When I am able to translate this from the current standard to something like A1-A2 (something from A1 moved to A2), A1XA2 (something from A1 hit something at A2), etc. This will allow for easier debugging and makes it easier to translate to an more advanced prototype.
  • Add input and output (textual for now)

This will enable to me to check the most important workings of the final piece (the encryption/decryption). From here on I can decide how to continue, with regard to the visualization.

Based on the fact that the final design is tangible:

Arduino                <—>       RasberryPi + Processing/OFx
Detection                            Check move
Movement                          Calculate Move
Visualization