Using Drawing by Emotions interface (November 2017 Update)

Current version

Current interface version

Algorithms and GUI Development

     In this stage of improvements I developed the algorithms and code structure to avoid some issues such as:

     Applying info to Photoshop while the port is busy. previously that was causing problems to me, because the code was bit simple so if the Python code send data to Photoshop while it is busy ( such as there is an open dialog box) the whole software will get stuck and send an error message. this development decreased the errors to a very low - zero in average. 

Also in this development I added two colour boxes in the top showing the saved colour and the current colour to be applied after changing the parameters by the two sensors.

UPDATES

The main updates in this version:

- Two colour boxes added to show both saved colour and it is new form after applying the new beat values without using Photoshop palette to estimate the colour change. 

- A beat simulator icon is added to make it easier to check if the software is picking heart beats already and it is switching from yellow to red with each beat.

- The system now is catching the decrease of heart rate under the saved value. this means that it is more accurate and represent my heat changes exactly.

- Saving heart value and colour value is separated now to be able to change the colour easily but to keep the saved heart rate.

Improving the GUI and the Software

this is a major update in apperance and function. following a list of the main points:

- Separate section for each option, now sections are more organised, all options are in groups to make using it easier. 

- Actual colour channels values for both saved colour and updated colour. at the top of The GUI, a list of colour chanels and theier current values, for both the oginally saved colour. also the processed colour that will be applied to photoshop once the artist click Auto apply or manual one time apply options.

- Effective smile slider is an option that gives the user the ability to increase or decrease smiles effect. The artist can chose a step number that smiles need to reach before it counts one smile effect, for instance if the user chose ten on the slider this will result that every ten smiles will be counted as a one smile and so on.

- affected channel selection. this feature provide the ability to chose the colour channel that will be affected by the changes in heart pulse or in smiles detector. the thing that will change colour identity, as if the changes occur to all channels of specific colour, it will result in keeping the same colour but change the brightness. But, if the changes occur equally to all colour channels, then the colour will change. 

Ready Interface

Now, the interface is ready to be used. the interface two main features are responding effectively. Turning on and off smile detector and heart rate detector features is possible now.

Smile Detector, the Interface new feature

     After successfully got my smile to be recognised , working now on adding this feature to the interface. The way I am hopping this feature to work is by being able to activate/deactivate this feature through the GUI, and to decide how to use the collected data in the artwork.

     The two main options I am thinking in are: ether to adjust a working parameter such as to affect the colours lines sizes of things, or the second option is to use the collected smiles to create the artwork depend on for example how often and the number in certain time. 

Smiles As Art

Can our smiles create an artwork?

Facial Expressions?

Emphasising the concept of reading artist emotions, the next interface feature will be facial expression scanner. facial expressions can tell much about our instant emotional condition. our smiles, eyebrows and eyes can tel much about us. As Drawing by Emotions interface used heart pulse rate before, it is the time to add facial expressions to the equation. scanning facial changes, analyse it and apply it to the artwork can support the concept of transferring emotions.

The New Developments

using the interface can point out issues, also it makes it easier to suggest solutions. what I notice using the current interface is that the processed colour manual apply is working fine, but sometimes I need the process to be automatic. the suggested development is to add auto apply button and a timer slide. the automatic function will start sub timer that can be set through the slider to the desired value, and the new values will be applied continuously every n time. in this case another button needs to be set to disable the auto function. 

this can offer a convenient way to apply the new values while the artist concentrate more on the artwork than the interface. 

GUI development 2

In this update, the most important additive is the automatic heart rate effect apply option. There is no need now to keep press a button to update Photoshop foreground colour. Automatic function can be selected and set to the required timer. And of course the user is still able to use the manual applying option if there is no need to the automatic process.

Another Development

       Adding the automatic apply feature created some interference with other functions, such as the other timer that collects heart pulses. also the new timer should not interfere with Photoshop as it can accidentally apply new values while painting, and this can interfere with the communicating port I am using. this issue costed me 3 weeks to figure it out, now every thing working fine and the main software is more organise and function much better than before.