3D Model

Has anyone attempted to use a 3d architectural flash model in the web interface for indigo? If so what were your experiences?

I have half my house modeled in 3d using Qcad and blender for linux. I want to finish that model and export it to flash. In the end it should look like any of the thousands of product demos that allow you to move around them in 3d using a mouse control on the page.

From there, with some action script, you should be able to click on areas of the model to control each device. Also, you should be able to determine the state of everything in the house at a glance. If you want to take it even further, seeing falsh is an anamation tool, you could animate the state of doors and windows to show if they are open or closed for a quick overview of the security system.

I figure that this might be a more efficent interface then the 2d model where each floor is represented individually. It should cut down on the number of inputs required to select and control a given device to one or two clicks.

I hope this makes a more intuitive touch screen interface. I'll also include the standard large buttons on the interface for those that have trouble controlling smaller items. With a little java script even clicking on a button can controll the model and display what happened.

As for the hardware, I converted an apple tv into a full OSX machine to run Indigo. That works with out a hitch. Second, I got a 17 planar open frame touch screen to connect to the apple tv using an HDMI to DVI-D cable. That's important because the apple tv only has component out for analog video. So mount the touch screen in the wall, connect it to the apple tv running OSX in the basement running a web browser for the interface and indigo for the control, and there you have a complete controll system in a nice little 48W package.

Any thoughts are welcome...

I had considered it, and even started modeling my house. Then I realized that while it would look neat, it would be much less efficient than just 2d views. You end up wasting more time moving the view so you can access a 'switch' in an alternate room then you would just clicking a tab/etc to load up a different floorplan.

[matt (support)]

If you do decide to do this, then let me know. We (Martijn and myself) actually did quite a bit of work on creating a Flash based Indigo client (2D not 3D). We had it up and working, although it probably doesn't work with the latest version of IndigoServer. I have some ActionScript source files that do all of the client communication if you want to try it out. It definitely requires some Flash and ActionScript expertise to get it going, but it definitely is possible. It is a bit more responsive than the browser based UI because it establishes and keeps a socket connection open to the IndigoServer, which can then notify it of changes immediately. The browser javascript has to poll the server every couple of seconds, so it isn't quite as responsive.

Regards,
Matt

Any action script code would help a lot. I'm not an action script expert but I'll figure it out.

As for using the 3D model to control the actual device it is probably not the most efficient UI. I mean to impress guest it's cool but I plan on using it more to display the device state and keep the actual control based on buttons.

Probably select a device by room and some kind of ajax based pop over to select each device and control it without having to reload the page. Once you hit the selection then the change in state would have some animation effect in the model. For example spin around and show a light has turned on on the other side of the house. Maybe just spining the model with a slider to determine which window and doors are open in a security model.

I have the model almost completed. I need to improve the conversion to flash. Then I will work on the code to paste it all together. Some simple explorering has shown that you can control objects in the flash from javascipt. So I should be able to write code that adds a light on/off animation in the model when a button is pushed with out to much trouble.

If anyone else has other ideas please let me know.

Mike

Well I made a flash touch screen interface for indigo. The problem is the constant updating from a pull web model cause the performance of the apple tv I'm using to slow to a crawl.

If I knew anything about apple development I would just write a client server application to monitor the activity of indigo and broadcast it to the client as needed.

Oh well.....

[matt (support)]

Any action script code would help a lot. I'm not an action script expert but I'll figure it out.

Let's move this particular (client/server action script code) discussion to your other thread.

Regards,
Matt