Week 7: Matej & Thanassis

Matej

This week I installed the Python ROOT library via Unix terminal and tried to open some data files that I received from Thanassis. Some of it is real data and some of it is a simulation. It worked out, but I still need to make some minor adjustments to get what we need. I also found out how to export an ASCII XML file, which is a critical step for the possible data visualization. Now I will attempt to install the ROOT library directly into Autodesk Maya and Houdini, but even if that will not work out, we can use the ASCII file instead. 
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The ROOT is a compelling data analysis platform made by the CERN. I was astonished at what I found in the files I received. The Dragon is using an impressive amount of variables. I think I counted somewhere between 50 and 100. In our case, a data variable equals to one data input from the particle collider experiment. This is very exciting, and I am learning a lot! 
I am still working on the story for the science fiction movie where we are going to use the data visuals. The story is not in a presentable form yet, but hopefully next week!

(Listen to Matej's art an science podcast at biocollider.art)

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IRIS facility at TRIUMF

Thanassis

This week we had a Skype meeting with Kate Schwarting. We discussed our progress so far and our short term goals. Kate gave us some piece of advice and she could also help us in terms of the storytelling techniques we’re going to use given her previous theatre experience.

We still working on a way to use my research data on a 3D animation software that Matej uses. I think we are close to a breakthrough ☺

In three weeks Matej and I will be at Vancouver, BC to visit the TRIUMF lab. I’ll participate in two experiments with different setups: the first one will be at DRAGON (see previous blog post) and the other one at IRIS (more in future blog).

Matej will have the unique experience to visit a word class nuclear physics laboratory, discuss with other researchers and take pictures/videos for our planetarium show. During last week’s meeting, he told us that he’s thinking of using Democritus as one of the main characters of the sci-fi story we are working on. I find it an amazing idea to connect ancient philosophers with modern research like nuclear astrophysics.

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Democritus, 460 BCE. One of the fathers of atomic theory.