MeandriCA by Morgen Fleisig & Patrick Hebron

This project was developed for and presented at the ITP Big Screens 2010 event @ the IAC Video Wall in Chelsea, NY.

The aspect ratio of the IAC wall is 10.625:1, which is not very conducive to the web. This video represents the middle third of that screen.

Evaluating the state of each of the eight neighbors of the center pixel in a nine-square grid for every one of the 8,160 x 768 pixels on the wall of the IAC, algorithms are employed to generate such natural behavior as the flooding of lowland areas by rising water levels, and the reformation of new land masses by sedimentary deposition. The same pattern of behavior exists at multiple scales, and can be seen in chemical reactions, culture growth, spillage, and lava flows, to name a few. The algorithms themselves can be modified to simulate any variation. To operate in real-time, our algorithm must compute a baseline of 150,994,944 pixel comparisons every frame. To achieve this, we have designed our algorithm to take advantage of the computer's standard processor (CPU) as well as its hardware-accelerated graphics processor (GPU).

MeandriCA was created using C++, OpenGL, GLSL and Cinder.

Technical Details

The project represents a sophisticated real-time simulation system that processes over 150 million pixel comparisons per frame. The computational demands required a hybrid approach utilizing both CPU and GPU processing to maintain real-time performance on the massive IAC video wall.

The simulation algorithms model natural processes like water flow, sedimentation, and erosion at multiple scales, creating emergent behaviors that mimic real-world geological and fluid dynamics. The system can be parameterized to simulate various natural phenomena, from chemical reactions to lava flows.

This work demonstrates the potential of computational simulation as both an artistic medium and a tool for understanding complex natural systems. The real-time nature of the piece allows viewers to observe the evolution of these simulated landscapes as they unfold across the expansive video wall.