#simplex noise

[dustrial-inc]

💀 Electronic death music in cyberspace

[tanadrin]

We can now calculate a per-map-cell heightmap, insolation map, and moisture/rainfall map, which means calculating climate/terrain for each map cell should just be a matter of defining a list of terrains based on elevation, insolation, and rainfall, and looking those up.

Despite the large size of the map (32768 cells), all this stuff calculates reasonably quickly. The rainfall map is not particularly realistic, but I just want something that felt vaguely plausible. The insolation calculation accepts arbitrary axial tilt, but not arbitrary rotation speeds--I would really like to include tidally locked worlds as an option, but that would require a totally separate insolation and rainfall model. Doable, but perhaps something for in the future.

I think actually the next order of business is refining the elevation model. Right now it's just simplex noise. I do not want to run a full plate tectonics simulation (I wouldn't know where to begin anyway), but I would like the lumps to be arranged in slightly more plausible ways.

[sepdet]

so the ulcer on my left eye got worse While I was visiting my parents and I have got my FOURTH $1000 amniotic patch on it trying to heal it (fuck you covid for setting off underlying health issues and essentially triggering the corneal equivalent of the worst damn shingles flareup EVER except it's herpes simplex keratitis not Zoster) anyway i've got all kinds of treatments the point is i'm home and away from several causes of physical and other forms of stress at my parents' which were making it worse so let's see if we can save my vision in that eye.

Right now what I see with the left eye is basically what the world looks like through totally fogged glass on my right eye, which I discovered by blowing on a glass shower door.

I've been dealing with this flareup since August. And it still HURTS.  The only saving grace is that I'm getting used to operating with just One functional eye.

But the strain of dealing with I pain as well as the world being kind of removed because I can't see very well is making it hard for me to string thoughts together, like Trying to take a test when there is someone continually sniffing and refusing to use a Kleenex in the same room with you. (Some people can concentrate through noise/static; I'm one of those people who really has trouble blocking out distractions.)

(I do wish Siri wouldn't capitalize every single time I have to stop and Fix a typo/dictation mistake!)

[cyanobotcodes]

Water Shader 1 - Interior

Here's a water shader I made. I think it's not bad for a first attempt.

Made possible by heavy reference to the following tutorials:

Looking Through Water - Catlike Coding  Yet Another Stylised Water Shader - Half Past Yellow Stylized Water Shader - Alexander Ameye Depth - Cyanilux

Plus some others that I'll link in part 2 when I get to the bits that I used them for.

I also used this beautiful example as a bit of a reference throughout for the sort of style I’d like to aim for.

Process under the cut.

My test scene looks like this.

We’ve got the generic Unity skybox, some generic sand-colored terrain (made of a simple noise function), a generic grey cube to demonstrate intersection with the water, and the water, which is currently a solid blue plane.

Step 1 - Transparency

Water is famously transparent. To make a transparent shader we essentially tell the renderer "instead of drawing this surface, draw the things behind it actually".

Here's if I just ask Unity to do that:

You can see that the underwater section comes out slightly darker than the rest of the scene. This happens (it turns out) because the scene color (everything behind the water) is passed to the water shader before Unity finishes processing all of the lighting.

I think in this case its the effect of the skybox that's missing from the underwater area. This actually suits me just fine, since the terrain underwater should be less influenced by the sky light anyway.

Here it is with a watery blue-green tint:

If you saw this you'd probably understand that it was meant to represent water, but that's about as much as you can say for it.

Real water is not perfectly transparent. The more water between us and the bottom of the lake, the less clearly we should be able to see through it. To implement this, we need to know the distance between the water surface and the bottom of the lake.

Depth shaders were a new topic to me and I am greatly indebted to this Cyanilux tutorial for explaining them very clearly.

Here’s the camera depth for my test scene, normalised to a decent range of values for the lake in question:

Here the water simply fades from transparent to opaque with depth:

And here's my final version of the transparency effect:

For that last image I've used: - a color gradient from greener shallows to deeper, bluer depths - a less aggressive fade (more transparent in the middle of the lake) - an exponential rather than linear depth function, and - a subtractive tinting function as described in this tutorial.

I think it looks pretty good so far.

Step 2 - Refraction

When we see objects through water we notice two main refraction effects.

Left (image by Bcrowell, en.wikipedia) we see the entire straw appear to bend at the surface of the water. Right (photo by Sam E Di) we see a rippled distortion of the sand caused by refraction through the rippled surface of the water.

In a natural body of water we tend to notice only the second effect (rippled distortion), because we don’t know the exact shape of the sticks/rocks/etc we’re looking at anyway. So, like many other water shaders, I’ll only be modelling the distortion for this quick and dirty simulation of refraction.

Since I’m working in Shader Graph, I primarily followed Ameye’s tutorial, although the section on refraction artifacts required me to dip into the more technical Catlike Coding tutorial to get it working.

To create ripple distortion we first need some ripples. Here’s the ripples I will be using. It’s two layers of ridged Simplex noise panning across each other.

I’ll be the first to admit it doesn’t look that much like water ripples. That’s a major area for improvement that I’d like to tackle as I learn more about creating procedural textures from noise. 

But it looks okay once it’s actually being used as ripples rather than viewed directly, so it’s good enough for a first attempt.

Applying the ripple noise to the scene color gets us this:

And with color:

In the close-up you can see the refraction artefacts mentioned above.

At the upper right edge of the cube the ripples take on the “deep water” color, and at the lower left, in the spaces that were inside the original outline of the cube but are not inside the new, distorted outline, you can just about see that the water looks shallower than it should.

The first fix is to feed the ripple noise into the depth calculator – but this introduces new problems.

The bottom left of the cube now looks right, but the top right has the cube itself “refracting” into the water even though it should be in front of the water. We also now have artifacts at the shoreline where similarly the shore is “refracted” into the water.

You may have seen either breed of artifacts in published games, I certainly have.

The fix involves making sure we don’t grab any pixels from above the waterline, and reverting back to the un-refracted image as a “default” if we were at risk of doing that.

Step 3 - Caustics

When light shines through rippled water, it produces distinctive patterns on objects under the water. These patterns are called caustics. (Photo by BrockenInaGlory)

There’s a fantastic tutorial on caustics by Allan Zucconi here, but I didn’t end up using most of it, since I’m still working (mostly) in Shader Graph.

Even more than the ripples, a good caustics texture would go a long way towards making my caustics look better. But for now I am once again using two layers of ridged simplex noise moving across each other (this time at a slightly lower spatial frequency).

Here they are, tinted slightly yellowish to represent sunlight:

(In a more complex model, like I will eventually need to handle multiple liquids and lighting conditions, the colour of the caustics should be determined by both water colour and light colour.)

And here they are projected down onto the underlying terrain:

Not very convincing. Two problems:

1 - We tend to only see caustics clearly in relatively shallow water. They fade out pretty quickly with depth as the light gets more thoroughly scattered by the water and stuff floating in the water. 

We can fix that pretty easily:

(This is using the same depth function I used for colour and transparency above. Technically it would be more accurate to use the vertical depth of the water or even the depth in the direction of the light source – but the visual difference is slight and this is the quicker, lazier solution.)

Second problem:

Caustics should only form where the light falls. They absolutely should not be visible in the shadows.

The Half Past Yellow tutorial mentions the need to access the shadow map, which pointed me in the right direction, but didn’t give me a lot to go on. 

Figuring out how to access the shadow map was a whole journey and unfortunately: 

I don’t seem to have written down all the sources I consulted (a lot of forum threads as well as articles, tutorials, and the official Unity documentation, iirc), and

I don’t fully understand what I did or how the shadow maps are represented under the hood.

In the end it involved dipping into HLSL to write a custom node that retrieves the shadow map. But I got it working.

Cutting the shadows out instantly makes the caustics effect more believable. It’s still not perfect, but this is where I called it good enough.

Combined with the other “water interior” effects (I wanted to show the animated version but the lower-contrast animation doesn't survive compression/conversion well) :

So far, so good!

Next up, the water surface.

[classicjalopy]

Gippsland Vehicle Collection - October 2024

As part of my big Classic Mercedes road trip, I visited the Gippsland Vehicle Collection.   This was a stop on our drive from Melbourne to Bombala via Gippsland and the Monaro Highway. The museum is located in Maffra and is housed in a great historic factory. One of the nice things about the museum is that the collection changes over time.   As of the time of our visit, the theme was 20th century sports cars.   They had a pretty good collection of them, and the most impressive was the wide range of different 50s MGs on display.

In addition, the museum has a large motorcycle collection, thousands of model cars, signs and even a restored train carriage.  They are also fixing up a model railway.  Plus there are engines on display. One of the highlights of our visit was one of the staff starting up the American LaFrance Fire truck for us.   It has a six cyilnder engine with three spark plugs driven by both a magneto and a distributor.   Given the age of the vehicle you could see a lot of things happening outside the engine such as the pushrods and distributor shaft.   It made quite the noise. It is no longer carrying a fire truck body and was most recently used to tour Tasmania, or at least drive from petrol station to petrol station.   The engine is a derivative of the Mercedes Simplex engine developed by Willhelm Maybach for Mercedes-Benz. I would certainly recommend a visit to the Museum if passing through Gippsland. Read the full article

[ultimatewalrus]

new bg effect for the BIGBOMB online high score chart. uses a GLSL shader with simplex noise

[proceduralcaves]

Source notes: Procedural Generation of 3D Caves for Games on the GPU

(Mark et al., 2015)

Type: Conference Paper

The researchers present a modular pipeline for procedurally generating believable (not physically-based) underground caves in real-time, intended to be used standalone or as part of larger computer game environments. Their approach runs mainly in the GPU and utilises the following techniques: an L-system to emulate cave passages found in nature; a noise-perturbed metaball for 3D carving; a Marching Cubes algorithm to extract an isosurface from voxel data; and shader programming to visually enhance the final mesh. Unlike other works in this area, the authors explicitly state their aim is to demonstrate their method's suitability for use in 3D computer game landscapes, and therefore prioritise immersion, visual plausibility and expressivity in their results.

The method works in a three-stage process, with the structure first being generated by an L-system, before, secondly, a metaball based technique forms tunnels, then lastly a mesh is extracted from the voxel data produced by the previous stages. In terms of implementation, the output L-system structural data is loaded into GPU memory where it is processed by compute shaders to ultimately create tunnels, stalagmites and stalactites.

An L-system or Lindenmayer system is a type of formal grammar (a description of which strings are syntactically valid within a formal language) where strings are formed based on a body of rules, starting from an initial string, which are then translated into geometric structures using a mechanism. The L-system used by (Mark et al., 2015) works by guiding a virtual drawing agent (a 'turtle') using the alphabet and constructed strings to generate structural points which can then be connected to form the basis of a cave system. By favouring longer production rules (producing longer expansions of strings) the self-similarity and orderliness of plant-like structures often generated by L-systems with shorter rules was able to be avoided, resulting in a more chaotic structure better suited to simulating a network of tunnels. Additionally, a stochastic element to choosing and generating production rules was introduced to enhance the expressivity of the system. To handle dead ends, a method of connecting a certain percentage of ends to each other by drawing a distorted line between them was developed, and is controllable via a user defined parameter. Further to this, the ability for users to adjust production rules, macro strings, the turtle's turning angle, the containing volume and direction of the system, was introduced.

To form the walls of the cave, a metaball — in this case, "a smooth energy field, represented by a gradient of values between "empty" at its centre and "full" at its outer horizon" perturbed by a warping function to be made less spherical (to achieve more natural results) — is moved through a voxel volume (data for which was generated by the L-system process) from one structural point to the next. If a voxel is found under the radius of the metaball, the distance between the voxel and the metaball's centre is distorted using a combination of Simplex noise and Voronoi noise, giving that voxel a value between -1 and 1. Curl noise is also used to vary the height of the tunnels created. By combining and layering Simplex and Voronoi noise, the researchers were able to produce results approximating scallops and jagged cave walls. The varying shape and size of the metaball and the intricate, branching structure of the L-system paths help to give rise to advanced shapes and to add visual interest.

Stalagmites and stalactites were created by generating noise values for each voxel and picking those within a certain range as spawn points (noise was also used to determine the density of speleothems within an area). Cellular automata were used to detect the floor and ceiling at spawn points and to grow the features (the specific details of that process, including how the cellular automata algorithm was implemented, are not covered).

The volume of voxel values created by the metaball approach are processed by a Marching Cubes algorithm to extract an isosurface, similar to the Masters project method. The authors note that Dual Contouring could have been used to better represent the voxel topology, an insight that informed the decision to investigate Dual Contouring for the Masters project method. Normals are calculated for the mesh and triplanar projection is used for texturing, as well as perturbation of fragments to create a stratified appearance. Lighting, bump mapping and refraction were also implemented. The shader parameters are able to be modified to produce different aesthetics (such as ice and crystal settings).

The method developed by (Mark et al., 2015) produced visually impressive results that are believable as real-world caves. It is capable of generating a variety of features and is structurally varied, with different patterns appearing in the resulting landscapes that resemble hills, sharp peaks, plateaus and small mesas (a flat top on a ridge or hill). The choice to use an L-system is effective in producing a complex, diverging cave system that contains walkways, arches, cracks, windows and polygon arrangements that look like hoodoos (spire rock formations formed by erosion). Furthermore, the creation of their own versions of speleothems (stalactites, stalagmites, columns and scallops) increases the believability and immersive nature of the results.

Parameterisation of aspects such as the L-system rules, its level of randomness, and the pixel shader enable control over the method and increase the variety of models that can be generated, making it more likely to be compatible with a range of art styles and world settings. One potential shortcoming is that a level of familiarity and understanding of the L-system component would be required for a designer to achieve usable results through alteration of its rules and other parameters, however such an investment could be seen as worthwhile given the level of control and expression that appears to be possible based on the content included in the paper.

[loadofoldjuk]

#10 - Well, how did I get here? - 2nd August

My Limit Break work has continued over the last month under the tutorage of John Kennedy, a vastly experienced programmer currently working as a producer at Auroch Digital. The opportunity to speak with him has been a pleasure and his guidance has uplifted my abilities.

I dipped my toes into learning the Unreal engine, looking at the sample game 'Lyra'.

The project acts as an engine of its own, allowing expansion of the base FPS game or reshaping it to entirely different genres. I followed a short tutorial that saw me implementing a new map and a new weapon to the FPS portion, this taught me a lot but I still feel the need to work on fundamental Unreal skills.

The bulk of this month has been spent continuing to traverse the world of Catlike Coding, this time following a tutorial on creating random noise. The first part involved creating a hash, using it to display a grid of varying colours and amplitude and allowing this to be wrapped around shapes.

Hash grid, with the same hash pattern transformed into a sphere

The rest of the tutorial saw the use of this hash to generate random noise which looks far more natural than the designs above, I'll do my best to explain how this was done, but to say it melted my brain is an understatement. The first task was creating value noise, which involves placing various points with various heights across a line, plane or cube (depending on how many dimensions you want) and then sloping between them. It creates a result that looks like a World of Warcraft mountain range.

See if you can tell which one of these images is a Value Noise plane and which is the Redridge Mountains!

This is better but still looks blocky, so the next step is to implement Perlin noise (also known as gradient noise). Instead of the same progression for each, each point uses the hash to create a unique function, making the slopes bumpy.

Extra settings were introduced allowing special types of noise to be generated. Tiled noise, creates a repeated pattern over a domain, fractal noise repeats the function at a smaller level and turbulent noise flips negative values so the whole pattern points up.

From left to right; tiled noise, fractal noise and turbulent noise

Then, an extra type of noise was added called Voronoi noise which looks angular and artificial. It's created by placing various points in a space and drawing to the nearest point. You can then combine this by misusing the closest point from the second closest to create a neat-looking pattern.

Voronoi noise using the second closet point minus the closest point

Finally, the tutorial saw the implementation of Simplex noise, which uses adding multiple, limited, values on a simple shape grid rather than a more complicated kind. The UK heatwave had started by this point so I apologise for this vague explanation, I had trouble understanding it myself.

Simplex noise, pretty but confusing

I just want to speak briefly about the fact that I am not a genius. A lot of my time with these tutorials has been reading something, not understanding it, reading it over and over, sorta understanding it, implementing it, not understanding it. Sometimes, however, you have to be dropped into the deep end and learn to swim to shore. My hope is trying my best against harder problems will make all problems easier in comparison. Will see, but until next time.

--Jacob

Mix of the Day: hasn't Balatro got a weirdly good soundtrack? It's all just one track, but it just sounds so funky, I'd highly recommend it.

[dubairealestateinvestment]

Abu Dhabi real estate developer launches Ville 11 in Masdar City

Abu Dhabi real estate developer introduces Ville 11 in Masdar City, unveiling 111 residential units to the vibrant urban landscape. Burtville Masdar Abu Dhabi Burtville Real Estate proudly announces the launch of "Ville 11" in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. This new development marks a significant addition to our portfolio of real estate projects in Masdar City, renowned as one of the world's most sustainable urban communities. Driven by the remarkable activity in the Abu Dhabi real estate market, Burtville recognizes the increasing demand for housing and aims to meet it with innovative projects. With "Ville 11," we continue our commitment to providing quality living spaces that cater to the evolving needs of our residents. dubai real estate market Having established our presence in Abu Dhabi last year, Burtville is poised to embark on a journey of creating more real estate landmarks across the emirate. Construction works on "Ville 11" have already commenced, with completion scheduled for the third quarter of 2027. Backed by a registration certificate from the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, "Ville 11" reflects our dedication to expanding our business in Abu Dhabi and delivering sustainable solutions to the community. At Burtville Real Estate, we focus on delivering international-quality real estate units with distinctive designs at competitive prices. "Ville 11" spans over 57,000 sq ft of land, boasting a building area exceeding 212,000 sq ft. Situated at the entrance of Masdar City, "Ville 11" offers 113 parking slots, including eight for electric cars, catering to the diverse needs of our residents and visitors alike. The project features an array of facilities and services, including a large swimming pool, gym, health club, barbecue area, children's play area, and a rooftop café, providing a holistic living experience for our residents. Comprising two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom units, "Ville 11" offers a range of living options to suit different preferences. From simplex and duplex units to triplex layouts, each apartment is thoughtfully designed with modern classic English aesthetics and high-quality finishes. Equipped with brand electrical appliances, distinct bathroom designs, built-in wardrobes, noise-insulating glass, central air conditioning, and maid's room, our units ensure comfort and convenience for our residents. The ground floor units feature private balconies and separate entrances, adding a touch of exclusivity to the living experience at "Ville 11." As we look ahead, Burtville Real Estate remains committed to delivering exceptional real estate projects that redefine urban living in Abu Dhabi."

[guillaumelauzier]

Generative Art: The Algorithmic Touch

Generative art represents an exciting merger of creativity and computation, where algorithms replace the brush, shaping intricate patterns and complex systems that transcend the bounds of traditional art forms. This unique form of art has a variety of methodologies at its disposal, from fractals to neural networks. This article explores these key algorithms and techniques that contribute to the world of generative art. Fractals A fractal is a self-similar shape that repeats infinitely at every level of magnification. The enchanting visuals they generate have long been a fascination for mathematicians and artists alike. Classic fractal types, like the Mandelbrot and Julia sets, exhibit stunningly intricate patterns and infinite complexity. More advanced constructs like 3D fractals or Mandelbulbs extend the concept to create highly complex three-dimensional works of art. Fractal-based algorithms leverage the recursive nature of fractals, making them an ideal tool in the generative artist's toolbox. Cellular Automata Cellular Automata (CA) is a discrete model studied in computational theory. A well-known example, Conway's Game of Life, consists of a grid of cells that evolve through discrete time steps according to a set of simple rules based on the states of neighboring cells. Through these rules, even from simple initial conditions, CAs can produce complex, dynamic patterns, providing a rich foundation for generative art. Noise Functions Noise functions such as Perlin noise or Simplex noise create organic, smoothly varying randomness. These algorithms generate visually appealing patterns and textures, often forming the basis for more complex generative pieces. From naturalistic textures to lifelike terrains, the randomness introduced by noise functions can mimic the randomness in nature, providing a sense of familiarity within the generated art. Genetic Algorithms Genetic algorithms (GAs) are based on the process of natural selection, with each image in a population gradually evolved over time. A fitness function, which quantifies aesthetic value, guides the evolutionary process. Over several generations, this method results in images that optimize for the defined aesthetic criteria, creating a kind of survival of the fittest, but for art. Lindenmayer Systems Lindenmayer Systems (L-systems) are a type of formal grammar primarily used to model the growth processes of plant development but can also generate complex, branching patterns that imitate those found in nature. This makes L-systems a powerful tool for generative art, capable of producing intricate, natural-looking designs. Neural Networks The advent of deep learning has opened up exciting new possibilities for generative art. Neural networks, such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), are trained on a dataset of images to generate new images that bear stylistic similarities. Variations of these networks like StyleGAN, DCGAN, and CycleGAN have been instrumental in creating a broad range of generative artworks, from mimicking famous painters to creating entirely new, AI-driven art styles. Physics-Based Algorithms Some generative artists turn to physics to inspire their work. These algorithms use models of natural processes, like fluid dynamics, particle systems, or reaction-diffusion systems, to create pieces that feel dynamic and organic. Physics-based algorithms can produce stunningly realistic or fantastically abstract images, often emulating the beautiful complexity of nature. Swarm Intelligence Swarm Intelligence algorithms, like particle swarm optimization or flocking algorithms, simulate the behavior of groups of organisms to generate art based on their movement patterns. The collective behavior of a swarm, resulting from the local interactions between the agents, often leads to intricate, evolving patterns, creating compelling pieces of art. Shape Grammars Shape grammars constitute a method that starts with a base shape and then iteratively applies a set of transformation rules to create more complex forms. This systematic approach of shape manipulation allows artists to produce intricate designs that can evolve in visually surprising ways, offering a versatile tool for generative art creation. Agent-Based Models Agent-Based Models (ABMs) simulate the actions and interactions of autonomous entities, allowing artists to investigate their effects on the system as a whole. Each agent follows a set of simple rules, and through their interactions, complex patterns and structures emerge. These emergent phenomena give rise to a range of visually captivating outcomes in the realm of generative art. Wave Function Collapse Algorithm The Wave Function Collapse Algorithm is a procedural generation algorithm that generates images by arranging a collection of tiles according to a set of constraints. This algorithm has seen wide use in generative art and game development for creating coherent and interesting patterns or complete scenes based on a given input. Chaos Theory Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. Art based on strange attractors, bifurcation diagrams, and other concepts from chaos theory can generate intricate and unpredictable patterns. These patterns, although deterministic, appear random and complex, making chaos theory a fascinating contributor to generative art. Ray Marching Ray Marching, a technique used in 3D computer graphics, is a method of rendering a 3D scene via virtual light beams, or rays. It allows for the creation of sophisticated lighting effects and complex geometric shapes that might not be possible with traditional rendering techniques. Its flexibility and power make it an attractive option for generative artists working in three dimensions.

Conclusion

The intersection of art and algorithms in the form of generative art enables artists to explore new modes of creation and expression. From fractals to neural networks, a variety of techniques provide generative artists with powerful tools to create visually captivating and complex art forms. The dynamic and emergent nature of these algorithms results in artworks that are not just static images but evolving entities with life and movement of their own. Read the full article

[ankikarekar9]

Physical Layer in OSI Model

What is the Physical Layer in OSI Model?

Regarding network security and hardware support, the physical layer in OSI model is the basic level for the whole network. It identifies the equipment, including the wires, devices, frequencies, and pulses, required to connect between computers. The information is stored in bits and is transferred between devices through the nodes in this physical layer. 

Now that you understand the answer to questions like What is the physical layer in the OSI model? you will also have to look at the significance it holds in the security of the whole network. The physical layer is required for network hardware visibility. The existing breed of software solutions often ignores Layer 1 in the OSI model. The lack of identifiability of the layer 1 devices may cause rogue devices to get implanted in the hardware and pose a security threat to the whole network. The physical layer identifies the devices and eliminates such bad actors. The layer also consists of a separate security procedure to ensure network safety. 

Functions of OSI Model in Physical Layer

1. Representation of Bits 

The physical layer in OSI model (Layer 1) takes the responsibility of transmitting individual bits from one node to another via a physical medium. It specifies the procedure for encoding bits, such as how many volts should represent a 0 bit and a 1 bit in the case of electrical signals.

2. Data Rate 

The data rate is maintained by the function of Physical Layer in OSI model. The number of bits sent per second is referred to as the data rate. It is determined by a variety of factors, including:

Bandwidth: The physical constraint of the underlying media.

Encoding: The number of levels used for signaling.

Error rate: Incorrect information reception due to noise.

3. Synchronization 

The function of physical layer in OSI model includes bit synchronization. The sender and receiver are bit-synchronized. This is accomplished by including a clock. This clock is in charge of both the sender and the receiver. Synchronization is achieved at the bit level in this manner.

4. Interface 

The transmission interface between devices and the transmission medium is defined by the physical layer in OSI model. PPP, ATM, and Ethernet are the three most commonly used frames on the physical interface. When considering the standards, it is common, but not required, that the physical layer be divided into two:

Physical Medium (PM) layer: The physical layer’s lowest sublayer.

Transmission Convergence (TC) layer: The high sublayer of the physical layer.

5. Line Configuration 

The function of physical layer in OSI models includes connecting devices to the medium or line configuration. Line configuration, also known as a connection, is the method by which two or more devices are connected to a link. A dedicated link connects two devices in a point-to-point configuration. A device can be a computer, a printer, or any device capable to send and receive data.

6. Topologies 

The physical layer in OSI model specifies how different computing devices in a network should be connected to one another. A network topology is a configuration by which computer systems or network devices are linked to one another. Topologies can define both the physical and logical aspects of a network. Mesh, Star, Ring, and Bus topologies are required for device connectivity.

7. Transmission Modes 

The physical layer in OSI model specifies the transmission direction between two devices. Transmission mode refers to the method that is used to transfer data from a device to another device. The physical layer in the OSI model primarily determines the direction of data travel required to reach the receiver system or node. Transmission modes are classified into three types:

Simplex mode

Half-duplex mode

Full-duplex mode

Modes of Transmission Medium: 

Well, now we know ‘what is the physical layer in the OSI model?’. However, what are the common modes of data transmission? 

How data is transferred between two interconnected devices, the direction of transfer and the time when this transfer happens all pertain to the mode or medium of transmission.

Here are the 3 common modes of transmission:

Simplex mode: Here, data is transmitted from one point to another only in one direction. The data flows only from one device in a single direction and the other device simply receives the data that is coming from this direction. Take the example of a computer in which the input devices like the keyboard can only send a signal to the monitor, which receives the data and displays the output.

Half-duplex mode: Here, the two devices involved in the data communication process can send as well as receive data. This happens only one at a time and not both at the same time. What this means is that while there is a bi-directional flow of data, data does not flow from both devices simultaneously. Take the example of a walkie talkie where signals are being sent as well as received by the same device, but both sending and receiving doesn’t happen at the same time.

Full-duplex mode: Here, the communication between two devices happens bi-directionally and both devices can send data or receive data at the same time. Two channels exist for this purpose as both sending and receiving can happen simultaneously. The most common example that you will see of a full-duplex mode is a mobile phone, where you can talk to someone and hear them at the same time.

What are the Layers in the OSI Model? 

An OSI model is made up of seven distinct layers that are typically described from top to bottom. The 7 layers in the OSI model are: application, presentation, session, transport, network, data link, and physical. These layers represent what happens within a networking system visually. Understanding the OSI model can assist in determining the source of networking issues, developing applications, and better understanding which networking products work with which layers. Each layer of the OSI Model is responsible for a specific function and communicates with the layers above and below it. DDoS attacks target specific network layers; application layer attacks target layer 7, and protocol layer attacks target layers 3 and 4.

1. Physical Layer 

In the Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model, the Physical Layer is the lowest layer. The physical layer in OSI model is in charge of transmitting data from one computer to another. It is not concerned with the data of these bits but rather with the establishment of a physical connection to the network. It interacts with actual hardware as well as signaling mechanisms.

2. Data Link Layer

The second layer of the OSI model is the data link layer. It is also known as layer 2. The data link layer controls the delivery of messages from node to node. The main goal of this layer is to ensure error-free data transfer from one node to another across the physical layer. The data link layer conceals the underlying hardware details and represents itself as the communication medium to the upper layer.

3. Network Layer

In the physical layer in OSI model, the network layer is the third layer. It serves two primary purposes. The “network layer” of the Internet communications process is where these connections are made by sending data packets back and forth between different networks. Furthermore, the network layer defines an addressing scheme in order to uniquely identify each device on the internetwork.

4. Transport 

Layer 4 of the OSI Model, known as the transport layer, provides transparent data transfer between end users while also providing reliable data transfer services to the upper layers. The transport layer is in charge of delivering an entire message from a source device application program to a destination device application program.

5. Session 

The Session Layer is the layer of the ISO Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model that governs computer dialogues (connections). It is in charge of establishing, maintaining, synchronizing, and terminating sessions between end-user applications. It makes use of the transport layer’s services, allowing applications to establish and maintain sessions as well as synchronize them.

6. Presentation

The sixth layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model is the Presentation Layer. It ensures that the message is delivered to the upper layer in a consistent format. It is concerned with the syntax and semantics of the messages. The data received from the Application Layer is extracted and manipulated in this layer so that it can be transmitted over the network.

Conclusion 

The physical layer in OSI model of the interconnectivity of devices has helped secure and seamless data transfer over devices and keeps the application services connected. It is all possible because of the seven layers that it consists of. The ground layer, the physical layer, provides all the hardware connections to the network and ensures that the next processes can occur without error. So the function of the physical layer in the OSI model is pretty significant, making it important for security and efficiency reasons.

[dustrial-inc]

MATRIX MONO - Recreating a visual classic. Matrix Code in processing. fluctuating the color, column length and distribution via simplex noise.

[sonyatruong]

4D research - Generative art

[aialgorithmicartuofw]

March 5-8 Links

GROUP 1 Fashion

https://crfashionbook.com/fashion-a33417774-robots-runway-fashion-alexander-mcqueen-chalayan/ https://www.elle.com/fashion/a33080297/virtual-fashion-shows-avatar-models/

https://www.ssense.com/en-us/editorial/fashion/do-androids-dream-of-balenciaga-ss29

https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/models

https://trendland.com/moncler-genius-first-ai-campaign/

https://fashionweek.ai/

https://wwd.com/business-news/technology/what-will-ai-mean-for-fashion-brands-design-1235511750/

GANS

https://stylegan-human.github.io/ https://3dhumangan.github.io/

https://app.runwayml.com/models/runway/AttnGAN

Design Tech

https://news.fitnyc.edu/2018/02/01/students-team-with-ibm-and-tommy-hilfiger-to-utilize-ai-to-elevate-design-manufacturing-and-marketing/

https://dtech.fitnyc.edu/webflow/index.html

https://dtech.fitnyc.edu/webflow/projects.html

Conceptual

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/04/middleeast/protests-iran-schoolgirls-poisoning-intl-hnk/index.html

https://vimeo.com/420277936

https://www.seiyaku.com/customs/vestments.html

https://ubibliorum.ubi.pt/bitstream/10400.6/11286/1/7943_16587.pdf

https://culture.pl/en/article/15-historical-quirks-that-make-poland-so-different-from-the-rest-of-europe

https://www.cairn.info/revue-monde-chinois-2020-3-page-12.htm

https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=etd

GROUP 2

Open Simplex and Perlin Noise

https://www.npmjs.com/package/open-simplex-noise

https://www.tumblr.com/uniblock/97868843242/noise

https://www.meetup.com/volumetric/events/161770192/

Werewolf and Othering

http://poemsintranslation.blogspot.com/2019/08/h-leivick-holy-poem-from-yiddish.html

http://www.otheringandbelonging.org/the-problem-of-othering/

Trauma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRDuc3IdOn8

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacres_of_Poles_in_Volhynia_and_Eastern_Galicia

GROUP 3

Stable Diffusion

https://sites.google.com/view/stablediffusion-with-brain/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsjDnYxJ0bo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdRxIKv9z9w

V2V Models

https://research.runwayml.com/gen1

https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.03011

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2302.03011.pdf

[massivelimestonecube]

video compression crunched this one pretty bad unfortunately! i'm still pleased with it though.

this is an icosahedron being rotated in 3D, then converted to 2D polar coordinates and back to cartesian with z-offset generated with simplex noise and the polar radial distance. colors are determined by point proximity to attractors, as are the sizes of the circles. i built this sketch in grasshopper and have been spending a lot of time playing with it - small tweaks produce very different effects.

here is the same set of points (without the simplex noise) viewed from the top, with only the hue determined by an attractor (as opposed to an RGB value constructed from three attractors). hue is a value from 0 to 1, so if you map it to a bigger domain (this was around 0 to 70), it wraps around and produces a high-frequency gradient. i tried animating this one but it was very flickery and hard to look at!

diaphanous membrane [loop]

[ketso]

Episode 15

Risuna, Keith and I now live together. Trust me, it's not the peaches and cream that you are thinking of. He bought some simplex house in Bryanston. It's close to work for him. It's a four-bedroom simplex house. Risuna has his nursery. I have my own bedroom - he let me have the main bedroom. Risuna still sleeps with me though. Keith sleeps in another bedroom by himself.

We are cordial. And I won't lie to myself, I'm falling in love with him. It's a dangerous feeling to feel for your roommate. I mean he's married. His wife still phones him for favours and he gives them to her. That, in my view, makes it more than clear that his heart is still with her. I'm just the woman who carried and birthed his child, like it was always meant to be. I'm scared that if I try to be with him despite the wife element and the fact that we agreed we are doing this for Risuna, I will end up heartbroken. More than that, things will be awkward. I'd feel like I'm also cornering him into not saying no to me because he already feels indebted to me for birthing his son, so why would he say no to some kisses, cuddles and sex? Let me just keep to myself. Let me just co-parent with him. In Keith's eyes, I'm just Risuna's mother.

I've just finished showering. Risuna is in the house making a noise with his dad. I guess I'll make lunch for the three of us. I heard Keith saying something about going to a zoo. I didn't take him seriously because every Saturday, there's always something that he has to do with his wife. So now that he's actually here today. I'm wondering if we really are going to go to the zoo. Plus, I want to take advantage that he's here and available to look after Risuna so I can go and see Wandi in hospital.

I wear a cute short but classy dress. Wandi made this for me when I was pregnant and she said the goal after birthing the baby is to fit back into this dress. Today, I fit. It's tight around my boobs then opens up with flare under my boobs. It's actually cute. My legs look very nice in it. I comb out my relaxed hair then put a pearl Alice band on my hair. I wear sandals with my outfit. Maybe this outfit will give me a hint of where Keith stands with this situation that he and I find ourselves in.

"Dumelang", I greet them as I enter the TV room where they are sitting and playing on Risuna's play mat.

I had to give all the gifts that Sizwe got me to Morafe. Keith just took over nje and wanted nothing to do with the gifts that Sizwe got me.

"Hello mommy. You look so beautiful", Keith says.

I smile at him.

"I'm going to make us lunch. What are you feeling like?" Me.

"Whatever you are making is good with me." He says.

"I'll fry some potato chips and make a club sandwich. Is that okay?" Me.

He smiles at me. It's a yes for him.

I head into the kitchen.

They follow me - Risuna is in Keith's arms.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asks me.

"Yeah. It feels different though... not having to work and just being here with Risuna. I hope you don't feel like I'm using you", I say.

"Bassie, come on. This is us. We've never used each other. I'd never think that of you", he says.

I nod my head.

His cellphone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket. I see the caller ID. It's his wife. I'm already annoyed.

"Hey".

...

"Sure. What's up?"

...

"I was actually planning to spend time with Bassie and Risuna today."

...

"Yeah, but I have a family now. And the agreement was that you give me enough notice so I can plan my weekends properly. I can't just change my day and drop my son because things just came up with you."

...

"You are being unreasonable now. This is supposed to work for both of us, not just you."

...

"Fine."

He hangs up.

"I thought you were filing for a divorce", I say.

"It's a bit complicated", he says.

"I see. Are you still sleeping with her?"

"Bassie -

"Actually, forget I asked."

"I'm not sleeping with her, Bassie. I'm not sleeping with anyone." He says.

I'm quiet.

"This is just not a good time for her to be going through a divorce", he says.

"Just like it wasn't a good time for her to be a mother six months into a pregnancy she made me go through?"

"Bassie-

"I'm just the idiot biological mother who was sacrificing so much for a man I love more than any man I'll probably ever know. But I've never meant anything to him. His wife has always come first and will always come first. All I'll ever be is Risuna's incubator. I’m sure if your wife wanted you and Risuna back, you'd just rip him out of my arms and leave me to sort myself out."

He stares at me. I don't know what to make of his stare.

"Are you joining us for lunch or do you have to go?" Me.

He's still a bit... in a state of stillness.

I just keep moving about in the kitchen.

...

Basetsana has exploded. I knew this day was coming, but I never expected her to say the things that she has just said to me. I'm sitting in the TV room watching my kid move around and discover what his body can do, I ponder on what his mother said to me. What's ringing the most in my mind is her saying that she loves me. Bassie and I have always loved each other. I've never doubted that she loves me and that I love her. But the way she said to me - after shitting on me about not filing for my divorce - it's more than the love we've had and shared over these years.

I don't think I'm going to that lunch that her father invited us to.

My cellphone rings. It's Noria.

"Yes?"

"Where are you? Dad is expecting us in the next ten minutes", she says.

"I'm not coming." I say.

She takes a deep breath.

"Keith, we've spoken about this." She says.

"I'm spending the day with my family today. Send my regrets to everyone."

"Don't do this, Keith. If you want an amicable divorce from me, you will think very carefully about what you are trying to do to me right now."

"Do your worst. You can expect the divorce papers from my law team on Monday."

I hang up.

She tries to phone me again. I don't pick up her call. She tries again. This time I block her.

"I left your food in the microwave. I'm not sure what your plan is", Bassie says as she takes Risuna. She has a bag and everything with her.

"Where are you guys going?" I ask her.

She just looks at me then leaves. I look outside the window and I see an Uber picking her up.

Ja no, I'm in shit.

...

It's been hours now since they've left. Bassie's phone is off and I'm getting really worried. I text Senzi, Wandi's husband. Maybe he knows something that Wandi may have mentioned to him.

"Yo. I'm looking for Bassie. I'm wondering if you've heard anything?"

He replies instantly saying, "They are here with us at the hospital. Don't stress, Wandi's mom is driving them back home in a few."

That's a relief.

"Thanks bro", me.

He sends me a thumbs up.

I wait another hour before Bassie walks in. Risuna is passed out in her arms. I get up and take their bag from them. She goes to put Risuna down.

He's up and crying now, so I guess Bassie is bathing him. It's always war when this happens. Then, it gets better when she breastfeeds him. That's when I go and drain his baby bathtub. I try to help as best as I can.

Now, we put him to sleep together.

When he's asleep, Bassie and I go the TV room. I guess we are going to talk. She's pissed off.

"The card is blocked", she says.

"Huh?"

"The card that you gave me that's supposed to have money for Risuna and me... it's blocked. That's why Wandi's mother had to bring us back home. We couldn't get and Uber back because the card is blocked." She says.

"That’s not possible. That's my account. I'd have to block it and -

Shit!

Noria blocked our cards.

"I'm sorry. It must be Noria trying to get back at me for not making it to today's event and me saying that she will have the divorce papers delivered to her by Monday." I say to her.

"Why is she blocking your account? How can she do that without your consent?" She asks me.

"Listen, I'll sort this out." I say.

I give her another card.

"This is an account she didn't know about and still doesn't know about. Use this until everything is sorted, okay?"

She stares at me.

Then she says, "How bad is this going to get?"

"I don't know. She's not going to make it easy. And with her father running for some government position, she cannot afford a divorce right now. So, it will be bad." I say.

"Keith, why don't we move to a smaller place? Something more affordable. We don't need all of this. Then when the dust has settled, we can come back to this life. I'll even go back to work. But if you insist on this life, it will be easy for her to hold you hostage." She says. Wow, this woman!

"I want the best for my son... and you", I say.

"We know. Teaching a child the value of suffering is teaching him what's best. He will be fine."

"I don't want you to go back to work."

"Then we have to move. But if we stay here, I'm going back to work", I say.

I nod my head.

She turns to walk away from me, but I hold onto her wrist and she turns to face me again.

"I love you too, Basetsana." I tell her.

She gives me a look that I cannot understand.

She pulls her hand from me.

She pulls her dress down.

It's finally happening.

I take off my t-shirt and pull my shorts down. Then I carry her to my bedroom. That's where my condoms are.

We are kissing all over each other.

I put her down on the bed.

I get my condoms.

I see her staring at my wall. Oh shit. She's never been in here. I have an A0-sized photograph of her and my son on the wall. I love them being the last thing I see every night and the first thing I see every morning.

"Keith -

I sit on the edge of my bed. I’m really horny. But I have to focus.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just... I want you guys to be the last thing I see every night and the first thing I see every morning. You are my purpose." I tell her.

"Keith, why did you marry her? Why didn't we end up together? I mean, since we were kids, our story was written in the stars."

I can't even answer her.

"I cried myself to sleep on your wedding day." She tells me.

"I'm sorry, Bassie. I really am." I tell her.

I hear her sniffing and I see her wiping her tears.

"I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, Keith." She says.

She walks out of my bedroom.

I find myself crying too.

It's morning before I know it and I don't feel like going to the kitchen. I know she's up because there's noise of dishes and pots. My son sleeps in a lot, so he's probably still fast asleep.

I check my email.

I see something from Noria. She's asking me for a meeting before we meet with the lawyers. I just ignore it.

I have to put on some big boy pants on and go face Bassie.

I wear some pants then walk out topless. She saw me all the way naked yesterday. I saw her all the way naked too and she is looking like something I'd tap any day and any time.

"Good morning", I greet her.

She's in shorts and a tank top. She looks really nice.

"Hey", she says without looking at me.

"You slept okay?" I ask her.

"I had to help myself after you had me all heated and didn't finish", she says and giggles.

I laugh too since she opened that up for me.

"I'm sorry. But to be fair, you left me", I say.

She looks at me and laughs.

"I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to-

"Bassie, please. Honestly, I'm glad we spoke about that. We needed to talk about it." I say.

"I just don't want us to -

I pull her into a hug. She hugs me too. I kiss the top of her head. She is quite short.

"I was also up all night looking for cheaper places we could stay in. I found a promising one. It's a two-bedroom apartment in a place called Boksburg, in the Eastrand. It's very affordable. It's a quarter of what we are paying here", she says.

"You know we don't have to do this right?" I say.

"I know. But I want to. When the time is right, we will have what we really want", she says.

I lift her head up towards my face. I kiss her. She kisses me back.

"I'll go view the place today. If you are free, we can go together", she says.

"I'd love to go with you. But I have to meet with my lawyer. I trust your judgment."

She smiles at me.

"The lawyer is coming here. So you can use the car." He says.

"You sure?" She asks me.

"I promise", me.

We kiss again.

"Can we finish what we started last night?" Me.

She laughs at me.

Risuna cries.

"Your turn, daddy", she says.

I laugh and go get my son.