PAUL LACROIX  ポール・ラクロワ

Creative Technologist / Engineer / Media Artist

Categories:    My picks  Interactive installations  Projection Mapping  Other  All

September 2023: Immersive installation at Bandai Spirits in Tokyo
NGC / Bandai Spirits
Director / Technical director / Developer

  • Interactive content design
  • Sensing system development
  • Sound design
  • Floor lighting system development

    • This immersive experience was installed at the entrance of BANDAI SPIRITS headquarters in Tokyo. The setup consists of two 6.5m-long LED screens on both sides of a corridor.

    Depending on the season, different contents are shown. Optical sensors allow these real-time interactive contents to respond to people's movements.
    Video
    April 2023: Skull mesh reconstruction (medical field)
    Undisclosed client
    Consultant / Software Engineer

    This project focused on developing a specialized software solution for reconstructing skull meshes in the medical field. Besides the physical limitations of the scanner (only a limited area of the skull can be captured in each scan), the software aligned and merged the multiple partial scans. This proved challenging at times, particularly because of the patient's head movements during the scans.
    September 2022: Path of Noise (r, θ, φ)
    Japan Media Arts Festival / National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
    Artist

    'Path of Noise (r, theta, phi)' received the Festival Platform Award Geo-Cosmos category at the Japan Media Arts Festival.
    In this artwork, particles are moving along the surface of a sphere and are tracing curves along their passage. The movement of the particles is a symbolization of the randomness of one's life and its chaotic path.
    The content is generative, in other words, different patterns and colors appear for each iteration.

    A quite challenging aspect of this project was using a sphere-shaped screen (6-meter-diameter). Because there is no border, there is neither a beginning nor an end. The particles can move in all directions and loop around the sphere.

    Although it is generative content, I also wanted to tell a story. The artwork is composed of several parts in which I tried to put different moods. Recent years have been difficult for many people around the world. I wanted to express some hope and bring some comfort into the heart of the viewers. That's the reason for using cherry blossoms.
    March 2021: Installation of a 22 multi-screen solution at 19M Chanel in Paris
    Dalbin Studio / Parallel Architecture
    Engineer

    Though the system was initially conceived in order to play multiple video contents synchronized over multiple computers, a very special requirement for this installation was on the contrary the videos to be played randomly and avoid any impression of looping.
    Janvier 2021: House of Progress Audi Omotesando
    Gradation / MontBlanc Pictures
    Technical Director

  • Technical direction
  • Design of the content production workflow and the templates
  • Calibration

    • This project proved to be quite challenging, primarily due to the subtle contours shaping the car's design. Achieving perfect alignment of the projection with the car was crucial to ensure visual consistency and coherence.

    In addition to overseeing the technical aspects of the projection mapping, I was also in charge of establishing a workflow for the content team to develop their materials, as well as handling the calibration of the projection.
    December 2020: Talk at Motion Plus Design World / Japanese Edition
    Motion Plus Design
    Speaker

    A Story About Face And Body Projection Mapping

    During this speech, I talk about the experiences and inspirations that led me to my work on face projection mapping and body projection mapping.
    Integrality of the speech in multiple languages
    October 2020: Generative art - Vector field virtual sculpture
    NGC
    Artist

    At the occasion of the moving of their headquarters to Toyosu, the company NGC commissioned me for a variation of one of my content.

    Displayed on 4 curved screens, the content evolves and changes perpetually. Colors and shapes, as well as camera work are generated randomly in real-time.
    May 2020: Parted - Body Tracking and Projection Mapping (Personal project)
    Daisuke Hashimoto / Paul Lacroix / Yae Doi / Mari Katayama
    Creative Technologist

  • Technical direction
  • Creation of a system (hardware & software) able to smoothly track the performer body and accurately project video animations fitting the body shape

    • After several years experimenting on body projection mapping, this collaboration between Daisuke Hashimoto, Yae Doi and me represents a new step in the field of body projection mapping. The video is starring the Japanese artist Mari Katayama.

    Besides the cutting-edge technical aspect, we tried to create a peculiar visual, strongly inspired by the Japanese painter Ito Jakuchu. We also question the relation between identity and technology, as well as the perception of beauty and taboo within our societies.
    Video
    May 2019: Markerless Face Projection Mapping on Bilal Hassani at Eurovision 2019
    French Delegation for the Eurovision / Takeru Shima (CG)
    Technical Director / Technology Developper

  • Technical direction
  • Customization of the markerless face projection system for live conditions

    • Eurovision Song Contest is a huge broadcasted live event followed by 200 million viewers. Part of the French delegation, I was in charge of the Face Projection Mapping. The system had to be installed on stage in only 40 seconds, so all calibrations and tests had to be completed before. I customized and optimized the system in order to increase its robustness for such a live event. The video is a little bit dark as the lighting technician forgot to switch on the backlights during the face projection, but the face tracking and projection mapping itself went well.
    Bilal Hassani / Eurovision 2019
    April 2019: The Lady in the Wood (Personal project)
    Paul Lacroix / Ryosuke Makita / Yae Doi
    Director / Technology developper

  • Direction, content creation
  • System development

    • Before this project, most of my facial projection mapping videos were shot in studio or at least in a location with easy access to electricity and light. The Lady in the Wood is an experiment aiming to evaluate the feasibility and robustness of using markerless face detection system in an uncontrolled environment. The video was shot in a small forest near Mont Fuji.
    Video
    March 2019: Experience Room (Art Installation) at Rolls Royce Motor Cars Shanghai
    Paul Lacroix / Dalbin
    Technical Director

  • Design of the technical solution and installation
  • 30 screens (5x3x2) for a total resolution of 19200x3240 pixels
    • Video
    October 2018: Interactive Bouldering Wall (Panasonic 100th anniversary)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Engineer / Consultant

  • Consultant for high-speed tracking system and its integration
  • Development of a customized library for tracking on the wall
    • April 2018: Interactive Content (Hiroshima The Outlets/AEON)
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Software Engineer

  • Development of two interactive contents
  • Electronic interface for synchronizing the content with nearby elevator
    • Gachapon content video
    March 2018: Kamiboku x Facial Mapping: Merci
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo / Recruit
    Technical Director / System Developper

  • Development of a Mobile Facial Projection Mapping System (hardware and software)
    • Merci (Official video)
    Merci (Behind the scenes)
    October 2017: Vincent van Gogh - Face Projection Mapping (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)
    TECHNONET - http://www.technonet.co.jp / Van Gaban
    Director / Face Projection Mapping System Developer

  • Direction of the content creation
  • Markerless tracking customized hardware development
  • Developpement of a non-rigid markerless tracking and projection mapping software
    • Official video
    June 2017: EXISDANCE - Real-time tracking and projection mapping (Infocomm 2017 in Orlando)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / 3D Tracking Engineering

  • Use of the high-speed sensor/projector of Panasonic
  • Development of a custom 3D tracking approach for the upper body in live stage conditions
  • Integration into Unity3D
  • Use of my original synchronized media player for the background projectors
    • EXISDANCE at Infocomm 2017 (Official video)
    EXISDANCE at Infocomm 2017 (Behind the scenes)
    March 2017: Facial projection mapping for the Japanese promotion of Ghost in the Shell (Facial Hacking)
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / Facial Projection Mapping Technology

  • Original motion capture system customized for facial projection mapping (hardware and software)
  • Upgrade of the facial projection mapping software Live Mapper
    • More technical details on my blog http://paul-lacroix.tumblr.com
    September 2016: Facial projection mapping for the music video The Come Down
    Collaboration with Empara Mi and Hiroto Kuwahara / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / Facial Projection Mapping Technology

  • Design of animated texture contents
  • Development of an original motion capture system customized for facial projection mapping (hardware and software)
  • Upgrade of the facial projection mapping software Live Mapper
  • Upgrade of the real-time reflective effect (mirror)
  • Creation of a new deep water effect
    • More technical details on my blog http://paul-lacroix.tumblr.com
    Empara Mi - The Come Down (Official video)
    Empara Mi - The Come Down (Behind the scenes)
    February 2016: Development and Installation of a Real-Time Virtual Character System at SEGA Joypolis (Shanghai and Tokyo)
    SEGA Live Creation - http://www.sega-live.com
  • Development and integration of an original system with a convenient workflow for content creators
  • Real-time full body motion capture and rendering, support of Lip sync
  • Support of multiple characters and props
    • January 2016: High-Speed Projection Mapping at CES 2016 (Las Vegas)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
  • Consultant for Body Projection Mapping
  • Development of interactive contents demonstrating the capabilities of the new Panasonic's High-Speed Projection Mapping system
    • April 2015: Real-time Full Body Tracking & Projection Mapping (Paris, France)
    Dalbin - http://www.dalbin.com
    Technical Director

    Creation of a full body tracking and projection mapping system
  • Calibration system
  • Body tracking
  • Video texture projection
    • December 2014: Real-time Face Tracking & Projection Mapping for SMAPxSMAP (FUJI-TV)
    Link: http://www.face-hacking.com
    OMOTE members / YKBX
    Technical Director / System Architect

    New features of the Face Projection system:
  • Dual face projection mapping
  • Real-time relighting
    • August 2014: OMOTE / Real-time Face Tracking & Projection Mapping
    Link: Omote page
    Collaboration with Nobumichi Asai and Hiroto Kuwahara
    Technical Director / System Creator

    Design & Development of the Real-time Face Tracking and Projection Mapping System:
  • Calibration system (projector and OptiTrack devices)
  • Original face tracking algorithm
  • Video texture projection
    • July 2014: Interactive Seashore Floor Projection at Enoshima Aquarium
    Naked - http://www.naked-inc.com / Transit Digital Works - http://www.transit-dw.com
    Software Developper / Interaction Designer

  • Real-time water simulation
  • Interaction with infrared sensing data
  • "Night style" artistic rendering
    • July 2013: Color correction system at Yokohama Dockyard Garden 3D Projection Mapping
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyst4YhSEgg
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
  • Automatic color calibration of the wall for 8 projectors
  • Real-time color correction
    • November 2012: Consultant at Caretta Shiodome projection mapping
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP9JlLS0tQo
    Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
  • Design of the content workflow
  • Projection simulation
    • July 2012: Image Technical Director for the renewing of SEGA Tokyo Joypolis
    Link: http://tokyo-joypolis.com/stageshow
    Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
  • Design and development of the system of real-time 3D virtual character
  • Evaluation of several 3D Projection Mapping systems
  • Design of the reference content templates and development of an After Effects plugin for template transformation
  • 3D Simulation software for preview
    • April 2012: Project Leading Engineer on AR Garment Fitting Project
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gguTQHfoD_8
    Transit Digital Works - http://www.transit-dw.com
  • Research and Development, system design
  • Real-time cloth physics simulation
  • Kinect skeleton data filtering/retargeting, improvement of the body detection quality
  • Cloth database management system
    • Real-time wool and fur rendering
    Real-time fur rendering
    November 2011: Consultant at Seikei University 3D Projection Mapping
    Link: http://vimeo.com/33150921
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo / Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
    Technical supervisor / Software Developper

  • Technical Supervision
  • Creation of a After Effects plugin for wall color correction
    • February 2010: Interactive contents at Aquamarine Fukushima
    Widget Inc.
    Technical Direction / Interaction Designer

    2008: Volume rendering of brain sequences for the new version of the animation movie Ghost In The Shell 2.0
    Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
    Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Trailer
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