MusiCube

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  MusiCube Logo

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  Demonstrating MusiCube to change music ssimply by changing the angle for the cube

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  Muscicube is swamped with people wanting to see what we created

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  Demonstrating Musicube using Unity on webcam to demonstrate changing music, content, and AR / VR experience

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  Showing how just thru a webcam we can securely change music with the flip of a Merge VR Cube

Inspiration

• Going for Merge VR API prize.

• We wanted to use Merge VR to create a way to change our music playlist without having to click anything nor talk to it!

• Started with the ambition to use Merge VR and Unity to create a way for musicians to collaborate the venue setup with their band and fans, but due to time restraints and technical difficulties encountered we discovered instead a way to use the Merge Virtual Reality cube to change our music playlist with simple movements!

What it does

• Got one side of the Merge VR cube to play different music in Unity from the other in an array
• Merge Virtual Reality cube that allows songs to be unlocked through secure IBM Blockchain authentication, and listened to by facing a specific side to a webcam, Android phone, and or iPhone.
• Artist would promote Merge VR Cubes for unique, exclusive VR experiences, album covers, tour pictures, fan art, etc... All content access verified by the IBM Blockchain.

How we built it

• Using Unity 5.6 Beta in Windows 8.1 (Chosen due to technical difficulties, wanting to use Google cardboard for future projects, and best possible compatibility at the time with Merge VR Cube)
• C# Sharp Code
• Took example code from Merge VR and extended it to play different music on each side of the cube to create an immerse music experience.
• Royalty free music
• Authentication validation using IBM Blockchain as a service on Bluemix

Challenges we ran into

• We needed a C# sharp person, Unity guy, and even better hardware for this Hackathon, and found ourselves with neither to work with.

• Audio sources required an array in Unity. That caused hours of delay.

• With no media player in Unity that would play streamed audio files (content) from Medianet, we lost Pubnub API assets which we imported into Unity, but could not get it to run, ended up deleting assets folder, which may not have been designed for this version of Unity we were using. (Unity 5.6 Beta)

• With no media player in Unity that would play streamed audio files (content) from Medianet, we lost SoCan API assets which we imported into Unity, but could not get it to run, ended up deleting assets folder, which may not have been designed for this version of Unity we were using. (Unity 5.6 Beta) and chance at their contest prizes.

• Unity will not deploy as a IOS nor Android app without further extensive setup of multiple add ons, plug ins, code, and external software resources alien to us in Windows. Most of our team comes from Linux Ubuntu Mac background. :P

• Unity frustrates our attempts to make the IBM Blockchain deploy by rolling the cube, trying to use IBM Blockchain.

• Despite choosing Unity 5.6 Beta to avoid technical issues we encountered even more technical issues, really wish there was more documentation beforehand.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• That it works! (Got Unity to
• We learned Unity and C# from scratch :)
• Ourselves :)
• Giving the ability for artists to release music in a unique way
• Make digital rights management fun for the consumer

What we learned

• Unity is buggy, crashes, is time consuming to download and install, hates Mac and Linux, works ok in Windows 8.1, generates error codes that delay programs though.
• That IBM Blockchain requires IBM Bluemix account for our project
• IBM Blockchain can do more then just cryptocurrencies in the case of our project
• That IBM Blockchain enables a global network of musical artists and their fans to create and enjoy in a way that’s fair and fun for everyone

What's next for MusiCube (AKA The Cube Pioneers)

• Vegas game shows involving rolling the Merge VR cube
• Using the Merge VR cube to trigger other devices to control and modify a even better music experience that works with Itunes, Google Play music, and Youtube Music.
• Possibly explore Spotify and Pandora Radio partnerships and or apps to use their app to use the Merge VR cube to change your playlists by simply moving the cube
• Further learn IBM Blockchain and Merge VR possibilities for future hackathons and projects.
• Further setup resources to use IBM Blockchain to create secure repositories of personally identifiable information
• Make sure username held in IBM Blockchain authenticates access to listen to music (subscribed)(owned)(Spotify, etc)
• Solving access rights for the future of

Built With

• c#
• c-sharp
• merge-vr
• unity