Structure #003A
A surface filled with one hundred medium to small sized circles. Each circle has a different size and direction, but moves at the same slow rate. Display the instantaneous intersections of the circles.

Implemented by Robert Hodgin
6 April 2004
Processing v.68

Hodgin:
As each of the 100 circles moves about the space, it checks to see how far away it is from the other 99 circles. If the distance separating any two circles is less than a predefined radius, they form a connection that draws them towards each other and a connecting line appears. If a circle is connected to more than one circle, it is drawn to the point that represents the averaging of the connected circles' positions. If any two circles intersect, an elastic collision occurs repelling them from each other. The strength of the repulsion is directly proportional to the number of connections it has. To keep the project from needing established boundaries, there is a weak gravitational field in the center of the space to draw all the circles slowly towards the center.

Tarbell:
There's a vibrant energetic feel to this piece. Robert has put some really nice touches on the rendering, including a node halo and a destabilizing connection line, something like an electric arc. I still don't understand if the points are representational of the center of the circles or their intersections.

Ngan:
This is an energetic piece with rhythmic firings of the dots! I enjoy especially the zigzag movements of the lines – they look very fine, and yet give the composition a charge of “nervous” energy.