Hyperbolicity and uniformity of varieties of log general type

Projective varieties with ample cotangent bundle satisfy many notions of hyperbolicity, and one goal of this paper is to discuss generalizations to quasi-projective varieties. A major hurdle is that the naive generalization fails, i.e. the log cotangent bundle is never ample. Instead, we define a notion called almost ample which roughly asks that the log cotangent is as positive as possible. We show that all subvarieties of a quasi-projective variety with almost ample log cotangent bundle are of log general type. In addition, if one assumes globally generated then we obtain that such varieties contain finitely many integral points. In another direction, we show that the Lang-Vojta conjecture implies the number of stably integral points on curves of log general type, and surfaces of log general type with almost ample log cotangent sheaf are uniformly bounded.Comment: v5: exposition greatly improved. Previous section on function fields removed, to be expanded upon in a future paper. To appear in IMR

A fibered power theorem for pairs of log general type

Let $f: (X,D) \to B$ be a stably family with log canonical general fiber. We prove that, after a birational modification of the base $\tilde{B} \to B$, there is a morphism from a high fibered power of the family to a pair of log general type. If in addition the general fiber is openly canonical, then there is a morphism from a high fibered power of the original family to a pair openly of log general type.Comment: Exposition has been greatly improved. Version to appear in Algebra & Number Theor

Extending Implicit Skinning with Wrinkles

We propose a wrinkle system that takes as input the fields created in the implicit skinning framework, calculates the angle between their gradients and builds a scalar angle field. Its gradient resembles plausible wrinkle directions. The system is procedural and works as a post process by projecting vertices in a wrinkle field constituted of convolution surfaces

Musicians’ Initial Encounters with a Smart Guitar

This paper presents a case study of a fully working prototype of the Sensus smart guitar. Eleven professional guitar players were interviewed after a prototype test session. The smartness of the guitar was perceived as enabling the integration of a range of equipment into a single device, and the proactive exploration of novel expressions. The results draw attention to the musicians' sense-making of the smart qualities, and to the perceived impact on their artistic practices. The themes highlight how smartness was experienced in relation to the guitar's agency and the skills it requires, the tension between explicit (e.g. playing a string) and implicit (e.g. keeping rhythm) body movements, and to performing and producing music. Understanding this felt sense of smartness is relevant to how contemporary HCI research conceptualizes mundane artefacts enhanced with smart technologies, and to how such discourse can inform related design issues.This paper presents a case study of a fully working prototype of the Sensus smart guitar. Eleven professional guitar players were interviewed after a prototype test session. The smartness of the guitar was perceived as enabling the integration of a range of equipment into a single device, and the proactive exploration of novel expressions. The results draw attention to the musicians’ sense-making of the smart qualities, and to the perceived impact on their artistic practices. The themes highlight how smartness was experienced in relation to the guitar’s agency and the skills it requires, the tension between explicit (eg playing a string) and implicit (eg keeping rhythm) body movements, and to performing and producing music. Understanding this felt sense of smartness is relevant to how contemporary HCI research conceptualizes mundane artefacts enhanced with smart technologies, and to how such discourse can inform related design issues

The Hyper-Hurdy-Gurdy

(Abstract to follow

Tropical curves of unibranch points and hypertangency

We study integral plane curves meeting at a single unibranch point and show that such curves must satisfy two equivalent conditions. A numeric condition: the local invariants of the curves at the contact point must be arithmetically related. A geometric condition: the tropical curves that we associate to the contact point must be isomorphic. Moreover, we prove closed formulas for the delta-invariant of a unibranch singularity, and for the dimension of the loci of curves with an assigned unibranch point. Our work is motivated by interest in the Lang exceptional set.Comment: 23 pages, comments welcome

On the relation between the fields of Networked Music Performances, Ubiquitous Music, and Internet of Musical Things

In the past two decades, we have witnessed the diffusion of an increasing number of technologies, products, and applications at the intersection of music and networking. As a result of the growing attention devoted by academy and industry to this area, three main research fields have emerged and progressively consolidated: the Networked Music Performances, Ubiquitous Music, and the Internet of Musical Things. Based on the review of the most relevant works in these fields, this paper attempts to delineate their differences and commonalities. The aim of this inquiry is helping avoid confusion between such fields and achieve a correct use of the terminology. A trend towards the convergence between such fields has already been identified, and it is plausible to expect that in the future their evolution will lead to a progressive blurring of the boundaries identified today