Max is a complete environment of tools to connect, process, and output signals. These signals can come from any sensor or actuator, but also video or audio. Because everything is represented the same, Max makes it super easy to turn one into the other, mix, or transform those signals in infinitely many ways.
Max does this through a visual programming language, which means you don't have to learn to code, but just visually connect "patches" together. A patch is a unit of functionality, like reading a button press from an Arduino, changing the color of an image, or playing a sound file. It makes it very easy to quickly try new things and see at a glance what the program does, especially if you don't have coding experience.
On the other hand, visual programs can quickly get messy and hard to follow, so we recommend to be organized when placing your patches.
<aside> 💸 Max is a paid, closed-source program. You can use the trial for 30 days. If you want to keep using Max after the trial ends ends, tell the Teaching Assistants and we will hook you up with a license valid for the whole semester.
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Connecting to almost any kind of instrument or professional equipment, as well as Arduinos.
Sending and receiving data over the network to another computer.
Video and audio processing, especially in reaction to someone interacting with the experience.
Rapid "what-if" prototyping and iteration
Displaying video in a wirelessly-connected iPad or tablet.
Visual code is really easy to start with but difficult to maintain.
It can sometimes be hard to find the patches to do what you want to do
If your prototype interaction is a sequence of steps (like an Arduino State Machine), it's difficult to keep track and react appropriately.