Jerad Bitner

Holy optimization, Batman! 🚀 This week has been quite the adventure - my first week on Lullabot’s Support and Maintenance team. And let me tell you, it’s been a blast.

Hot damn, it finally happened! 🚀 Bitcoin just smashed through the psychological barrier of $100,000, hitting an astounding $103,000. For those of us who’ve been in the crypto space for years, this isn’t just another price milestone – it’s the culmination of a vision that many thought impossible when Bitcoin was dismissed as just “magic internet money.”

I’ve been having way too much fun lately! 🚀 I’ve been diving deep into the world of WebSim.ai, creating interactive web simulations that blend mathematics, physics, and visual art. Today, I’m excited to share a new section of my blog dedicated to these experiments.

What’s WebSim.ai?

WebSim.ai is this pretty rad platform that lets you create real-time web simulations using Three.js, WebGL shaders, and other web technologies. Think of it as a playground where code meets creativity, allowing you to build everything from particle systems to reaction-diffusion simulations.

The Experiments

I’ve kicked things off with a couple of fascinating experiments:

Reaction-Diffusion Simulation

You know those patterns you see on seashells and animal coats? That’s what reaction-diffusion systems model. My simulation uses Three.js and custom shaders to create an interactive version of this natural phenomenon. You can literally poke and prod at the simulation, watching as the chemicals (represented by colors) react and diffuse across the screen.

The real magic happens in the shader code, where I’m implementing the Gray-Scott model:

float Da = 1.0;
float Db = 0.5;
float f = 0.04;
float k = 0.06;
float t = old.x * old.y * old.y;

These parameters control how the patterns form and evolve. Tweak them slightly, and you get wildly different results - from fingerprint-like swirls to spotted patterns reminiscent of leopard prints.

Dynamic Fractal Exploration

The second experiment dives into the mesmerizing world of fractals. Using WebGL shaders, I created an interactive fractal viewer that lets you pan through infinite mathematical landscapes. What makes this particularly interesting is the extreme zoom capabilities - you can dive deeper and deeper into the patterns, discovering new details at every level.

Technical Insights

Building these experiments has taught me some valuable lessons about real-time graphics programming:

1. Ping-Pong Rendering: For simulations like reaction-diffusion, you need to constantly swap between two render targets - one for reading the current state and one for writing the next state.

2. Shader Performance: When you’re running complex calculations in real-time, every optimization counts. I learned to balance visual quality with performance by carefully managing shader complexity.

3. User Interaction: Adding interactive elements makes these mathematical concepts more engaging and intuitive. A simple mouse interaction can bring an abstract concept to life.

The Future of Web Simulations

This is just the beginning. I’ve got several more experiments in the pipeline, including:

• Particle systems with physics
• Fluid dynamics simulations
• Interactive cellular automata

Try It Yourself

I’ve added a new WebSim Experiments section to my blog where you can play with these simulations directly in your browser. Each experiment is interactive, so don’t be shy - click, drag, and explore!

The beauty of these experiments is that they’re not just visual eye candy - they’re interactive tools for understanding complex systems. Whether you’re a math enthusiast, a creative coder, or just someone who enjoys playing with cool web stuff, I think you’ll find something interesting here.

Have you played with WebSim.ai or similar platforms? I’d love to hear about your experiences with creative coding and web simulations. Drop a comment below or reach out - let’s geek out about the intersection of code and creativity! 💡

It’s funny how perspective changes everything. As I sit here reflecting during Thanksgiving week, I’m struck by just how different things feel compared to a year ago. Sometimes you don’t realize how far you’ve come until you take a moment to look back.

If you haven’t been sleeping under a rock for the past few years, you’ve probably heard the buzz about AI-powered coding tools. GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, Anthropic Claude - these robo-devs are making waves and promising to revolutionize how we sling code. But are they really the game-changers they claim to be, or just overhyped toys? Let’s cut through the noise and see what’s really crackin’.