Derivative launches TouchDesigner

TouchDesigner, introduced by Derivative, marked a transformative advancement in interactive, real-time multimedia programming for visual artists. Launched by founders Greg Hermanovic, Rob Bairos, and Jarrett Smith, this innovative platform was born from the Houdini 4.1 source code, aimed at revolutionizing live visual performances. As a comprehensive real-time visual tool, TouchDesigner catered to the interest in interactive and dynamic digital artistry that started in earnest a decade prior, at the beginning of the 1990s, with events like artFutura as well as the work of early interactive pioneers such as Karl Sims. This was pioneered in the ’70s at EVL in Chicago with CAVE. TouchDesigner offered creators the ability to author, perform, and interact with visuals in unprecedented ways. With its first generation running from 2002, TouchDesigner established itself as an essential medium for artists to meld creativity with cutting-edge technology, fostering a new wave of digital expression.