Concept and Design:
The concept of this interactive media project is to provide students with a creative outlet to vent their frustration from final exams week. The project is a cardboard box wired with an Arduino, a Grove Loudness Sensor, and NeoPixels. The loudness sensor picks up any sound and converts it into an analog value, which is then used to light up the NeoPixels red. Simultaneously, the Arduino software communicates with Processing 4 to open a window that displays a bar in the center of the screen. The bar shows the gradual decrease and increase of the volume based on the analog value from the loudness sensor.
Previous preparatory research and essays explored interactive media projects that used sound as the primary input. These research efforts and essays informed the design of this project by providing inspiration for its core functionality. The understanding of how the users would interact with the project informed the following design decisions:
1. The use of a cardboard box as the enclosure: The project’s aim is to provide students with an outlet to express their frustration, and a cardboard box is a familiar and accessible object. The enclosure allows the students to interact with the project in an intimate and tactile way.
2. The NeoPixels to represent the loudness levels: NeoPixels are a popular and visually engaging way to represent sound and were chosen for this project to provide a fun and exciting visual display.
During the user testing session, several adjustments were made to improve the project’s user experience. The user testing process influenced some of the following design decisions:
1. Placement of the Grove Loudness Sensor: Initially, the sensor was placed on the top of the box, which resulted in inconsistent readings. After user testing, the sensor was placed on the side of the box, which provided more accurate readings.
2. Display of the bar in Processing 4: The initial design of the bar was static and did not change in response to the loudness levels. After user testing, the bar was redesigned to show a gradual increase and decrease in volume, which provided a more engaging and dynamic user experience.
These adaptations were effective in improving the project’s user experience and resulted in a more engaging and interactive project.
Fabrication and Production:
The fabrication and production of an interactive media project can be a challenging and rewarding experience. The goal of this section is to describe the most significant steps in the production process, including the selection of components and materials, the design and fabrication of the physical structure, and the programming of the microcontroller and software. This project was completed by a single person, which adds an extra layer of difficulty to the process.
To create this project, the following components were selected:
– An Arduino board
– A Grove Loudness Sensor
– NeoPixels
– Cardboard
– Wires
– USB cable
The Grove Loudness Sensor was selected for its ability to detect sound and convert it into an analog value. This analog value was used to determine the brightness of the NeoPixels. The NeoPixels were chosen for their ability to create a bright and colorful display, which is essential for an interactive media project. Cardboard was used to create the physical structure of the project because it is lightweight, easy to work with, and can be cut to the desired shape.
The design and fabrication of the physical structure were critical steps in the production process. The box was designed to be compact and easy to transport, with a simple and clean aesthetic. The box was constructed by cutting the cardboard into the desired shape, then gluing the pieces together. The loudness sensor was then mounted inside the box, along with the NeoPixels. The wiring was carefully routed to avoid any potential shorts, and the USB cable was installed to power the Arduino board.
Programming the microcontroller and software was the final step in the production process. The code was written in Arduino and Processing 4. The code was designed to take the analog value from the loudness sensor and map it to the brightness of the NeoPixels. The code also included serial communication between the Arduino and Processing 4 to display the bar graph on the computer screen.
Working alone on this project posed some significant challenges. For instance, it was challenging to hold the pieces together while gluing them. Moreover, programming the microcontroller and software alone could be time-consuming and required a lot of patience. However, these challenges were overcome by careful planning and attention to detail. It was essential to take frequent breaks to avoid frustration and to maintain focus.
The fabrication and production of an interactive media project require careful planning, attention to detail, and perseverance. Working alone added an extra layer of difficulty to the process, but with patience and determination, it was possible to complete this project successfully. The selected components and materials were chosen based on their suitability for the project’s purpose. The design and fabrication of the physical structure were carefully planned to create a compact and visually appealing design. The programming of the microcontroller and software was designed to create an interactive and engaging experience for the user. Overall, this project was a success, and I am proud to have completed it.
Conclusions:
The goal of this project was to create an interactive media project using an Arduino, a Grove Loudness Sensor, and NeoPixels. The project aimed to have the loudness sensor pick up any sound and convert it into an analog value and light up the NeoPixel red based on the said value. In addition, the Arduino software communicated with Processing 4 to open a window that displayed a bar in the center of the screen that showed the gradual decrease and increase of the volume based on the analog value from the loudness sensor.
The project was successful in achieving its stated goals. The audience interacted with the project by making noise to see the response of the NeoPixels and the bar graph in Processing. The project results align with the definition of interaction since the audience had to interact with the project to see a response.
Working on this project alone was challenging, especially when it came to building the physical box and wiring the components together. However, this allowed me to gain valuable experience in problem-solving and time management. If I had more time, I would improve the project by adding more interactivity and visual feedback, such as incorporating different colors for the NeoPixels based on the loudness level.
This project allowed me to learn more about the integration of hardware and software, and how they can be used to create interactive experiences. I am proud of what I have accomplished with this project, and I believe it has value as a prototype for future interactive media projects.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sijHHCgRAg1_dXmXPcTN4FjJ9vlTAM8D?usp=share_link
Photos won’t embed for some reason so heres the link with all of the photos