Archives for November 2022

PROPOSAL ESSAY

A. Breathe
The title must be direct, short, decisive, engaging, and self-explanatory.

B. PROJECT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE *
We want to create a project that destigmatizes the conversation about mental health. We want to make it easier to seek help and create a practical project that will help people who suffer from panic attacks. There has been a lot of research that shows that managing breathing, listening to music, or watching a calming video or object decreases anxiety. Our goal is to create a sensory project that helps people have a healthy coping mechanism to control their anxiety.

C. PROJECT PROPOSAL PLAN *
My partner and I want to create a moving lamp that plays soothing music to calm the user down. We want the lamp to move in a calming manor order to create a sensory experience for the user. To make the lamp move we want to use servos that use a pulley system to move the lights up and down. As of now, we are imagining the lamp o look like a tree with light bulbs on the ends. Each branch will move independently and move slowly up and down. We want the movement of the branches to look like they are breathing so the user can match up their breathing to it. To space out our work we want to at least be able to show the moving aspect of the lamp by User Testing. We want the lamp to move only when the motion sensors sense someone directly in front of it. We also want to have a speaker that plays calming music when the lamp is in use to distract the user further from their anxiety. Hopefully, we will have the music working during user testing as well.
When talking about this project to our professor, he said when he feels anxious he goes on his phone and it makes it worse. If we have time we want to remedy that with a slot at the top of the tree that creates a hologram. We want to use processing to create designs and then create a hologram projector to project the visuals on the top of the tree. This would be an additional feature because it is very simple to make.

D. CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE *
Initially, we wanted to incorporate heartbeat monitors for the project because peoples heart beats increase during panic attacks but our professor said the ones at our disposal are not that accurate. We researched a lot of ways people calm down from panic attacks and decided to incorporate the most popular ones. I tried to research interactive devices and gadgets for anxiety and all that comes up are fidget toys and videos so I wanted to take matters into my own hands and create something from scratch.

 

This project aligns with my definition of interaction as it impacts the user’s emotions and reacts to the user. Since I describe interaction like a conversation, I imagine this as a kid going to their parent (the lamp) and their parent calming them down.  If the lamp senses a user then it starts to move and when it doesn’t it stops. I wanted the heartbeat monitor to sense the anxiety but we had to adapt and change our design. I think that our project is unique because it is specifically designed for people who suffer from anxiety attacks. From what I saw during the midterm, many people created things just because it was fun or had something to do with their hobbies. I want my project to be practical. In college especially, anxiety levels are high and I want to be able to make something that remedies that.

 

THREE PROJECT PROPOSALS

 

1. Distorted mirror

 

1. PROJECT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This project is an art instillation that takes someones body and puts it into processing using shapes. As the person moves, so does their “reflection” on the screen. I want to make it so when the person moves fast, there is a change in how processing displays the movement. I think that it could be a good way to show how art can be more then just 2D and that many people can contribute in their own ways. If I want to incorporate a musical aspect as well to make the interaction more immersive. If I can pull this off, I hope that my project can make people forget about their worries and just have fun.

 

1. DRAWINGS AND SKETCHES

1. Voices of the people

 

1. PROJECT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

During the brainstorming process I wanted to create something that gave people voices. I was thinking about creating something that let people speak their thoughts without the fear of being judged or attacked. I have a few ideas for this but I want to create a program that gave people an outlet to express their thoughts and then be able to hide them away for ever. I want there to be two features. One that locked away peoples thoughts and one that anonymously showed them on the screen for people that may be going through the same things. For example if a person wanted to say “I feel like an outcast” they would then get the opportunity to submit it without their name onto a screen that had other peoples thoughts or be able to chose to not show them and just give them a place to write down their feelings. 

 

1. DRAWINGS AND SKETCHES

1. Anti-anxiety band

 

1. PROJECT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

The third project that I was thinking about was attaching heart monitors to peoples wrists and having it play music as the heartbeat increases while also creating patterns on a screen. I was inspired by this project because a lot of my friends suffer from panick attacks and they stuggle to decrease their heart rate but most of them say that placing music helps. I think that if the music plays when their heart beat is high and slowly dies out when it returns to normal would be very helpful. I also think that watching sensory digital art on the screen might be helpful too as it soothes you down and distracts you from the panic inside. 

 

1. DRAWINGS AND SKETCHES

Step 1: Design

I was designated to be Student A. I started by following the directions by creating a rectangle and filleting the edges. Then I added second rectangle. Then I cut out the second from the first with the command Boolean Difference. Then I got the measurements of the servo from my partner and added the third rectangle centered at the top with two circles for the screws. 

Step 1.2: Pattern design

I then created a circle that was 120 mm in diameter and a rectangle with the measurements of the servo. I then played around with creating patterns using the Rotational Repeat command to have it revolve around the center point. 

After I was satisfied with the design I exported both into a SVG file and put in onto google drive. In the fab lab Andy retrieved the files and sent them to the laser cutter.

Step 3: Assemble 

After we got out cut outs we started to assemble out stand. 

We then made the circuit and used the example file Servo Sweep from library.

 

 

 

Documentation

Task #1 Documentation

 

• Document your process for completing the task: (what went well? what was difficult? any surprises?).

Programing the first step was fairly simple as I just used the example codes given. The second step I ran into some difficulties. The first time I ran the code, the circle was the one that tracing over the background with a line in the center of the screen. I realized that I didn’t change all the variables for the example line code and I had to change the code from being controlled with the mouse. After I changed those variables, the code ran smoothly and processing looked like an etch-e-sketch. The way people would interact with this would be by spinning the two potentiometers to draw on the screen. After the person spins, the line moves in the x and y direction according to the amount of “spin” is used.

Arduino code:

#include “SerialRecord.h”

// Change this number to send a different number of values
SerialRecord writer(2);

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
int sensorValue1 = analogRead(A0);
int sensorValue2 = analogRead(A1);

writer[0] = map(sensorValue2,0, 1023, 0, 500);
writer[1] = map(sensorValue1, 0, 1023, 0, 500);
writer.send();

// This delay slows down the loop, so that it runs less frequently. This can
// make it easier to debug the sketch, because new values are printed at a
// slower rate.
delay(10);
}
 

Processing Code:

import processing.serial.*;
import osteele.processing.SerialRecord.*;

Serial serialPort;
SerialRecord serialRecord;

float pvalue1;
float pvalue2;
void setup() {
size(500, 500);
background(0);

String serialPortName = SerialUtils.findArduinoPort();
serialPort = new Serial(this, serialPortName, 9600);

// If the Arduino sketch sends a different number of values, modify the number
// `2` on the next line to match the number of values that it sends.
serialRecord = new SerialRecord(this, serialPort, 2);
}

void draw() {

serialRecord.read();
int value1 = serialRecord.values[0];
int value2 = serialRecord.values[1];

stroke(255);
line(value1, value2, pvalue1, pvalue2);
pvalue1 = value1;
pvalue2 = value2;
} 

Task #2 Documentation

 

Document the process for completing the task: (what went well? what was difficult? any surprises? what was your process of teamwork?).

When I first attempted to program this, I could not figure out how to get the servo to work. When the circle hit the opposite side, the servo wouldn’t move. I then realized that there was an example code in the library that helped me make the servo work. Another problem I faced was that when the circle hit the left side, the servo moved 90 degrees, but on the right the servo didn’t tick as far. I realized that with my parameters, the servo didn’t have time to turn all the way 90. So I changed those as well and everything started to work. I don’t think I could call this part “interactive” because only the servo is responding to the code. And one could argue since, the code makes up both parts, the whole mechanism is only responding to itself. I think this contradicts my perception of interaction as it doesn’t create a conversation between two separate bodies.

Arduino:

#include “SerialRecord.h”
#include
Servo myservo;
// Change this number to the number of values you want to receive
SerialRecord reader(1);

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
myservo.attach(4); // attaches the servo on pin 4 to the servo object
}

void loop() {
reader.read();

if (reader[0] > 1425 || reader[0] < 20) { //when it hits the boundary
myservo.write(90); //move to 90

} else {
myservo.write(0); //in middle it returns to zero
}
// myservo.write(val);
} 

Processing:

import processing.serial.*;
import osteele.processing.SerialRecord.*;
float x = 40;
int d = 3;
Serial serialPort;
SerialRecord serialRecord;

void setup() {
fullScreen();

String serialPortName = SerialUtils.findArduinoPort();
serialPort = new Serial(this, serialPortName, 9600);

// In order to send a different number of values, modify the number `2` on the
// next line to the number values to send. In this case, the corresponding
// number in the Arduino sketch should be modified as well.
serialRecord = new SerialRecord(this, serialPort, 1);
}

void draw() {
background(0);
circle(x, height/2, 20);
x += d;
if (x>width – 10 || x < 10){
d = -d;
}
// store some values in serialTransport.values, and send them to the Arduino
serialRecord.values[0] = int(x);
//serialRecord.values[1] = int(map(mouseY, 0, height – 1, 0, 1023));
serialRecord.send();
} 

Document each task thoroughly, including taking a video. Describe your visualization and record the changes you made to the sample code from Task 3. Upload everything  to the documentation blog.

Step 1:

The first step was to make one of the LEDs on the strip light up. First I had to connect the wires to the Arduino. Then I had to download FastLED from the examples and run Blink.

Step 2 and 3:

The I had to use my computer to light up the NeoPixles. I downloaded SerialRecord in Arduino and I copied the provided code for processing. This part was cool because I saw a new way I can implement processing. Before it was all digital, but now the color of the LED’s were controlled by the computer. 

 

IMG_6779

Step 4:

I downloaded the processing sketch provided and then uploaded the Little Einstein’s theme song. I then merged the two sketches to create one sketch in processing. I then played around in Processing. I made the LED’s change the amount of red depending on how loud the music gets. I also made it so the LED’s change sequentially over periods of time.

 

IMG_6813

Processing Recitation 7

Arduino Recitation 7

 

PREPARATORY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

For this assignment, you will compose a blog post in preparation for your final project. Write a narrative of 3 to 4 paragraphs keeping in mind the following items:   

A. Read “Art, Interaction and Engagement” by Ernest Edmonds.

B. Research at least two new interactive projects that serve as inspiration for your Final Project. Find projects that align with what you think a successful interactive experience is. You are strongly encouraged to consider interactive experiences drawn from a variety of sources, media, materials, formats, etc. Discuss why you chose these specific projects, what aspects you think are successful, and how they will inform your work. 

 

The members of The Heart Chamber Orchestra uses electrocardiograms to create mesmorizing art behind them as they play their music. I think that this is an interactive experience because the users interact by playing their music. As their heartbeat picks up, the coded visuals start to be incorporated. I think not only is it fascinating for the user but also greates a beautiful piece for the audience. This doesn’t have to just be used for musicians but athletes who want to experience with the instillation. I chose this project because I was fascinated by my classmate talking about LSD paintings but letting people experience the viduals without having to take a dangerous drug. I think that it would be cool to make these LSD viduals but incorperating an interactive aspect where people have to do something healthy like workout instead of damaging their brain. Instead of creating art by painting or drawing, users could make art with their whole body.

 

The Gaurgian XO is an exoskeleton that makes you 20 times stronger. This is helpful in factories so people who work in warehouses dont get injured. I believe this is interactive because this techonology needs a person to be able to be used to its full potential. I think this is interactive because though the human controls the exoskeleton, the exoskelton reacts when the human attempts to pick up an item. I think that this is project is successful in many ways because it can cary very heavy loads but it is very bulky and might not be ideal for smaller workspaces. I chose this project because another classmate was talking about how we can give humans supper powers. I think super strength would be very helpful for many people because it would cause less injuries and prevent people from retiring before they are ready. I think that it would be really cool to create an exoskeleton that responds to the person in different environments. For example when a person needs self defense te skeleton would give them wolverine claws and if they needed to grab something a sticky hand could shoot out to get it for them.

C. In your own words, explain what contributes to a successful interactive experience based on your initial definition of interaction from the group research project and your experience developing and executing your midterm project. Support your explanation with the analysis of the projects you researched in point B, as well as by citing references from the reading by Ernest Edmonds, other readings this semester, and artists or online articles you have read. 

 

I think that in order to have a successful interaction someone needs to leave with a new thought, experience, or emotion. I think that good interactions leave the user thinking about it long after they use it. Similar to what the author of The Art of Interactive Design said, interaction has to be communication between the design and the user. I think that my midterm project was an interactive art instillation because it moved based on the movements of the user. Using Ernest Edmonds terms, my project was Dynamic-interactive. I think that Edmonds would also agree with me that The Heart Chamber Orchastra was a Dynamic-interactive(varying) because the graphics on the screen changed depending on the heartbeats of the players. I think that though The Gauridan XO falls under my definition of interaction because it can give someone the sense of accomplishment, Edmonds would think that its between Dynamic-passive and Dynamic-interactive. I think he would acknowledge that it moves based on the uses but since the change in form isn’t significant, it wouldn’t be interactive. 

Poster 1:

Screen Recording 2022-11-11 at 5.29.48 PM

To be completely honest, I find processing to be very difficult to learn how to use. I have been struggling to understand coding and how processing works. Even with this simple design, I struggled to figure out how the placement of code affects different parts and how to use all the commands we learn in class. The first thing I worked on was how to create repetitive shapes in processing using loops. When I finally got the shapes to work I played around with the text. Since I needed a component that changed with time I thought back to when I did Arduino in high school. I remembered that the liquidcrystal_i2c moves across the screen so I decided that that style is what I wanted to include in my poster.

Poster 2:

IMG_6762

When  I started to create poster 2 I initially wanted the circles to look like they were breathing. I tried looking up videos but none of them helped me because I didn’t understand what they were doing in the long run. I went back to the basics and looked at the examples that the Processing website has. I used stroke weight and fill random to get them to move and then realized that it looked more like a dance floor. I remembered that room 826 has a disco ball and decided to change the colors of the circle to look like a dance floor.

Poster 3:

IMG_6763

To keep up with the dance floor theme I thought it would be cool to incorporate a keypress that made it so when you pressed a key, a “spotlight” would appear on the screen. To do this I went back into the Processing website and I used one of the examples . Again I struggled with how to divide the code throughout my own code but when I figured it out. Everything worked perfectly.

Write some comments about what you learned during this exercise, for example, list the most interesting functions you used or what you struggled with. Be thorough so that you can refer to these notes in the future. 

You can work on the assignment on your own, or join one of the Study Sessions hosted by our amazing LAs to learn how to make this! 

Cloudy With a Chance of Servos- Luciana Emerson – Rudi Cossovich

1. CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
   Address how your previous research (Group Project) impacts or inspires your midterm project. Analyze the previous projects and interactions that you have researched. Point to what specifically in those projects triggered your understanding of interaction, and then your definition of it. What is unique and/or significant about your project? If you re-created something that already exists, explain what your take is on that existing project and what your contribution is to its development? For who is your project intended and why is it of special value to its targeted audience?

 

During the group project, I gained an understanding of what interaction is and the components that need to be added in order to make something interactive. Though the glasses we imagined were not very similar to what I made for my midterm project, they did inspire me to incorporate motion sensors into my design. In my “research” part of the project, I talked about the Rain Room created by Hannes Koach and Florian Ortkrass. The immersive experience that the Rain Room offers matches my definition of interaction because as the user moves around the room, the room reacts and stops rain from falling. The way that the room responds and the person reacts creates an unspoken conversation that is an interaction. My midterm project was inspired by the immersive aspect of their design. I really wanted my project to be a sensory experience where the people would feel how I imagined a cloud felt when I was little. My partner and I wanted to encourage curiosity so my project has no intended person but is open to anyone who is curious enough to walk under it. 

 

1. CONCEPTION AND DESIGN:

In what ways did your understanding of how your users were going to interact with your project inform certain design decisions you made? Account for several such decisions. In addition, what form, material or elements did you use? What criteria did you use to select those materials? Why was it/were they best suited to your project purpose, more than any other one/s? What might have been another option? But you rejected it—why?  

 

My partner and I wanted the interaction to not need instructions. We wanted curious people to walk under the project and then figure out how it works so we tried to make the motion sensors hidden at the top of our project. We initially were just thinking about aesthetics so we wanted to use ribbon so when the servos moved there would be a ripple effect. When we made our prototype, however, we realized that the ribbon actually created more of a carwash feeling so we rejected that idea. When creating our final piece we found really soft white yarn that felt like clouds and strung them from the servos to create the sensory aspect of the design. Because we like the cloud-like feeling of the yarn, we wanted to keep that a theme throughout our project. We also wanted to create a fantasy-like experience and added led lights around the board to make it seem as if you were under a rainbow. When the servo detected movement, the section of LEDs the user was closest to would light up. We also added cotton balls over the LEDs to keep the cloud theme.

 

1. FABRICATION AND PRODUCTION:

In this section, describe and assess the most significant steps in your production process, both in terms of failures and successes. Please clarify exactly what contributions and roles you personally made to the process and project along the way, and describe the process your group used to work together. What happened during the User Testing Session? How did your user testing process influence some of your following production decisions? What kind of adaptations did you make? Were they effective? In short, keeping in mind your project goals, how do you account for and justify the various production choices you made for your project? Include sketches and drawings. 

When creating the prototype the process was very straightforward. As we only used four servos, daniel did the coding and I created the physical part of the project. While he was experimenting with how the servos and LEDs worked, I played with different layouts of how the project could look and then created the prototype. The prototype consisted of 4 servos. Two were connected to one distance sensor and two were connected to another. During user testing, we got some critiques about how the interaction should be more obvious to the user but other than that it went smoothly. Since we downsized our prototype, many were very interested in how the final would turn out. Since our prototype used ribbon it felt like a hand carwash so for our final we replaced the ribbon with yarn. We also upgraded and added 28 more servos and 6 more motion sensors to the final piece because we wanted people to be able to move under our project and notice the stop and start of the moving strings. 

 

When creating the final project, I resumed the role of designing the physical board and mechanism while daniel did the coding. Additionally, we both worked on the circuits. When doing the circuits we had to re-wire four times because we kept not being able to figure out why it didn’t work. The addition of the 28 servos soon became a nightmare and we could only get one side of the project to work by the time we had to present it. When we presented it, the project was a complete failure. The servos had interference so even the half that was working wasn’t very obvious how it interacted with the user. We were so annoyed and tempted to give up.

 

After a day of contemplating we realized that we didn’t want our time and effort to go to waste. Thankfully our instructor gave us an extra few days to work on the project. We took away half the servos and the board was running smoothly.  We were able to string our project up in the classroom so now other people can interact with it too.

 

1. CONCLUSIONS:

Begin your conclusion by restating the goals of your project. How do your project results align with your definition of interaction? How do your project results not align with your definition of interaction? Based on both your definition of interaction and your expectations of your audience’s response, how, ultimately, did your audience interact with your project? How would you improve your project if you had more time? What of value have you learned from any setbacks and/or failures? What do you take away from your accomplishments?

 

The wrap-up of your conclusion delivers your final say on the issues you have raised previously, demonstrates the importance of your ideas, and insightfully synthesizes your thoughts about key elements of the project experience. As such, your conclusion should close by reflecting on the crucial questions “So what?” and “Why should anybody care?”

 

My partner and I came into this project with really big hopes. We wanted to create an immersive art installation that was inspired by clouds. We imagined users being able to walk underneath the installation and have the servos move with them so that the strings would tickle them. We installed LED lights to further immerse the user into the experience. Though we had our ups and downs, the final project is something that both my partner and I are really proud of. 

 

I think that though my project matches my definition of interaction perfectly, other people might not agree with me. Personally, I believe that my project matches the definition of interaction because it responds to the user’s movements. But other people might think that in order for something to be interactive there must be added components like sound.

 

Watching people finally be able to interact with our project was very rewarding. It was so fun to see people playing around with the installation seeing how fast the motion sensors responded.  People would walk under it slowly and then turn around and sprint to the other side. It was very fun to see people let out their inner child while interacting with our project. If we had more time I think that we could have focused more on aesthetics. I think that though our project worked well, the loose wires were messy and an eyesore. I also think that if we had more time we could have made the whole ceiling lined with cotton so the project looked like an actual cloud. If I were to add more to the actual project I would have added music to go with the lights to mute out the sound of the servo motors.

 

My partner and I ran into many failures along the way from the servos not working to the lights not turning on. I think the biggest takeaway I got from this project is perseverance. My partner and I were just about ready to abandon the project when it didn’t work during the presentation but we decided that we needed to finish the project for ourselves. I learned that with enough determination I can complete anything I put my mind to and that it’s much more rewarding than excepting a loss.

 

Instead of focusing on a major problem in the world, our project focuses on bringing out the playful side of people. Though college is a stressful time for everyone there are still moments to let go and have fun. Our project encourages the curiosity and childlike emotions that are rooted within us and bring them out to shine.

 

1. ANNEX: All documentation you wish to include but was not closely related to your reflection should go in this section. All the images, the full code, circuit diagrams, materials list, poster, and video(s) of your project should be in their corresponding section when they are relevan. For example: a series of sketches you made while refining your idea should be in the CONCEPT section, where you explain how you refined your idea; an excerpt of the code should be in the PRODUCTION section, clarifying an experiment you tried, a full video of a user interacting with your project should be in your CONCLUSIONS section, etc.

 

Prototype of the design

Wiring of final project

final project before being hung

Project finished and hung up

CODE: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I chose this picture because it brings back fond memories every time I see it. I also chose it because I really like the shapes of the pyramid and how there are different layers to consider. Since I am new to processing I didn’t want to make it too hard for myself but I also wanted to create something that used many “bodies” so I could understand how the coordinates work. I chose the pyramid because each “body” has four points and I needed to create 7 of them.

When I drew my picture I only wanted to focus on the pyramid itself. I wanted to make the pyramid semi-3D so I make the top part look flat. I then went from top to bottom creating each shape on my sketch. I then looked at it and thought that the white on white was a little too bland so I changed the color to yellow. I added a darker tone of yellow to the top and 3rd levels of the pyramid to create a shadow. 

I then tried to animate the pyramid. I decided to animate the color. When you first press start, the pyramid is black but when you click on it the color slowly changes to yellow. This animation reminded me of how the pyramid changed colors as clouds went over it.

Looking back on this project I think that I might have oversimplified the image but since I am still new to processing I believe that this was a good start. I think that the shapes are very similar to the pyramid in the picture but the way I drew it on paper made it look 2D. Because I was following the coordinates of the drawing, my processing ended up looking a little bland as well. I think that processing was a really cool way to create art. I never really thought about design that was not done by hand before this. I think that this recitation really opened my eyes to the new possibilities of art that technology can provide.

int change;
int r = 0;
int g = 0;
int b = 0;
void setup() {
  size(800, 700);
  change = 1;
}
void draw() {
  // Your drawing code goes here
  background(255);
  println(mouseX, mouseY);

fill(#8C8E2E);
beginShape(); //top
vertex(310, 90);
vertex(440, 90);
vertex(510, 100);
vertex(240, 100);
endShape(CLOSE);

fill(r,g,b);
beginShape(); //2nd hexagon
vertex(240, 100);
vertex(510, 100);
vertex(540, 130);
vertex(210, 130);
endShape(CLOSE);

beginShape(); //3nd hexagon
vertex(180, 130);
vertex(570, 130);
vertex(590, 160);
vertex(160, 160);
endShape(CLOSE);

fill(#8C8E2E);
beginShape(); // 1st rectangle
vertex(180, 160);
vertex(570, 160);
vertex(570, 180);
vertex(180, 180);
endShape(CLOSE);

fill(r,g,b);
beginShape(); //3nd hexagon
vertex(180, 180);
vertex(570, 180);
vertex(610, 260);
vertex(150, 260);
endShape(CLOSE);

beginShape(); //4nd hexagon
vertex(130, 260);
vertex(630, 260);
vertex(655, 390);
vertex(105, 390);
endShape(CLOSE);

beginShape(); //5nd hexagon
vertex(80, 390);
vertex(680, 390);
vertex(730, 520);
vertex(30, 520);
endShape(CLOSE);

if (mousePressed) {
  r += 3;
  g += 3;
  b += 0;
}
}