Circuit 1: Fade
The first circuit was straightforward, and there were no complications. However, when it came to coding I rewrote it myself, and the circuit did not work. The first error in the code was that I forgot to put the “;” semicolumn at the end, so the code was not finished, and the program could not read. In addition, I am glad I could find the mistake I made myself too.
Circuit 2: toneMelody
There was no problem building the circuit itself, but when I, again, rewrote the code, I had trouble finding the notes and where to write them. One of the professors guided me in creating a new folder inside the first one.
Circuit 3: Speed Game
So far, this one was the most time-consuming, and I could not finish it during my recitation class. However, on my second try, it was easier since I followed the exact spots of each component.
Question 1.
The button that I would use has a more smooth surface, as in made out of silicon or has a silicone cover so the player would not get distracted by the sound of the clicks it makes and be more immersed in the game. In addition, the height of the button’s circle should be a bit lower so there is less time required to press the button, which would also give an opening for the user to get more input. Furthermore, adding an LED light to the button would also give the user an extra sense of analog representation, like visually seeing how many clicks the player is making.
Question 2.
We use a 10 kOhm resistor so the pin that we have input would not go around not connecting to anything or, in other words, “floating”. In addition, when we use a resistor, the LOW or the output will be read using a 10 kOhm resistor.
Question 3.
I will be discussing the work of an amazing YouTuber and brilliant engineer Mark Rober, who was also a big influence in inspiring me to choose the Interaction Lab class and tech-related major in general. The project he magically orchestrated involves the myths revolving around sharks that the Pixar movie “Finding Nemo” depicted.
“Testing if Sharks Can Smell a Drop of Blood” was the title of his project, and he created a device that can pump blood in a parallel sequence using Arduinos, batteries, and circuits with a waterproof box attached to a surfing board as well as a peristaltic pump.
Picture 1. “Shark Bait” device [1]
Picture 2. Inside of the peristaltic pump [1]
Picture 3. Shark Bait pumping the liquid [1]
I chose this specific project out of all the rest because this is the first video I watched of him in 2019, and it got me hooked on engineering and computing. However, the most important part of this project is that it is unique and creative, and above all, it is busting the common stereotype of our childhood movies and misconception about sharks.
Reference
- “Testing if Sharks Can Smell a Drop of Blood” Youtube, uploaded by Mark Rober 29 July 2019 https://youtu.be/ugRc5jx80yg