Group Research: Report

During the first discussion, we came up with three ideas:

The first one is to build a device that exaggerates the movement of the body, so people who can’t move a lot (such as those with ALS) can express themselves more easily. 

The second one is to build a machine that can change its function as we rub its surface.

The third one is to build a machine that can predict the future in specific ways.

Given that the first two ideas were hard to be shown, we decided to make an instant camera that can show what things would be like in the future.

Our final idea derives from the story The Veldt. In this story, the father found his wallet covered with saliva and blood. Later, the couple was eaten by the lions. We thought the wallet had somehow predicted the couple’s fate, so we wanted to make a device that can tell what will happen to someone or something in the future. I think we can respond to the output of the camera, and we can take a photo again to provide input, so it is interactive.

The initial draft (drawn by me)

The refined drafts ( drawn by Angle)

My responsibility: I completed the first draft of our artifact, drew the photos which were used during the show, and wrote the script about how we will act during the presentation. ( I also made a slide, but sadly the slide was unavailable during the show.)

Other members’ responsibilities: Angel designed the camera, Amelia and Almon made the prototype, and Siwei decorated the camera.

The prototype, before decoration

the prototype, after decoration

the script

I think the artifact is quite successful, for it is interactive and it is really easy to understand how it works.

The performance of Team perfumers: They showed a perfume-making machine that can produce perfume according to the demand of the user. I think it’s related to the story the veldt because in that story the father could smell the smelly cats while there wasn’t any real cat at home. I think the perfume-making machine is not that innovative, for there are websites now where you can order perfumes from them. I think their performance is great -the only shortcoming is that their artifact is not innovative enough.