Interaction Lab Fall 2021 Final Proposal Essay
Concept and Inspiration:
My aim for this project is to connect Arduino (sensors) with processing (content) and show some artistic approaches that processing could display. Therefore, since the beginning of brainstorming, I have been definite about using a screen or a projector.
Once, I read news online that strikes me hard. I couldn’t believe this could be happening in our society. The news is about a girl who adopted a dog that grew up in the puppy mill. The dog’s name is Eleanor. Eleanor was sold on a dog market because she was abandoned by one puppy mill due to severe mental illness. She couldn’t reproduce due to physical and emotional disabilities that developed during her time in the puppy mill. When the girl adopted Eleanor, she was unwilling to interact with the girl and refused to go outdoor and involve physical activities with the neighbourhood dog. Eleanor always curls her body up in the corner of the toilet and refuses to conduct eye and physical contact with her new owner. The girl posted the growth of Eleanor on YouTube and soon got much attention from the society that puppy mills are cruel and merciless. They treated dogs like reproduction machines. They must continuously mate with opposite-sex dogs regardless of their breed and health. After giving birth to small puppies, they witness people take away their baby puppies. Eleanor was suffering from this trauma. Therefore she was always in a very negative mood. Once Eleanor was introduced to a tiny toy, she recognized that toy as one of her little puppies. Eleanor then saw the purpose of life, and her emotion calmed down. Eleanor slowly became an average dog and healed her “baby.”
I think many challenges and unfortunate events are happening in this world, but simultaneously, there is always something excellent and positive existing.
I want this project to heal myself and other people, delivering a concept of “you can be other people’s savior by one simple act.” Inspired by Eleanor, I want to make the teddy bear an interactive media that connects the user with someone who needs help. And I hope this project can somehow deliver the idea of a savior.
Technical Preparation:
The project is consists of three parts: a teddy bear (sensor), a glass container (output), and a screen (visualization of emotion). The teddy bear will have a broken look that portraits a fragile and emotionless object with an ultrasound sensor. I will sew the ultrasound sensor into the bear and set the sensing distance very small. Therefore, the user needs to hug the teddy bear to trigger “light up the heart.” After the user hugs the bear, the LED strand connected to the bear and the glass container will light up. The LED strand will connect the teddy bear and the 3D-printed heart. The heart will not be coloured but placed within a glass container with a cotton base. When the LED strand lights up, the cotton will light up, and the heart will glow. Simultaneously, the screen placed beside the glass container will visualize the change of emotion. When the user hugs the bear, the LED strand will light up, then the screen will appear. When the user releases the bear, everything will become dark again. Other than this interaction, another sensor will be placed in the bear. When users tap the back of the bear’s head, it will change the effect of LED and processing screen. This might need help with touchDesigner, but if I can achieve the effect with processing, then it is sufficient.