I am in a group with Ribirth and Emerald. It took us little time to determine our group project—a project for cats because we all raise cats. We first raised our toughs during raising cats, such as the cats always falling their hairs and cats food bowl always in a mess.
Then we decided to improve the cat food bowl problem because it’s really a common one. Everyone raising a pet or willing to raise one will meet or have met this problem. For those who have cats, cleaning up the food bowl is a tough job because it is always in a mess and the dry and wet pet food are mixed together in the bowl. For those who are willing to raise one, this problem is enough to be a task which obstructs them to raise one.
Then we drew lots and got our agendas and goals—discursive agenda, performance and enchanted object. We first read the definitions of these terms and figured out we should add something to the current cat food bowl to make it special. Still not only such, the users must have clear sense from using this object. They should know how to use it without complex instructions.
And also, the materials should be special and easy to find.
Afterwards, we first decided to use Arduino to build the auto-cleaned cat food bowl. With the servo rotating, the cat bowl can be cleaned without humans’ labor. But then we met a problem that when the cats are going to eat the food in the bowl, where should the servo be. So we decided to use another servo to control the upholders up and down. To be more clear, we only use two buttons, one is to control the up and down and the other is to rotate the cleaning servo. We sticked “UP” and “WASH” beside the two buttons in order to lead the users know clearly how to use it.
And I think the most attractive part is the materials of the cleaning cloth. We sticked the thin cleaning cloths together, once the user finish cleaning and one cleaning cloth is dirty, they only need to tear the dirty one off. Then there is a new one can be used.
To meet the agendas and goals, first let me repeat the discursive agenda’s definition, “Creation of utilitarian artifacts whose primary purpose is communicative. Encourage discourse and reflection and subsequent debate. They are tools of thinking. They raise awareness and perhaps understanding of debatable issues of psychological, sociological and ideological consequence.” Our project, can urges the communication between humans and cats(animals), not directly. It can save the labor owners pay when they raise cats(animals) and let many people who think that cat troubles are willing to raise cats(animals).
For “performance”, “optimization”, “flexibility”, “durability”, “multi-functionality”, “convenience of Materials” are all contained in this project. We improve the ordinary food bowl for cats and the materials which can be teared off is flexible and durable. The two buttons are the only things users can push, which is easy and multi-functional.
And with the most common materials, servos, a pot and two buttons, we made an auto-cleaned food bowl for cats which can save labor. I think this is the best reflection of enchanted objects.