Author: Jennifer Cheung

In this recitation, I built two circuits to control a stepper and collaborated with Caren Yim to build a drawing machine from our completed circuits. These are the materials used:

Step 1 and 2

1 42STH33-0404AC stepper motor
1  SN754410NE ic chip
1  power jack
1  12 VDC power supply
1 Arduino kit and its contents

Step 3

2 Laser-cut short arms
2 Laser-cut long arms
1 Laser-cut motor holder
2 3D printed motor coupling
5 Paper Fasteners
1 Pen that fits the laser-cut mechanisms
Paper

Step 1 and 2

To get the stepper to rotate, I followed the schematic provided and connected the H-bridge and stepper motor to the breadboard and arduino. Using the stepper_oneRevolution sample code, I was successful in getting the motor to rotate. 

For the next step, I placed the potentiometer over the bridge of the breadboard, connecting the single top prong into A0 and the bottom two prongs into power and ground. I used the MotorKnob example code, but modified it by changing the steps to 200 and added a map function to control the rotation with the potentiometer. 

Step 3

Once the circuit was built, Caren and I began building our drawing machine using the materials provided. Once it was assembled, we were able to move the pen, but we noticed that Caren’s motor was spazzing and buzzing irregularly. We figured out that the potentiometer was not connected properly on the breadboard, which calmed the motor and made it more controllable. However, the motors were still not very smooth and the control was delayed, which we were told was due to the fact that the motors weren’t the best quality. To relieve the commotion the motors were making, we took them out of the holders and set them free on the table. In addition, we placed a folder under the paper to elevate it to the pen, and replaced the pen with a thicker one that would be more stable in the arms. The resulting drawing was probably worse than what a small child would create, but nevertheless our drawing machine worked. 

Question 1

I would like to build more machines that could aid in creative activities, like the drawing machine we just built. I am so accustomed to the traditional way of making art, but would be very interested to see how art can be combined with machinery and programming to create something that reflects the evolution into the age of technology. I would also like to build machines that put emphasis on design and user experiences, so that not only does the machine have good functionality, but it also is easy and fun to use.

Building such machines, or any kind of machine, makes use of many different components, including actuators, digital art manipulation, and creativity. Actuators are incredibly useful in performing a large variety of tasks with their “mover” capabilities. They are a necessity in any kind of machine that moves, and is the integral part of the drawing machine that allows the pen to move. Digital art manipulation is a unique new way of self expression that uses technology as part of the medium to create art. It is not just the artist that is making art, but the machine used also has a significant impact on how the art turns out, making it more of a collaborative piece between the user and the machine. Digital manipulation helps artists express themselves in many more ways than before, making it easier and easier to do. The creative process in making art and technology is incredibly important because without creativity, new, unique, innovative projects can’t be made, and everything is left to remain the same. The creative process encourages us to think outside the box and be different from what has already been done before, facilitating constant movement towards change and improvement. 

Question 2

In Daniel Palacios Jimenez’s 2006 “Waves” installation, viewers’ movements have a direct influence on the rotations of an elastic rope. The more the viewer moves, the more complex the rope’s patterns and sounds become. This creates a kind of performance piece that encourages the viewer to change their actions in order to see the range of movement and sound that the rope can create. The resulting oscillations are intriguing and photograph beautifully, creating a mysterious and lonely feeling DNA shape as pictured in the text. This piece most likely uses motion sensors, while the drawing machine is operated through manually turning the potentiometer. However, Jimenez possibly also chose stepper motors to rotate the ropes from both ends, similarly to how the drawing machine arms are operated. He would have wanted to find the most efficient actuator to smoothly transition from slow to fast rotations. 

To me, interaction can be defined as the engagement between at least two actors who produce variable outputs that are interdependent on each other’s inputs. I arrived at this definition after reading “The Art of Interactive Design” by Chris Crawford, who states that the term interactivity has been used and abused so much that we have forgotten what it truly means (4). Crawford describes interactivity as a conversation, in which actors listen, think, and speak in response to each other (5). However, anything can be interactive if you think it is, so there are degrees to which actions can be interactive (Crawford 6). My definition of interactivity goes along with Crawford’s definition, but intends on specifying it so that low degree interactions, such as a refrigerator light turning on to the opening door, do not have to be considered. 

Aligning to my definition is Alias, a device placed on top of smart assistants in order to give more control and ensure privacy for users. Users train Alias to listen for a code word that will trigger the assistant to listen to commands. However, if users do not say the code word, Alias interrupts the assistant’s microphone so that it cannot listen to what you say. This ensures that assistants cannot unintentionally listen in to your conversations and carry out functions when you don’t want it to. Here, we can see that after the user trains it to listen to a unique word, Alias depends on the user to say the code word in order to allow the assistant to function. The user also depends on Alias to learn the word and paralyze the smart assistant when the code word isn’t said. The two actors are in conversation with each other, listening to each other in order to create specific outputs. 

There are many other innovative projects that show the advances of technology and create potential to change our relationship to technology, but they aren’t necessarily interactive. An example of this is the EM Table, which lights up fluorescent tubes within a short range without physical contact using electromagnetic waves. The table and light aren’t necessarily interacting with each other because while the light reacts to distance from the table, the only output generated is the light turning on. It is only a one way engagement because the table doesn’t respond to the light in return. Therefore, this project doesn’t fit my definition of interactivity. 

Our group, consisting of Jonathan Lin, Caren Yim, Citlaly Weed, and Olivia Zhou, used this definition to create the ClosetPod, a small pocket sized container holding clothes that change form in response to how the body reacts to changes in temperature. For example, a shirt quickly changes into a long sleeved jacket when it gets colder, and in the case that it starts raining, the jacket becomes waterproof and grows a protective hood. The ClosetPod has a touch screen that displays different styles of clothes that the wearer can choose from, each with changing forms to protect the wearer from the elements so that he or she is never in discomfort. Not only does this make dressing everyday extremely easier, since the wearer does not have to stress about wearing layers, this is also a great sustainable option that decreases the amount of clothes that need to be produced, bought, and thrown away. Its self cleaning technology uses UVC rays when the clothes are returned to the pod, relieving the user of laundry and decreasing the amount of water used and polluted in washing. The ClosetPod provides minimalist convenience and ease, allowing the wearer to not have to ever stress about dressing for the weather.

In creating the ClosetPod for the performance, we used Caren’s jacket as a base, starting as a t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, then turning into a jacket with the sleeves pulled down via tugging two strings attached to the sleeves, then finally into a rain jacket by attaching a makeshift hood. We used an AirPod case to represent the actual size of the pod, but used a larger cardboard box to contain the jacket and more clearly show how the device worked. To show a changing touchscreen, we illustrated different clothing options that were placed on the front face of the box and taken off one by one. We indicated weather changes by illustrating the sun, moon, and rain on different cardboard pieces. I created the poster in Adobe Illustrator, putting together a series of different rectangles and ovals to create symbols for the clothes.

The ClosetPod aligns with our definition of interactivity because the way in which the clothes change form depends on how the body’s conditions change with the weather. The user and the clothes are in conversation with each other; the clothes listen to the body’s changing state when the weather changes and transform in response, after which the user becomes comfortable and protected from the elements. The clothes and the user have an effect on each other, each changing states when the other changes. 

Works Cited:

Crawford, Chris. The Art of Interactive Design: a Euphonious and Illuminating Guide to Building Successful Software. No Starch Press, 2003, pp. 3-6.

In this recitation, Jonathan Lin and I chose to create a circuit using a moisture sensor. These are the components used:

1 breadboard

1 moisture sensor

1 Arduino

1 LED

1 220 ohm resistor

1 Wet napkin

Jumper cables

We decided to use the moisture sensor to trigger an LED to turn on. From the previous lecture, we knew how to connect the sensor into the breadboard and Arduino by using the cables to connect all three into power. We connected the LED and resistor into the breadboard and plugged the Arduino into Jonathan’s computer. He took code for the moisture sensor and did some adjustments to fit our circuit. At first we didn’t know exactly how to use the moisture sensor, but were shown that the sensor could pick up moisture just by holding it with our hands or applying a damp towel to the metal. The serial monitor showed that by applying moisture with different pressures, the number would fluctuate. The sensor was now connected properly, but the LED wouldn’t turn on. After a bit of fidgeting with the code and wires, we finally found out that the LED polarity was connected wrong. By switching it around, we were able to successfully use the moisture sensor to turn on the LED once the serial number went over 100.

Question 1

We assembled a circuit that would use moisture to turn on an LED. This could be used in real life in growing agriculture. Farmers or at home gardeners could use this circuit to see if their plants have enough water in the soil. They could adjust the code so that the light would turn on at certain serial numbers, for example, the light could turn on if they were over watering the plants, or if the soil didn’t have enough water. This circuit would help them gauge how much water they should be giving their plants to ensure optimal growth.

Question 2

Code is often compared to following a recipe or tutorial because there are specific steps that coders must make in order for their code to be successful. Key elements, like careful syntax and specific functions, must be included or else the code won’t run. In addition, code needs to be written in the right order for it to be read correctly. Like recipes and tutorials with ingredients and steps, there are so many different elements that coders need to be aware of in order to create successful code. Additionally, many recipes and tutorials are shared with the public, like lots of code that are easily accessible when coders upload their new creations online. 

Question 3

Computers have an immense effect on our daily behaviors in our current age of technology. We have become incredible reliant on computers to do daily tasks, like researching, shopping, communicating, making art, and so on. Because of this, we are often glued to computer screens, whether we are doing work or relaxing. Our whole worlds lie within computers, so there is much less direct human interaction needed. For this reason, people have become less social and rely on hiding behind screens to communicate. People no longer spend as much time enjoying the outdoors, because they are able to find entertainment inside on their computers. This has caused a separation people’s interaction with others and the world. While there are negatives, many positives have come out of computers as well. People can easily communicate with those far from them and can share experiences through many different platforms. Computers have also given creatives a new platform to extend their art, whether through digital design or computer generated music. People also have much more access to knowledge, which has fostered people’s yearning to learn and experience new things.