Category: Interaction Lab

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Ellie(Meng Yihan)-IxLab (Young)- First Documentation

Partner: Mimi (Cai Shuyang)

Circuit 1:

Components: 1 Breadboard: serve as a platform on which we can plug things in.

                     1 Voltage Regulator: regulate the voltage so the circuit could be served with the correct voltage. (not 220V)

                     1 Capacitor: store and let out the electricity charge.

                     A few Hook up wires: connects other components.

1 Buzzer: it serves as the speaker so that the “doorbell” could ring.

                     1 Push button(switch): to connect the circuit to make the buzzer ring.

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circuit 1

⬆️https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Process:

The first step was to connect the power source. However, we encountered some problems. Due to the reason that we were not adequately familiar with how the breadboard functioned, we connected it vertically instead of horizontally. In that way, we created a short circuit and that led to our first failure of attempt.

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incorrectly building circuit 1

After seeking help from instructor Young, we understood how the metal things were connected inside the board and that the blue line stood for the same thing of “connecting to the ground” as the diagram on the website. After another attempt, we got it right and also positioned the capacitor correctly.

circuit 1-2

Another problem we’ve encountered was that we failed to connect the switch correctly to the circuit—we didn’t understand the reference on the web page and positioned it in the wrong direction. Again, with Young’s help, we got to know the right way to connect it.

Circuit 2:

circuit 2/ 

⬅️https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Components: 1 breadboard, 1 voltage regulator, 1 capacitor, a few wires, 1 push button

             1 220-ohm Resistor: reduce the electric current so that the circuit would not be over-loaded.

              1 LED: it would give out light when the circuit is connected so the “lamp” could work.

Process: As the process of building the first circuit provided us some great and useful experience, the second one went quite smoothly without any trouble except for reorganizing the components so that they could all fit in the breadboard. We did it after several adjustments.

Circuit 3:

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Components: breadboard, voltage regulator, capacitor, wires, push button, 220-ohm resistor

Variable Resistor: adjust the resistance of the circuit. In this circuit, we can use it to change the luminance of the LED so that the lamp could be dimmable.

Process: we did find it hard to figure out the right direction to position the variable resistor, but eventually we got it right by reading the instruction page and comparing the real component with the reference image.

Question 1:

          The interactivity that the circuit includes can be considered from two perspectives.

          First, a successful operation of the circuit is based on two condition: a person push the button and the circuit is correctly connected. From this point of view, this process includes two basic components of an interactive action: two actors and a process of alternatively exchanging signals. Though it is a low-level procedure seeing from the degree of interactivity, it does serve as a good start point for a beginner like me and could bring much joy.

       Second, there is a certain procedure of input-process-output during the operation, and that is: the operator giving an input signal to the circuit by pushing the button, the circuit being connected and deliver the electric charge, and it giving an output by lightening the LED or making noise using the buzzer.

       These processes make the circuit interactive.

Question 2:

       Basically, Interaction Design provides creative ideas while Physical Computing figures out the practical plans and turns them into reality.

       In everyday life, we are communicating with technology and interact with computer all the time without consciousness. According to Zack Lieberman, computing is also a form of art, a practical art which can help us turn virtual into reality. Considering that, interactive art is related to physical computing tightly. However, without creativity, computing is nothing more than just a vain skill. Interaction design is the core of the interactive art. It could provide the newest and the most thrilling ideas. We can only create interactive art by combining interaction design and physical computing and make good use of both.

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Week1 Recitation Documentation — Shuyang Cai

Circuit 1: Door Bell

Components:
1 * LM7805 Voltage Regulator: to maintain a constant voltage level                        1 * 12-volt power supply: to provide the electrical power
1 * Breadboard: to provide a base for making electronic connections and aid in the prototyping of circuits.
1 * 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor: to store electricity while current is flowing into them, then release the energy when the incoming current is removed.   
1 * Push-Button Switch: a control mechanism which can be used to interrupt the flow of current through a circuit.
1 * Buzzer: create sounds when there is flowing electricity in the circuit
Several Jumper Cables (Hook-up Wires): to connect different components in the circuit

Diagram:

Photos:

Reflection:
As it is the first circuit we connect, we met a little bit more difficult to figure out how things work. But eventually, we figured out how the holes on the breadboard are connected. Another tricky thing is the approach to connect the switch into the circuit. With the help from one of the fellows, we found out that switch can be plugged into two sets of holes that are not connected so that the switch can actually realize its function as controlling whether there is electricity flowing in the circuit. During the process, we occasionally found that there was not enough space to put several connected appliances in the same set of holes. But we succeed in plugging them somewhere else and then use wires to connect them into the circuit. Another tip we got from the fellow is that, before finishing the circuit and checking there are no mistakes such as short circuit, the power should never be connected into the circuit.

Circuit 2: Lamp

Components:

1 * 12-volt power supply: to provide the electrical power
1 * Breadboard: to provide a base for making electronic connections and aid in the prototyping of circuits.
1 * 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor: to store electricity while current is flowing into them, then release the energy when the incoming current is removed.
1 * LM7805 Voltage Regulator: to maintain a constant voltage level
1 * Push-Button Switch: a control mechanism which can be used to interrupt the flow of current through a circuit.
1 * LED: light up when there is electricity flowing in the circuit
1 * 220-ohm Resistor: resists the flow of electricity, and can be used to control the flow of current.
Several Jumper Cables (Hook-up Wires): to connect different components in the circuit

Diagram:

Photos:

Reflections:
With the experience of the first circuit, the second one seems to be much easier. The only problem we met is that we mistakenly connected the wires to the holes that are disconnected to the LED, meaning that the LED is not connected into the circuit at all. But by inspecting by ourselves we spotted the problem and fixed it. Therefore, we finished connecting this circuit rather smoothly with much difficulty, as we have had general experience of how to do so in the first circuit.

Circuit 3: Dimmable Lamp

Components:

1 * 12-volt power supply: to provide the electrical power
1 * Breadboard: to provide a base for making electronic connections and aid in the prototyping of circuits.
1 * 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor: to store electricity while current is flowing into them, then release the energy when the incoming current is removed.
1 * LM7805 Voltage Regulator: to maintain a constant voltage level
1 * Push-Button Switch: a control mechanism which can be used to interrupt the flow of current through a circuit.
1 * LED: light up when there is electricity flowing in the circuit
1 * 220-ohm Resistor: resists the flow of electricity, and can be used to control the flow of current.
1 * 10K ohm Variable Resistor (Potentiometer): a resistor with a sliding contact attached to a knob that outputs an adjustable voltage
Several Jumper Cables (Hook-up Wires): to connect different components in the circuit

Diagram:

Photos:

Reflection:
The third circuit is based on the second one. The only change we need to make is to insert a variable resistor into the circuit. The biggest problem we met here is that there was not enough space to do so. But according to our experience in the first circuit, we put the variable resistor in the right side of the breadboard and used wires to connect it into the circuit that mainly locates on the left side of the breadboard.

Question 1:
As far as I can think of, the switch, and the variable resistor both include interactivity. As is mentioned in the article “The Art of Interactive Design”, the interactive process includes input, process, and output. Our action to push the button on the switch or to adjust the resistance to change how light the LED is are the inputs. The circuits then process such inputs, meaning that electricity flow through the circuits built by us. Eventually, we are able to see the output of the process. For example, the buzzer makes sounds and the light of the LED changes. These all show us that the circuit we built is working as we expect them to, which is indeed a sort of interactivity.

Question 2:
From my perspective, interaction design and physical computing should be combined to create something that is controlled by people. The interaction design makes sure that human behaviors and actions are indispensable parts of interactive art. On the other hand, physical computing makes sure that the product is controllable in terms of human instructions or behaviors. That is, the process of physical computing provides interactive art the ability to change or adjust itself according to people’s instructions or behaviors. Only if a product or design contains both the elements, can it be called interactive art.

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Recitation 1: Sensors by Tristan Murdoch

Tasks 1 and 2:

The goal of this project was to complete circuits to ring a doorbell (buzzer) and light an LED in different ways. This way, we gained a basic understanding of how circuits function, what to do, and what to avoid, such as short-circuiting.

Below is an image of the first circuit we put together:

First Circuit

Included is a power source (supplying voltage) connected to a voltage regulator (to, well, regulate the voltage to the required amount).  A capacitor is connected to the voltage regulator to store voltage. The speaker is wired to the third leg of the voltage regulator, which is in turn connected to a button. From there it is connected to ground, along with the second leg of the voltage regulator. Components are held in place and connected by a breadboard.

Below are linked videos of the functioning doorbell, LED and dimmable LED circuits. The third video includes our own soldered button.

(Diagrams were already given to us for this recitation, so we decided not to include them in the post.)

In these circuits, the basics stayed the same (power source, capacitor, voltage regulator, and switch), but the speaker was replaced by an LED.  Furthermore, a 220-ohm resistor was used to limit the voltage the LED received. In the dimmable LED circuit a 10k-ohm variable resistor was used, allowing us to vary the amount of resistance, thus dimming or amplifying the light output.

Difficulties: For someone who has never touched a circuit before, the beginning was quite challenging. Connecting the capacitor to the voltage regulator took some time, but the diagrams helped greatly. The original button we used was also hard to understand. We were not aware that A/D and B/C were connected, but not to each other. A few times, our wires were not properly connected to the breadboard, causing us to think there was a complex problem while in fact we just needed to push the wires farther in. Other then that, everything went smoothly, soldering included.

Reflection:  Our project went exactly as planned with minor issues that we quickly solved. Building circuits gave me general, practical knowledge of how all the components work, but I still could not build one on my own without a directional diagram. I hope by repetition I can learn to understand how to build my own circuits for personal projects.

Question 1:  The author uses the terms, “listen, think and speak” to help define the word interaction. Take the LED circuit for instance: I press the button. The circuit “listens” processes what I asked it to do (with electricity) and “speaks” by illuminating the LED. I, seeing that the light is now on (listening), now want the light off (thinking), so stop pressing the button (speaking). 

But, I would argue that the interaction is minimal, based on the author’s definition. I can interact with the circuit, but it does send me instructions the same way I send it instructions. In this example, the circuit has no way of making me remove my finger from the button. 

Question 2: The fundamental part of interaction design and physical computing is that we can use it to make biologically non-living things react to our actions. The eye-tracking art feature in Lieberman’s video does just that. Another example is the wiring that allowed the reflective wood panel mirror to move in conjunction with a human’s movements to reflect light in the shape of what is in front of it.

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Recitation Week 1 | Lana Henrich

Recitation Week 1

Materials

Breadboard:a layout of conduc

tive terminals that provides a consistent cable design for t

he construction of circuits

LM7805 Voltage Regulator:maintains a constant voltage level so the buzzer and LED can operate efficiently

Buzzer:an electrical device that makes a buzzing noise

Push-Button Switch:gives the interactor the power to choose when to let the current flow

Arcade Button:allows one to control whether or not electricity passes through the circuit by pressing the button

220 ohm Resistor:adds resistance to the circuit in order to decrease the voltage and keep the LED stable

LED:a semiconductor diode which glows when a voltage is applied

100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor:stores energy in the form of an electrostatic field between its plates

10K ohm Variable Resistor (Potentiometer):a resistor with an adjustable voltage divider

12 Volt Power Supply:used to reduce the mains electricity at 240 volts AC down to 12 volts do make it more useable

Barrel Jack:a power connector used for connecting low-voltage devices to external electricity

Multimeter:measures electric current, voltage, and usually resistance

Jumper Cables (Hook-up Wires):a single insulated conductor used for low-voltage applications

Circuit 1:

Building Process

Building the first circuit was somewhat difficult, as we had to learn how to work with the layout of the breadboard and all our materials. We encountered the problem that we couldn’t identify which piece was which but were able to refer to the recitation notes to see a picture and function of each piece. Once we identified all the pieces and placed them in the correct circuit, we tried hitting the button, but failed to make the buzzer buzz. After receiving help from one of the teaching fellows, we realized one of our pieces was faulty, and replaced it with a new one. Upon this adjustment, the buzzer worked, and we were able to take apart the circuit and start the next one.

Circuit 2:

Building Process

The process of building the second circuit went a lot smoother than the first, as we were more familiar with the materials and working with the breadboard. The only difference between circuit 1 and 2 is that we replaced with an LED light and added a resistor to tone down the voltage of the bulb. Because of this, we were able to reuse a lot of the previous circuit and did not run into issues while completing it.

Circuit 3:

Building Process

Building the last circuit went faster than building the other 2, although we did run into issues along the way. We did not understand the circuit diagram at first and were unable to place the pieces correctly into the circuit. Though circuit 3 was harder for us to complete than circuit 2, it was easier than circuit 1. All we had to do to complete this circuit was add the 10K ohm Variable Resistor to circuit 2 to be able to adjust the brightness of the bulb. At first, the LED would not turn on, so we once again asked a teaching fellow to assist with our issue. He then checked all parts of our circuit and it seemed to be correct, so we deduced that the problem lied in the reliability of the materials we used.

Question 1:

The circuits we built include interactivity because all parts of the circuit have to work together in order for it to perform the desired result. For example, in the third circuit, the resistor works with the capacitator and current flowing through the breadbox to make the LED work and stay stable. While the resistor dissipates energy, the capacitator stores it, which allows the circuit to function as desired and turn on either the buzzer or the LED when the button is pressed. By using wires and other materials that facilitate or alter the flow of energy, electrically charged particles can be passed on from unit to the next, thus having the components of a circuit working together towards a common purpose.

Question 2:                                                                                                                      

Physical computing can be used to “bring art to life”, as in the project shown by Zack Lieberman. It can be used to trick the eye into making otherwise lifeless or still images move and respond to cues triggered by the art’s audience, like in exhibitions in art museums that allow visitors to interact with and create their own art. Digitalizing art allows for a wide range of interactive possibilities, as coding allows for limitless possibilities for the creation of such artworks. Computing can allow artists to create things that would otherwise be physically impossible, such as drawing and projecting graffiti live onto a road using eye-tracking technology (shown in Liebermann’s video).  

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IL(Young) Recitation1 – Malika Wang

Materials

Breadboard 

A device that helps organize one’s mind when one is new to building circuits. Electronic components can be easily interconnected by inserting their ‘legs’ into the holes of a breadboard. The holes are connected with each other by certain rules like there are wires embedded under.

https://www.amazon.com/BB400-Solderless-Plug-BreadBoard-tie-points/dp/B0040Z1ERO

 LM7805 Voltage Regulator 

This is used to obtain an output voltage that is friendly to the buzzer and LED we use.

https://electronicsforu.com/resources/learn-electronics/7805-ic-voltage-regulator 

Buzzer 

This serves as the output of the first circuit we build. When applied with a sufficient amount of current, it gives a noise indicating that the circuit is working.

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Push-Button (Switch)

When pushed, allows current to run through and makes the entire circuit function. But my partner and I used our own button to do the trick. We soldered this button.

Arcade Button 

Another kind of switch. We didn’t use it though.

220-ohm Resistor 

This is used to add resistance into the entire circuit so that the voltage will not all be applied onto the speaker or the LED, preventing them from being burned.  

LED 

This serves as the output in our circuit. It is very cheap but easy to burn. Therefore, we must very carefully choose the right resistor to take the heat off its back. It has a longer leg and a shorter leg. The current should run into the LED from the longer leg and leave the LED through the shorter leg.

100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor 

I am not entirely sure what it does in our circuit, but I know that it has something to do with storing electrical energy.

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

10K ohm Variable Resistor (Potentiometer) 

This is a resistor whose resistance we can control. In the third circuit, it serves as a way to control the brightness of the LED.

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

12-volt power supply 

It serves as an adaptor that turns 220V AC to 12V DC, which is a friendly voltage for our circuits.

Barrel Jack 

It serves as the bridge that connects the power supply to the breadboard.

Multimeter 

We used it to measure the resistance of all the resistors we got from the box and find the right resistor of 220-ohm.

Several Jumper Cables (Hook-up Wires) 

These are breadboard-friendly. Very easy to use.

Circuits

Circuit 1: Door Bell

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Above is the video of it working.

Circuit 2: Lamp

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Above is the video of it working.

Circuit 3: Dimmable Lamp

https://wp.nyu.edu/shanghai-ima-interaction-lab/category/recitations/

Above is the video of it working.

Processes

When building the first circuit, my partner and I encountered two major problems. The first one was that we didn’t pay attention to the different function of the three legs of the LM7805 voltage regulator. We found the pinout diagram and solved this problem. The second was how we didn’t make good use of the special design of the breadboard, and our circuit was a mess. One of the LAs passed by and explained to us how we could insert the red line and ground line of the power source into the left side of the breadboard and make the entire left side into the power line. After we successfully finished the first circuit, the remaining two circuits turned into a piece of cake and we were able to finish them without making any mistake.

Reflection on the questions

Question 1

I think the circuits we built in the recitation were not interactive. They were too basic and not smart enough to be interactive. The only interactivity between the circuits and us were the feedbacks we got from the output parts of them. Whether the buzzer made noise or whether the LED lit was hardly communicating. Therefore, they were not interactive in the way described in The Art of Interactive Design. But the process of building them was interactive for my partner and me. We ‘alternately listen, think, and speak’ to each other and together, we finished the work.

Question 2

I think it all starts with an interactive idea. You see a possibility to make something interactive, you have this idea. And with the help of some design and delicate application of technology, you create a piece of interactive art.