Jonathan’s project was called Labyrinth. The project was based on a mythological story in which two users would be running around a maze. The first player would be trying to run through the maze while the second player would be chasing the first player. This would all be animated on Processing while the controls would be on Arduino. My feedback for this project was that the concept sounded similar to Pac-man and it would be easier for him to create this project based off of similar code. Others were worried that the game would not provide enough backstory. I thought that this idea was interesting because he is taking something from folk stories and his imagination, and turning it into an artistic game using processing and Arduino. I found this to be super creative and different from the other ideas that are meant to bring some sort of efficiency into our lives. This project is creating a more meaningful experience because modern society is moving at a rapid pace with technological development, there is not much to ground the people nowadays. This project is a hybrid of technology and storytelling, which can give the user a meaningful experience interacting with this kind of technology.
Bing’s project was an Interactive Heart Rate Monitor. Her plan was to build a monitor that would measure a person’s heart rate when they were exposed to certain stimuli. They would use an infrared sensor that would be doing the reading. This information would be sent from Arduino into Processing. Our group members thought that this idea was unique because they have been exposed to the stimuli, the webcam would take a photo of them during their most fearful moment. It seems like it would be a fun way to interact with technology because the user has no control over the situation. The response to the technology is completely based on the body’s reaction. Our feedback was that the design should force the user to only look at the screen (block out all external stimuli) so there might be a more reactive response. This project would create a meaningful experience with the user because they would be baited with a scary video and their experience would be recorded. It was a sequence of movements that would demonstrate a different type of interaction compared to Jonathan’s project.
Julie’s project was about making a tapping game similar to Guitar Hero. There would be a song playing in the background and the user had to push the buttons that sounded similar to the tones in the music. This project was interesting because it sounded like a fun concept, and less complicated than guitar hero. As a group, we were worried about how practical this game would be because she plans on only using three buttons in total for the tones. Even in the simplest songs, three buttons would not be enough. We also suggested her to make this game so that it would be multiplayer instead of one person playing. I thought this project was interesting because the interaction was not with a screen but with buttons, which provides this sense of old-time nostalgia that we lack from our constant interaction with screens.
I did not discover a new Definition of interaction, but discussing with my group members allowed me to filter out certain ideas for future projects. It also opens my mind up because their definition of interaction includes ideas that solely have to do with entertainment. I always put the pressure on myself to create something useful and entertaining, but now I am enlightened by games that incorporate different aspects of technology.
The feedback that I received was to talk to Nick because he also created a car, his insight would be helpful because I can model my car after something similar, with the same purpose of running around the table. According to my group members, the most successful part of my proposal was the idea behind it, they liked the idea that this piece of technology would keep the person active and allow them to move around while decreasing screen time usage. The least successful part of my proposal was that they thought that it was impossible to send the information from processing to the car while it is moving around the table. I disagree with this feedback and I do not believe that it will impact my project. Throughout my research, I have gathered that I can use the Bluetooth HC-06 module to send the information from processing to my car. Other feedback tackled the issue of the design and code which I did not find too helpful.