Lab Date: Feb 22, 2019
Instructor: Marcele
Lab Partner: Daniel Qin
Material:
1 * Arduino Uno: Can remember
1 * USB A to B cable
1 * breadboard
1 * buzzer
2 * LEDs
2 * 220 ohm resistors
2 * 10K ohm resistors
2 * pushbuttons
2 * arcade buttons
A handful of jumper cables
1 * Multimeter
Circuit 1: Fade
We just learned the knowledge of Arduino this week, which is useful to realize the interaction between human and project. The Fading LED circuit has very clear instructions, we use the analogWrite function in fading an LED off and on. AnalogWrite uses PMW turning a digital pin on and off very quickly with a different ratio between on and off, to create a fading effect. We use pin9 and declare it by changing the number in ledpin in coding. And we successfully made it.
Circuit 2: toneMelody
In this circuit, we learn how to use Arduino and coding language to have tone melody. We work fluently in this part. But we are curious if we will play very long music, then do we need to code every note, and how to deal with the chord.
Circuit 3: Speed Game
This circuit is more complicated, there are many wires and resistors. We feel a little confused. During the process, we make small mistakes, like do opposite the LED anode and cathode. But we realized immediately and correct it. We also found that we lack a wire after first failed. We added the wire and check again.
Circuit 4 (optional)
Group work is really important for this part. You can never finish the task unless you cooperate with others. The team not only makes the work be more efficient but also strengthens communication skills. I also found that everyone has a different advantage, and we can utilize them. The combination of two breadboards is not difficult because they are symmetric. The most important part is the code because it decides whether the game function well. We increase the numbers of players from two to four and we need to fix all coding contains players. Then we increase the pin because it combines two circuits in some degree. Alex has very strong logic and is very patient in coding, which helps a lot. We try the first time but we find a problem, that is, the LED will only brighten on the loser side. We assume it might be a problem appeared in coding. We forget to adjust the LED part in coding. Then, we try another time, and we made it.
Question 1:
In my opinion, technology has been a part of our life. We go to the store and purchase something by QR code instead of cash. We listen music, appreciate films and read the news every day from the telephone or computer. I can use facial detection to enter my phone instead of remembering a series of numbers. Technology makes our life more convenient and digital. The essence of technology is to make us directly interact with digital world or interact with others through the digital medium. In making the circuit, I also learned technology, especially in physical computing area. I learn how to use Arduino and coding to make buzzer have melody, to fade the LED and even play the game. These are the magic of technology, and these reflect the interaction what we pursued between human beings, physical environment, computers, and electrical components. Those formerly alienated factors connect each other now through interaction. We can receive feedback and make reactions. Most interestingly, I can produce a game through technology, which brings happiness into our life. As what Chris Crawford defined about interaction in the article, “an interactive process of listening, thinking and speaking between two or more actors.” And from the perspective of the computer, these three steps can be translated into input, process, output respectively. So what interaction means to me? It helps computers understand my thoughts and realize my design, and it plays a role in connecting the computing world and my mind. When I am coding, I am communicating with the computer and trying to express my thoughts as clearly as possible. When the computer understands me, it will realize what I want.
Question 2
If I will have 100000 LED with every color and every level of brightness, I hope to put them into building an amusement park. The LEDs will be connected with some sound sensors and be decorated around the amusement infrastructure. The topic of this amusement park will be darkness. All amusement facilities are in darkness. When people play in some thrilling facilities, they may scream, and the LED will bright and forms different images and they may change along with the sound level. This will increase the visual and physchological experience of tourists.