For this recitation, I and my partner Nathalie made 4 circuits in total using a basic Arduino knowledge that we’ve learnt from this week’s classes.
Materials:
From Arduino Kit:
1 * Arduino Uno
1 * USB A to B cable
1 * breadboard
1 * buzzer
2 * LEDs
2 * 220 ohm resistors
2 * 10K ohm resistors
2 * pushbuttons
A handful of jumper cables
From cart:
2 * arcade buttons
1 * Multimeter (optional)
Circuit 1: Fade
For this circuit, I and my partner referred to the circuit drawing below.
Referencing the graph above, this is the circuit diagram that I have drawn using a tool online.
Because fading needs an analog value (from 0-255), we connected the lightbulb to one of PWM pins.
if we want to change the speed of the fading, we could change the fadeValue (how much it is increased or decreased each time) or change the value inside the delay.
Circuit 2: toneMelody
For this circuit, I and my partner referred to the circuit drawing below.
Referencing the graph above, this is the circuit diagram that I have drawn using a tool online.
There was some notes which was already there for us to use inside the melody[] array, and the duration was set inside the noteDurations[] array to play music. By changing the durations and notes, we could adjust the melody.
Circuit 3: Speed Game
Above is the photo that we referenced for making our circuit. This amazing diagram allowed us to hover over to check which type of resistors we were supposed to use.
Based off of the diagram above, we tried drawing our own circuit.
As a result of these work, we managed to build a buzzing game for two players.
Using the provided code which be found above, we made a working circuit.
Circuit 4: Four-player Speed Game
Based off of the circuit 3, we combined a breadboard with another team and tried building the 4 player version of the speed game. The circuit diagram looks like below.
To make it easier for the viewer to see the diagram, I color coded the diagram.
Player 1: Blue
Player 2: Orange
Player 3: Red
Player 4: Green
Please press here to be directed to the Arduino code.
To switch from two player game to the four player game, we had to make some adjustments in the code such as adding the pins for LED and switches for the player 3 and player 4, (because if one player wins, it means the other players are all losing) adding that other players lost when one reaches 10 press first.
As a result of these work, we managed to build a buzzing game for four players.
Question 1: Reflect how you use technology in your daily life and on the circuits you just built. Use the text Physical Computing and your own observations to define interaction.
I remember I as a child that did not know how to use technology at least until I got my very first phone at 3rd grade. Although even then, the technology could barely do the action that we asked the machine to do. As we were growing up, we got more and more used to the life with technology to the point that most people got addicted to technology. Whenever I see a meme that makes fun of how people are so addicted to the technology that they would die when their technological devices shuts off. As mentioned in the Physical Computing, “computers for the rest of you”, as of now, the technology is just everywhere: unlike before, when the computer was just for those experts, technology/computer is spread out everywhere that even the common people can use it. Even when we want to enter our academic building to take this interaction lab lecture, we would have to scan our ID card or use the facial recognition device.
In the circuits that we have built during the recitation, although it is just touching the basis of interaction since we are just pressing the button expecting our circuits to work or press the reset button on the Arduino expecting the LED to fade in and out, the buzzer to play some music for us, we are constantly interacting: the Arduino is outputting the current after processing our Arduino code (input).
After reading Physical Computing, the idea of interaction getting more and more clear. Interaction is a constant conversation between two subjects where these two subjects are reacting to each other’s output. Just like one is reacting (commenting) to another as he/she talks, it is interaction because one is processing the words that is said by another (input) and by commenting, it is outputting the reaction.
Question 2: Why did we use the 10K resistor with the push button?
10K resistor was used with the push button because we are using 5V for all the power supplies, and using 5V may cause too big current for the push button to function. Therefore, it decreases the amount of current to the amount that fits the push button. If we did not use the 10K resistor, the push button may have been damaged.
it would be great to have that LED mirror 🙂
Regarding to the question about the 10K resistor, we use it, not to protect the button, but because if we don’t use it we would have a shortcut every time we push the button, because we would be connecting 5V directly to Ground.
check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqI9MqVRB5A
Last thing, please never screenshot code, it is better to copy and paste it or post it on github.