Introduction
For today’s recitation, me and a partner were tasked with choosing a type of sensor, and then creating some kind of interactive circuit with that sensor. Choosing from proximity sensors, motion sensors, moisture sensors, and a joystick module, my partner and I decided to use the joystick module. A joystick is basically a stick attached to two potentiometers– one for the x axis and one for the z axis. The joystick that was given had an additional potentiometer for the z axis, but this feature was not necessary, so no wires were connected to the z axis port.
Materials
1 * Arduino Uno
1 * USB A to B cable
1 * breadboard
3 * LEDs
3 * 220 ohm resistors
1 * Joystick Module
A handful of jumper cables
Circuit 1: LED light test
This first circuit was built in order to test the values that were given from the joystick module to the computer interface. With these values, we were able to determine the values when the joystick was pushed all the way left, right, up, and down. After we found out what the values were. We connected an LED light to the bread board and then created and “if” and “else” statement on Arduino. If the joystick sent a value on the x axis above 600, the light would turn on.
Circuit 2: Directional LEDs
After we were able to figure out how to use one LED and turn it on using the joystick, we connected two more LEDs and used “if” “else” statements to make the LEDs turn on when the joystick was pushed up, or to the right.
Questions:
1) How this circuit can be used
- If more LEDs are used, and the “if” “else” statements were tweaked so that the values were more precise, the circuit can be an accurate directional signifier.
2) Code as a recipe
- Like recipes, codes need to be tweaked in order to create a more sophisticated, or better working code. Recipes need to be tweaked as well in order to make a more delicious, or easier to make recipe.
3) Influence of computers on human behaviour
- Computers have changed the way humans interact with the world, and with each other. Computers have made it easier for humans to communicate without being near each other, and to communicate with a larger audience. As well as being a tool for learning and communication, computers are also used as a tool for entertainment, and can often replace real world entertainment with virtual entertainment. In this sense, some humans can be overly dependant on their computers.