Month: March 2023

Midterm Project Documentation

Clown Fiesta- Joyce Tam- Gottfried Haider

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
     I would not say that the Group Research Project impacted or inspired my midterm project in anyways because of the different steps it took to get to each. In the research project, we read a few articles and researched existing interactive exhibitions, however, the midterm project mainly was based on creativity and applying what we learned in class to a particular project. Although, I got a more concrete understanding of interaction after those projects because prior my definition was “the communication between two things”, which isn’t very specific. Currently, my new definition is “ a set of actions that relays reciprocal communication between the user and the opposing entity”. This definition is more specific than the last, but it doesn’t truly convey my own understanding of interaction because I am still in the process of learning it. My partner and I never discussed who the primary target audience was, but based on what we created, it definitely is not meant for people who are scared of clowns or loud, sudden noises, which was our balloon pop. Nevertheless, if I were to define a target audience, it might be children who like surprises because the elements of our project resemble that of a haunted house.

CONCEPTION AND DESIGN
     Our original idea did not include the balloon pop, but later on, we thought that wouldn’t be interactive enough, so in the end, we decided to add it.

My partner’s idea did not include the motors but mine did, and while we were discussing what to create, we chose to add the motors as hands, which the user will take the money off of. The materials we used for this midterm project included- a lot of wires, resistors, LED lights, three motor sets, a distance sensor, ac pressure sensor, a buzzer, cardboard, and paint. We chose the distance sensor because we needed something that would set off the entire project, and a pressure sensor to ignite the balloon pop. These two were our best options because they felt the most interactive and compatible with the theme we were going for, which was luck. Luck being that, it was based on the user’s luck if they would find the correct positioning for the distance sensor and whether or not the balloon would pop was also based on luck. We also considered the touch sensor but that was not as entertaining as a pressure sensor because, with this one, the users had to slam the two money bills onto the box, placed on top of the pressure sensor. 

FABRICATION AND PRODUCTION
     The most significant part of this project was combining the circuits into the same two breadboards and the same two Arduino, and the coding portion. My role in this project primarily involved building everything made of cardboard, painting everything, and fixing up the miscellaneous details, like using electrical tape, and taping things down. I traced and cut out the clown head in my partner’s room at night, built the motors before class, and painted a lot throughout our few working sessions. We each both tested the balloon popping to ensure that it was functioning properly, also for both of us to experience it. During User Testing, we had to explain our project and the instructions many times because we were told it wasn’t self-explanatory at all, and a fellow suggested that we create an instruction stand, which I did prior to presentation day. We had a couple of hours to spare before class that day, so we made a “Test Your Luck” sign to create a scarier atmosphere, more circus and scary clown-like. Also during testing, we only ran the project completely through, two times because popping a balloon is really loud and we didn’t want to disturb the whole class.

 

 

CLOWN MECHANISM (first page // main code)

const int trigPin = 12;
const int echoPin = 7;


int led = 5;
int led2 = 6;
int led3 = 10;


long duration;
int distance;


#include 


int DIR_PIN = 2;
int STEP_PIN = 3;
int EN_PIN = 4;


int DIR_PIN2 = 8;
int STEP_PIN2 = 9;
int EN_PIN2 = 13;


AccelStepper stepper(AccelStepper::DRIVER, STEP_PIN, DIR_PIN);
AccelStepper stepper2(AccelStepper::DRIVER, STEP_PIN2, DIR_PIN2);


#include "pitches.h"


#define BUZZER_PIN 11


// all melody related -> credit: https://github.com/hibit-dev/buzzer/blob/master/src/movies/pink_panther/pink_panther.ino


int melody[] = {
  REST, REST, REST, NOTE_DS4,
  NOTE_E4, REST, NOTE_FS4, NOTE_G4, REST, NOTE_DS4,
  NOTE_E4, NOTE_FS4,  NOTE_G4, NOTE_C5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_B4,  
  NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_D4,
  NOTE_E4, REST, REST, NOTE_DS4,
 
  NOTE_E4, REST, NOTE_FS4, NOTE_G4, REST, NOTE_DS4,
  NOTE_E4, NOTE_FS4,  NOTE_G4, NOTE_C5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_B4, NOTE_E5,
  NOTE_DS5,  
  NOTE_D5, REST, REST, NOTE_DS4,
  NOTE_E4, REST, NOTE_FS4, NOTE_G4, REST, NOTE_DS4,
  NOTE_E4, NOTE_FS4,  NOTE_G4, NOTE_C5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_B4,  
 
  NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_D4,
  NOTE_E4, REST,
  REST, NOTE_E5, NOTE_D5, NOTE_B4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_G4, NOTE_E4,
  NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4, NOTE_AS4, NOTE_A4,  
  NOTE_G4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_D4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_E4
};


int durations[] = {
  2, 4, 8, 8,
  4, 8, 8, 4, 8, 8,
  8, 8,  8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,  
  2, 16, 16, 16, 16,
  2, 4, 8, 4,
 
  4, 8, 8, 4, 8, 8,
  8, 8,  8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,
  1,  
  2, 4, 8, 8,
  4, 8, 8, 4, 8, 8,
  8, 8,  8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,  
 
  2, 16, 16, 16, 16,
  4, 4,
  4, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8,
  16, 8, 16, 8, 16, 8, 16, 8,  
  16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 2
};




void setup() {
  pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BUZZER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(EN_PIN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(EN_PIN2, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(EN_PIN, LOW);
  digitalWrite(EN_PIN2, LOW);
  stepper.setMaxSpeed(1000);
  stepper2.setMaxSpeed(1000);
  stepper.setAcceleration(1000);
  stepper2.setAcceleration(1000);
}


long nextRandomPick;
int randomTarget;


void loop() {
  digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
  delayMicroseconds(2);
  digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
  delayMicroseconds(10);
  digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
  duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
  distance = duration * 0.034 / 2;
  Serial.println(distance);


  if (millis() > nextRandomPick) {
    randomTarget = random(30, 300);
    nextRandomPick = millis() + 60000;
    Serial.print("Picked random distance ");
    Serial.println(randomTarget);
  }


  if (randomTarget-3 < distance && randomTarget+3 > distance) {
    digitalWrite(led, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);


     stepper.runToNewPosition(300);
     delay(50);
     stepper2.runToNewPosition(300);
     delay(50);
     stepper.runToNewPosition(0);
     delay(50);
     stepper2.runToNewPosition(0);
     delay(50);
     stepper.runToNewPosition(300);
     delay(50);
     stepper2.runToNewPosition(300);
     delay(50);


    int size = sizeof(durations) / sizeof(int);


     for (int note = 0; note < size; note++) {
        int duration = 1000 / durations[note];
        tone(BUZZER_PIN, melody[note], duration);


        int pauseBetweenNotes = duration * 1.30;
        delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
        noTone(BUZZER_PIN);
      }        


  } else {
    digitalWrite(led,LOW);
    digitalWrite(led2, LOW);
    digitalWrite(led3, LOW);
  }
} 

CLOWN MECHANISM (page 2 // pitches.h (where the melody notes are defined))

// -------------------------------------------------
// Copyright (c) 2021 HiBit <https://www.hibit.dev>
// -------------------------------------------------


#ifndef pitches_h
#define pitches_h


#define NOTE_B0  31
#define NOTE_C1  33
#define NOTE_CS1 35
#define NOTE_D1  37
#define NOTE_DS1 39
#define NOTE_E1  41
#define NOTE_F1  44
#define NOTE_FS1 46
#define NOTE_G1  49
#define NOTE_GS1 52
#define NOTE_A1  55
#define NOTE_AS1 58
#define NOTE_B1  62
#define NOTE_C2  65
#define NOTE_CS2 69
#define NOTE_D2  73
#define NOTE_DS2 78
#define NOTE_E2  82
#define NOTE_F2  87
#define NOTE_FS2 93
#define NOTE_G2  98
#define NOTE_GS2 104
#define NOTE_A2  110
#define NOTE_AS2 117
#define NOTE_B2  123
#define NOTE_C3  131
#define NOTE_CS3 139
#define NOTE_DB3 139
#define NOTE_D3  147
#define NOTE_DS3 156
#define NOTE_EB3 156
#define NOTE_E3  165
#define NOTE_F3  175
#define NOTE_FS3 185
#define NOTE_G3  196
#define NOTE_GS3 208
#define NOTE_A3  220
#define NOTE_AS3 233
#define NOTE_B3  247
#define NOTE_C4  262
#define NOTE_CS4 277
#define NOTE_D4  294
#define NOTE_DS4 311
#define NOTE_E4  330
#define NOTE_F4  349
#define NOTE_FS4 370
#define NOTE_G4  392
#define NOTE_GS4 415
#define NOTE_A4  440
#define NOTE_AS4 466
#define NOTE_B4  494
#define NOTE_C5  523
#define NOTE_CS5 554
#define NOTE_D5  587
#define NOTE_DS5 622
#define NOTE_E5  659
#define NOTE_F5  698
#define NOTE_FS5 740
#define NOTE_G5  784
#define NOTE_GS5 831
#define NOTE_A5  880
#define NOTE_AS5 932
#define NOTE_B5  988
#define NOTE_C6  1047
#define NOTE_CS6 1109
#define NOTE_D6  1175
#define NOTE_DS6 1245
#define NOTE_E6  1319
#define NOTE_F6  1397
#define NOTE_FS6 1480
#define NOTE_G6  1568
#define NOTE_GS6 1661
#define NOTE_A6  1760
#define NOTE_AS6 1865
#define NOTE_B6  1976
#define NOTE_C7  2093
#define NOTE_CS7 2217
#define NOTE_D7  2349
#define NOTE_DS7 2489
#define NOTE_E7  2637
#define NOTE_F7  2794
#define NOTE_FS7 2960
#define NOTE_G7  3136
#define NOTE_GS7 3322
#define NOTE_A7  3520
#define NOTE_AS7 3729
#define NOTE_B7  3951
#define NOTE_C8  4186
#define NOTE_CS8 4435
#define NOTE_D8  4699
#define NOTE_DS8 4978
#define REST     0


#endif 

BALLOON NEEDLE MECHANISM

int SENSOR_PIN = A0;
int sensorVal;
int randomPosition;


#include 


int DIR_PIN = 2;
int STEP_PIN = 3;
int EN_PIN = 4;


AccelStepper stepper(AccelStepper::DRIVER, STEP_PIN, DIR_PIN);


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(EN_PIN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(EN_PIN, LOW);
  stepper.setMaxSpeed(3000);
  stepper.setAcceleration(2600);
}


void loop() {
 sensorVal = analogRead(SENSOR_PIN);
 randomPosition = random(60, 150);
 Serial.print("Sensor Value ");
 Serial.println(sensorVal);
 delay(100);


  if(sensorVal > 10){
  stepper.runToNewPosition(randomPosition);
  delay(50);
  Serial.print("Needle Position ");
  Serial.println(randomPosition);
  stepper.runToNewPosition(0);
  delay(50);
  }
} 

CONCLUSIONS     
     Our goal of the project was to create a circus-themed project with elements of horror. The results did align with my definition of interaction because once the user completed a portion of the “task”, then the project will “respond back” by performing an action. Overall, our audience was able to interact with our project by first walking back and forth until they found the random distance that we can see on the laptop screen but the user could not, so it was all based on luck. Following the successful discovery, the clown would play music and the motor hands would move, indicating for the user to grab the two “$100 bills”, Bennies as we called them, and slam it onto the red and black box, in which we taped a pressure sensor under. The pressure sensor number was also set at random but when enough force was applied, the motor with a needle attached would come in contact with the balloon, ultimately popping it. If we were given more time, I would have liked to help my partner more with the coding, instead of focusing mainly on the building. From the many setbacks we encountered, the thing of the most value that I have learned is to ask for help from the instructors, fellows, or LAs because I realized that they are all of great help. If I were to take any accomplishments away from this project, it would be that the end result of everything was worth the effort that has been poured into the creation. 

 

Report on “Group Research Project Assignment”

For this group project, I was assigned to a team with Bella, Jason, Justin, and Luna, for the performance, our group name was “Explorer”. After a while of discussion, we decided to focus on telling a story about “The Plague”, using different artifacts of ours. The inventions included were Justin’s Air Field Helmet, Jason’s eye virus-detecting scanner, Luna’s Maybe Last Dream House and smart eye writer, and my heart monitor that is able to hear the heartbeat of petrified patients.

Everyone’s idea was from their research from the first two sections, however, mine was altered a bit for convenience. My original idea was to have a sticker that, when placed on the stone mouth, it will be able to play what the person is saying through a speakerphone. However, for the sake of the performance, I decided to change it to a heart monitor. Which was inspired by stethoscopes, but inside of just me listening to a heartbeat, everyone can as well. Our inventions respond to “The Plague” by Yan Leisheng because all of these was one that seemed the most realistic to make and is compatible with the situation of the story. During our group meeting, we thought that this was the story that we all really liked the most and felt the most “interactive” with. Meaning that it wouldn’t just be the artifacts doing the work but also the user and those around them. 

The artifacts were relatively successful because they did what we intended them to, protect us or check for any signals of being infected. Justin’s shield helmet was pretty successful because it protected Jason from the virus and he was the most prone to infection because of his occupation as a security guard that scans people. Speaking of scanning people, Jason’s eye-scanning artifact also did what it was intended to, which was to detect if someone has been infected, and through this, he was able to detect that Bella was infected with the plague. My heart monitor artifact worked sufficiently because it was able to detect how much Bella was infected, based on the fact that we could hear her heartbeat.

In this project, my role was to use my artifact on Bella, who was our patient. My contributions included making my artifact and acting along with the script. We didn’t have a solid script and we performed, just with the knowledge of what will come after. My group was able to work together, first by sharing out imaginary artifacts. After, we voted to decide what story our performance would be based on, so we voted on “The Plague”.  After the voting, we gave each other two days to make the artifacts and then congregated to rehearse. 

I will be analyzing group five’s performance, named “Door-ry”. They created a portal to travel to any place in the world. Their artifact was related to “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury because it was similar to the technology described in the novel, virtual reality. In the story, the nursery transported them to wherever the kids wanted to go, most of the time that was Africa Savannah. With this group’s artifact, it transported Sandra, the main character, to wherever she wanted to go, Egypt and under the sea. I think the design met the criteria and it was really interesting and fun to watch how it got acted out. I also really enjoyed the props they made, such as Sandra’s cardboard laptop, the food they brought, the door with a water bottle as handles, Nemo and the shark under the sea, and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The performance in itself was the most creative part of everything because transportation is mundane, but the creativity of the skit was helpful. 

Following portion is our script:

Scene #1
A guard scans people at a quarantine checkpoint to look for any infected individuals. He is using a virus scanner artifact that detects people infected with the virus by scanning their eyes. He tells them to get into a single file line and begins to scan the eyes of the people one by one. After he finished, the guard coughed a little, and, alarmed, decided to scan himself to see if he had caught the virus. Luckily the result came out negative but it was a very close call.

Scene #2
The guard decided to visit his scientist friend, to see if he had developed any inventions that could help prevent him from being infected. He tells the scientist about his situation of working as a guard at a quarantine checkpoint, how the government only provides him with face masks for protection, and how he’s very worried about potentially being infected. The scientist thinks for a bit and gives him a force field helmet artifact. The scientist explains how the artifact worked by creating a force field around the user, which would allow them to be untouchable from anything, including deadly viruses that can be transported through the air. He demonstrates by turning the helmet on using the button on the side and once it was on he throws an object at the guard to show what is now basically untouchable, even when it comes to deadly viruses. The guards thanked the scientist and went on with his day.

Scene #3
The guard is now working using the force field helmet. He goes on with his day scanning people at the checkpoint, except today someone tests positive. The guards then signal other guards to take the infected person away.

Scene #4
The doctor is checking the vitals of the infected person that got taken away in the previous scene using a vital sensor artifact. The person has already turned into stone, but they are still alive. The guard comes in and uses his virus scanner again, to find out that the infection is already 70%, and since there is no cure, there is very little that can be done to help her. The doctor suggests that they should just minimize the patient’s pain before they succumb to the virus.

Scene #5
Another doctor comes in with an artifact titled the smart eye writer. The doctor puts a pair of glasses on the patient and puts the device in front of them. The device then begins to play the patient with their happiest memories that they wish to see before they finally pass onto the afterlife. The device finishes the process, and the patient is seen in the afterlife, where they are no longer suffering from the virus.

The teamwork for this team was pretty good because, in the end, we were able to achieve what we needed and wanted. We all had different roles in the performance, Jason as a guard, Justin as the doctor, Bella as the patient, Luna as the one bringing her to Rosy Garden, and I as Bella’s family member preparing her for the next life. To communicate for this project, I emailed everyone with my WeChat QR code and after everyone added me, I created a group chat. From there we allocated time for the first meeting and the after a couple of days, the second and final meeting.