Author Archives: Liza

Week 12 Slides: Heat + Motion

Resources:
How-To: Work with Shape-Memory Alloy by Jie Qi, SMA Queen (MAKE)

SMA Smocking

Assignment
1. Work with a partner/group to experiment with different substrates, methods for movement, and thermochromic ink using PWM on the Arduino.

2. Keep a running list of strengths and weaknesses of the flexinol.

3. Document 3 of your findings in a group blog post.

4. Come prepared to present your final project concept to a small group next class. Please bring any precedents/inspiration and 2-3 prototypes. Prototypes include storyboards, sketches, physical objects, user scenarios, etc.

3D Printed Interactive Speakers (!!!!)

Just when you thought sound couldn’t get cooler…

3D Printed Interactive Speakers

We propose technology for designing and manufacturing interactive 3D printed speakers. With the proposed technology, sound reproduction can easily be integrated into various objects at the design stage and little assembly is required. The speaker can take the shape of anything from an abstract spiral to a rubber duck, opening new opportunities in product design. Furthermore, both audible sound and inaudible ultrasound can be produced with the same design, allowing for identifying and tracking 3D printed objects in space using common integrated microphones. The design of 3D printed speakers is based on electrostatic loudspeaker technology first explored in the early 1930s but not broadly applied until now. These speakers are simpler than common electromagnetic speakers, while allowing for sound reproduction at 60 dB levels with arbitrary directivity ranging from focused to omnidirectional. Our research of 3D printed speakers contributes to the growing body of work exploring functional 3D printing in interactive applications.

Yoshio Ishiguro (Disney Research Pittsburgh)
Ivan Poupyrev (Disney Research Pittsburgh)

Midterm Assignment

Design a lamp using the techniques, tools, and materials we have been learning over the last six weeks. Lamp and presentation due Oct. 14. Instructable due Oct. 19. See examples of past projects and inspiration here.

Your theme: Choice

Constraints:
1) MUST use a switch or sensor. RE: You must have a way of controlling the circuit.
2) Must have at least two states (e.g. on/off, fading fast/slow, red/blue, etc)
3) You cannot use jumper wires *unless* it is to connect your circuit traces to the Arduino. In this case, you should consider how to integrate your Arduino into the design. Depending on your time and financial constraints, you may want to explore other types of Arduinos that better fit your design, such as a Lilypad, Flora, Gemma, Arduino Mini, etc.
4) You do not have to use Arduino.

I will be evaluating you along the following categories:
Process
– Paper prototyping interaction and structure
– Grasp of assembly and how to integrate electronics with materials
– Material is appropriate for the project

Concept + Design
– Clear design goal
– Desired interaction accomplished (What should the user be doing or feeling? What action do you want them to perform?)
– Intuitive interface (or convoluted depending on the design goal)
– Articulated audience – who is this for?

Documentation
– Create an Instructable

DUE NEXT WEEK
1) Paper prototypes for feedback (Focus on role or look+feel)
2) Concept and design goal (What does your design seek to accomplish? Who are you designing for?
3) Materials list (What do you need to build your design)
4) Prior art and precedents that inspired your design and direction.
5) Please read ONE of the following and come prepared to share your thoughts on it:
Organic User Interfaces
Pulp-based Computing
Electronic/Computational Textiles and Children’s Crafts

Week 5 Slides

Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 10.47.54 PM

Here are the *updated* slides from this week. Please note that to keep things simple, we will only be dealing with pull-up resistors. For further learning around this check out these sites from Make, Sparkfun, and Berkley.