Arduino are fun

Part of this project is looking at integrating interactive digital/electronic elements into wall. One of the ideas that our professor Mark had was to somehow use an Arduino or possibly several of them in the project. From the Arduino site: "Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. "

I got to play with one for a little while tonight and I'm impressed. It was very easy to program. There is a self contained code editor for the Arduino allows you to create some pretty intense programs fairly easily. It also integrates the required compiler and the uploading /flashing of code to the device. There are so many things you can do with these like have them turn motors, trigger lights or even twitter. The possibilities are endless.

Here are a couple quick things I was able to do with after only a couple minutes of picking it for the first time along with a few thing from my spare parts bin. Th code for these are based on example code found on the arduino site.


Random Blinking Lights


An attempt at music

[Arduino]

Off and Running

Today was the first class of USF's Architecture's new digital fabrication class taught by Professor Mark Weston. Reading over the syllabus, its going to be quite a class. We only have one project in the class but its going to be huge! We are going to be creating some sort of digitally fabricated wall at 1 to 1 scale for a final size about 8 ft x 8ft. Luckily though, we are going to be working in groups. After some crazy sorting of everyone by skill level, the class got split into six groups of three. I'm in a group with Alex Rios, Derek Pirozzi. The'll be contributing to this blog as well.

To design and develop the wall it we are going to be using parametrics and some software new to our school- Rhino 3D and then CATIA. I've never used any of these before so this is going to be fun.