flex, an interactive wall

flex, Interaction

2010-05-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

Available in 1080p HD

Final Pictures

2010-05-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Pictures from final presentation.

Wiring Diagram

2010-05-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

This is rough diagram of how the the electronics behind the wall are wired together.

Click for Full Size

Wow! Have you work with electronics much before?

2010-05-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most common question I've gotten so far.

The short answer is no.

Before this class, I'd never heard of Arduino and microcontrollers before. I had always though such things were too complicated for a non computer engineer. I was very wrong. I've had a lot of experience programing websites in PHP over the years so I knew how to code so I wasn't completely starting from scratch. Mark (our professor) loaned me an Arduino to play with during the first week of the class and things just clicked. My high school physics class rushed back to me (V=I*R, W=V*A) and I read a bunch of the tutorials on the Arduino website. I quickly became addicted. I would find myself reading about arduino's instead of working on design studio. Soon I was spending my paycheck over on sites like Sparkfun. I can say I learned more during this class than almost any other I've taken before and it definitely changed what my thesis is going to be this fall.

I love that I majored in architecture because it touches on so many different subjects and allows a lot of freedom to explore things like Art and graphics, 3d modeling/rendering/animation to electronics and engineering. I can't wait to further explorer new ways to integrate electronics in to Architecture and the building we inhabit.

Presentation Code

2010-05-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

One Arduino is in the background remote. It generates the base color/animation for the wall. The 'A' buttons allow you to pick a background program.
Some of the current ones are:
-Solid color: the sliders determine the color;
-Rainbow: one of the knob determines the speed and direction.
-Fade: loops through the leds fading each one

The 'B' buttons set the interaction program.
Currently you can choose:
-Light only: the wall only lights up where people are,
-Glow white: the white LEDs glow where people are
-Shift Hue: shifts the hue of the LEDs where people are

The remote sends the 'B' value to the receiver box along with the value of the first knob.

The other 2 arduino's are in the receiver box along with an ATX power supply, a breadboard with 2 tlc5940's and a cat5 patch panel to make for easy connections to the led drivers, servos and proximity sensors.

This is the code that we ran on the arduinos during our presentation.

There are three parts:
1) The arduino that generates the background color/animation.
2) The arduino that reads the distance sensors
3) The arduino that receives serial data from the other 2 arduinos and generates a modifier based on the sensors and applies it to the background color and servos.

Download the code digitalwall-0.1.zip

Note: I did not include the TLC5940 Library, you will need to download it from the Arduino Playground.

Some areas that need improvement:
-Hue shifting code needs to be optimized or moved to another arduino. Currently the receiver can't process the code fast enough to work at 30fps.

-The proximity sensors output a digital pwm signal that the arduino reads with a pulseIn function, but it only reads one at a time, a process that can take up to 60mills each. we could get more data if we write our own pulseIn command, probably tied to a timer so it can poll multiple sensors at once.

-The knobs on the background box don't do much at the moment, the color programs should use them to modify speed, intensity, randomness etc.

-The fading code was adapted from the tlc5940 library. There needs to be line in the code to clear all fades when you leave a program that set a bunch of fades.

Future Plans....
-Create a website where people can change the walls colors with their smart phone
-Make it visualize music

Hi-res Pictures of the Electronics

2010-05-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

The Background Remote

The Receiver Box

Reading Material

2010-05-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

We found several good books at the library that we thought were useful to read and inspired different parts of our project.

Timelapse of our Presentation

2010-04-29T09:18:00.001-07:00

Presentation

2010-04-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days has been crazy. We have been frantically working to get the project finish. right now, t minus 1.5 hours, I'm waiting on UPS to deliver the last set of servos so we can finish wall. So While I wait here are some pictures of our final assembly

Alex cutting the frame

Derek putting on the hardboard

The basic Modules done. It come apart into 4 pieces so we move it to the jury room

Derek working on the screen

The wall moved to the jury room

The mess of wiring

The LED Bar thats inside of each panel, 16 3 Watt LEDs

A closer look at the receiver box- two arduino communicating over serial

A look at the servo inside the wall.

Ah, the UPS guy! Back to school with the servos!

Progress

2010-04-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

So the past 2 days, Derek and I have been working on constructing the skin and figuring out the last few details while Matt has been breakingdown the LED panels and debugging. We have a majority of the skins constructed with one still to mount. Panels will be mounted inside the plastic peaces that will block and deflect the light when the skin flexes.

because of the way the wall is constructed, we may decide to have several spots in which the skin flexes in each bay giving it a more unpredictable pattern.

Thoughts on Humanistic Propeties

2010-04-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

In life designers have a tendancy to give their projects properties that evoke some type of anthropomorphic property. Something that feels like..., something that acts like...., or something that sounds such as.... All relating back towards a "cultural or humanistic" relationship.

The wall is to take on this idea in an emotional way. Through the use of technology we are able to bring "LIFE" to our project... artificial life.

When first encountering the wall, the onlooker experiences a light play that seems almost whimiscal in the way the colors intermingle and "dance" from panel to panel. One is to feel that the wall takes on a childish, playful excited emotion that congures up the thought of a dance, or PLAY* in it sense. The wall is enjoying its alone time in the way a child would allow there imagination to run wild.

However, once prevoked the wall takes apon a different character, a more agressive one. One that seems almost defensive yet excepting in its own way. The person experienceing the project is encountered by a change of light and the way that light reacts to its adjacent partner. The light speeds, becomes brighter, and even "jumps" in a random or more unpredictable way.

The wall not only starts to react one dimensionaly, but also two dimensionally as well. The wall flexs and pushes towards the approach and has a reaching effect to its encombant. This signifys its recognition of an individual and tells the individual about the acknowledgement of the persons presence. The closer one gets the more "aggressive" the reach as well as the more intense the light play.

When left alone, the wall acknowledges the retreat and reacts accordingly alowing its self to deflate and return to its capricious activities.

Lazer cutting module

2010-04-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, today I cut a majority of the modules made of plastic and chipboard. The plastic and chip interlock without any glue. the plastic is attached to a wire frame which will flex and separate the chip allowing light to penetrate and filter though the screen. Doll and Derek did some of the cutting before I got to school. Doll also worked on cutting down the bar of LED's to fit in the bays of the frame we built.

The pictures below are from today's progress and some details of the module.

Frame of 8x8 wall

2010-04-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today, I helped finish the Assembly and clad the 2 x 8 bays. So far for our final mock up, I have helped Doll with cutting up a good portion of the wiring (while watching and learning how the LED's work), worked with Doll on cutting and assembling all the bays/frames (cutting the different dimensions of lumber, checking measurements, making sure the frames are square, adding cross bracing, etc.), and worked with both of my teammates in cladding the frame (I helped with the cutting of the hardboard while they did the cladding). I also had my design trip this past week which somewhat limited me on what I could help with, however, I did do some sketches during that trip, which I will post up before the weekend when they are finished.

Our team also talked about a new proposal for the skin. We primarily descussed how these wires will 'flex', and how light will be revealed in relation to the plastic/light defuser. In this scheme, we settled on the fact that the skin will serve primarily as a diffuser, and not so much as an element that reveals light. Also, by keeping one of the wires fixed, it may help the servos flex the wire much easier as opposed to bending both sides of the wire. And lastly, the element that will flex the wires will likely be either one or a series of rounded peaces of wood that will bend and push out the skin making it flex and diffuse light in different ways.

new skin

2010-04-19T12:15:00.001-07:00

Volumes separating and allowing light to penetrate.

new skin study is almost like reptile skin in a way. Composed so that the light might find its way through the acrylic and passed the skin.

Skin

2010-04-19T12:02:00.001-07:00

One of the "SKIN STUDIES" we performed as a group was to use the laser cutter to design a pattern out of cad and implement it onto acrylic so that it had the flexibility that we were looking for. The flexible acrylic is actually used for covering a large light fixture in and commercial or educational facility. This material has an ability to flex appropriately as well as disperse the L.E.D.'s in a way that is attractive to the eye.

The skin study shown up top was composed of a teeth like pattern that when UN activated it sat flat in a zig-zag like pattern, but when activated, the skin would act like a "hedge hog" and enunciate its jagged position, so it almost reacts like a defense mechanism. The idea was so that when the wall Flex's and reacts, The skin would bestow the same type of properties that might be shown as when a human reacts and protects them self.

The design is felt to be a "life" of its own, freely "dancing" amongst it environment not intruding upon another, but once provoked, the skin is to become conscious of it's surroundings and act accordingly in a defensive manor as one might when approached by a hostile situation.

Construction

2010-04-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

The frame system has begun.

The goal is to frame the system with wood, then apply a layer of hard board over it for cladding, we just need to figure out how the actual skin and the frame or body is going to connect and work together.

Images of frame construction

2010-04-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today I worked with Mat to make the frame of our wall. We are making 2 foot bays so we can transport the wall where we need it. We will clad these frames with press board. Most of the frame is complete. This upcoming week, I will work on a final 3d model for the project to evolve the project and to generate images. I will also be looking at precidents Mark mentioned to me today the help finalize a few issues and get ready for produciton.

I think it is very important that we not only take into account the dimentions of our 2x8 frame, but also the bed size of the lazer cutter. This will help maximize our use of material.

More process pics

2010-04-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Some more light studies experimenting with process models and plastic.

light studies

2010-04-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

This past week, Doll and I discussed some ideas for the skin as well as the Assembly of the frame. I made 2 sketch models of the skin, one of which I am showing in the first 2 images of this post. We also manipulated plastic and previous sketch models to come up with ideas and to work with what we have now.

Its alive!

2010-04-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Control Box 2.0

2010-04-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

The chipboard and hotglue box didn't last very long... Back to the laser cutter!
This time I used a piece of 1/4" plywood.

The laser was out of focus on the first pass so it gave the whole thing a good scorching. The interior is laid out exactly the same so it was a snap to move everything over

The blue cable connects to another arduino over serial that is connected to led's an sensors

It's always cool to what left over after laser cutting

Control Box

2010-04-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

To test different background patterns for the wall, I wanted to build a sort of control box. I bought a variety of potentiometers- slides and knobs a while back and I can put them to use. so I designed a box and got it laser cut.

Amazingly everything fit the first time.

Inside there is breadboard to hold all of the fixed items as well as arduino.
I wrote a test program for each of the different elements-lcd, knobs, slides and buttons.
Button test

Slider Test

Here is the code to test the sliders


#include <LiquidCrystal.h>



const byte redSliderPin   = 0;

const byte greenSliderPin = 1;

const byte blueSliderPin  = 2;

const byte whiteSliderPin = 3;



// Init our Input Vars

byte redSlider;

byte greenSlider;

byte blueSlider;

byte whiteSlider;



// initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins]

LiquidCrystal lcd(2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7);



void setup() {

// set up the LCD's number of rows and columns: 

lcd.begin(16, 2);

}



void loop() {



redSlider   = analogRead(redSliderPin)/4;

greenSlider = analogRead(greenSliderPin)/4;

blueSlider  = analogRead(blueSliderPin)/4;

whiteSlider = analogRead(whiteSliderPin)/4;



// set the cursor to column 0, line 1

// (note: line 1 is the second row, since counting begins with 0):

lcd.setCursor(0, 0);

lcd.print("R: ");

lcd.print(redSlider,DEC);

lcd.print('  ',BYTE);



lcd.setCursor(8, 0);

lcd.print("G: ");

lcd.print(greenSlider,DEC);

lcd.print('  ',BYTE);



lcd.setCursor(0, 1);

lcd.print("B: ");

lcd.print(blueSlider,DEC);

lcd.print('  ',BYTE);



lcd.setCursor(8, 1);

lcd.print("W: ");

lcd.print(whiteSlider,DEC);

lcd.print('  ',BYTE);

}

Studio Work

2010-03-31T13:54:00.001-07:00

Testing servo torque

2010-03-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

In a bit of suprise, the LED drivers that were supposedly backordered for a month arrived! I worked on connecting everything together, soldering leads to the LED's and getting everything connected. Still waiting on some thermal paste so I can start testing it!

2010-03-31T13:16:00.001-07:00

Manipulating Light

These two studies show how we can change light by also changing the parameters of the material the light reveals.

Light gives all life caracter and it is the single element that defines spacial conditions. By manipulating the light in different ways, we manipulate space.

These two studies are of the skin system "flexing" and responding to it's surrounding.

The goal is to have our system flex and become responsive to human interaction

Forming a Skin

2010-03-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

Creating a Skin

Through the use of the led's and a reponsive system that interacts with its viewiers, Our team' goal is to formulate a "pattern" or system of some type that can not only manipulate the hight intensity light given off by the led's but also change the spacial parameters and feeling of the space.

My group looks to this precidence to the left, a painting of a pin cone. The pin cone is so rich in texture, dymention and its over all composure in it self, but when we start to "peel" back the layers and seperate the individual pieces the pattern or overall parameters change and make us think differently about the element

TLC5940

2010-03-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Most of the parts I ordreed have come in. One of the coolest parts I got were the Texas Instruments 5940. I hooked up some LED's to it and recordered this short test. The chip goes through and blanks each channel for a couple of milliseconds.

rhino and lighting

2010-03-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 weeks, I have done 4 rhino tutorials and helped Doll with basic wiring for the LEDs. I feel like I know enough now to start applying rhino more freqently and hopefully incorporate it with our final wall project. Also, I believe Derek has brought some materials to experiment with. We will look at those materials, and how to combine them with the LEDs this upcoming week.

Building the code

2010-03-26T23:46:00.000-07:00

Software is where all of the excitement in our wall comes from

The code will have 4 parts

1. Setup Arduino ports
2a. Set up base colors based on rheostat input, light sensor
2b. Serial import of values from a PC
3. Gather proximity sensor input
4. Modify base values based on sensors

now to start writing the code...

Electronics Update

2010-03-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

My task for the last two weeks has been to figure out how to build the interactive lighting system for the wall. We want to be able to light each segment of the wall independently so that the wall will react as people walk by it.

To detect the people we are using ultrasonic proximity sensors spaced every two feet along the wall to create a series of zones that we can use to detect where people are in front of the wall. We are using the maxbotics lv-ez3 sensors which have about a 2 foot beam width. If a single sensor detects a object than it means some one is standing directly in front of it. If two adjacent sensors both detects an object, it means that someone is standing between 2 sensors. Multiple people standing in front of the wall will create some from very dynamic patterns.

The LED are going to be mounted on a strip along either the top or bottom of the wall. It's cheaper to use a separate led for each color instead of using a RGB led like we were experimenting with before. This is a very common method used in professional led stage lighting. We will have a cluster of 4 leds: a red, green, blue and white placed every 6 inches. They will be controlled in pairs so we can have different qualities of light (color, brightness) every foot along the wall.

High powered leds are very expensive from US suppliers but they tend to be brighter, more energy efficient and last longer. For us poor college students, we need a cheaper solution. The Chinese are very good at making cheaper versions of everything, and guess what? They make LED's too. They may not be as good but for the price difference, they will be good enough. I ordered 64 High powered 3Watt LED's from a Chinese company I discovered looking on eBay. The LED's are currently on their journey to the US. It takes about 2 weeks for things to arrive via cheap post.

To power the LEDs I need 32 led Drivers - one for each color in each 1 foot segment. I liked the ones I had bought for our led demo lamp so I ordered 32 more. However they are currently backordered about 3 weeks. The company said they would be able to get them to me by the middle of April when I must have them for assembly. They offered to send me some of their older model, but they aren't nearly as energy efficient (they lack a voltage step down chip and use resistors instead). I've looked around and haven't found anything I think will work better. The led driver is really only 4 parts so we might be able to build them ourselves....

To control the drivers, I need even more chips. The drivers have a sense input that can read pwm output from an Ardiuno. The problem is that the Arduino only has 6 pwm outputs and the mega has 14; not nearly enough for 32 channels I need. The solution is to use a chip that can interface with the arduino that has more pwm output. The best documented chip for this is the tlc5940. It takes serial input and has 16 channels of pwm output and you can daisy chain 10+ chips for all of your pwm needs. There is great arduino library written for them that makes using them almost painless. they come in DIP form so you can use them on breadboard. I have two on order and they should be here next week!

Next step is getting stuff wired together.
This week I plan on soldering wires on all of the proximity sensors and getting them tested. there are some issues that may arise with them picking up each others sound pulses but it can alternating back and forth which ones are pulsing.

Once the tlc chips arrive I plan on doing a small scale test using small rgb leds on breadboard and getting the code sorted out so I don't have to worry about it later when the led drivers finally arrive.

LEDs

2010-03-03T16:27:00.001-08:00

Interactive

2010-03-03T15:55:00.000-08:00

Creating an interactive surface that responds to human interaction.
The goal being that the wall system is almost inviting in a sense that it opens up and becomes "welcoming" in a sense.

By allowing the LED Lights to shin through the perforated skin, it creates an embracing effect, in return giving the wall some type of anthropomorphic character. The skin will then take on an almost human characteristic in the sense that it expands and contracts, along the same line that the human lung does or the inflation of many different objects found in nature..

The main idea being this system FLEXS and BREATHS in a sense that it interacts with human experience.

2010-03-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

This week, my focus was studying how platic can connect and interesting ways of its use. Here are a few precidents of my study.

Developing a Pattern

2010-03-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

Studying the precidence and Ideals behind weaving a pattern or creating a system, one could use the idea of a basket as a system.

When the pattern is colse it would be unperferated, but once interacted with the pattern becomes open and accepting to the human interaction the wall is responding to.

The idea being that the wall is inviting in a way and accepting by producing light for its respondent.

The pattern, however, used for the wall can be infinite. There needs to be some sort of pattern created whether this is created out play or a linear thought and development.

Posted: a pattern created through CAD inwhich can move and interact. Open and close.

Precidence

2010-03-03T15:20:00.000-08:00

The wall system will be composed of mainly our LED lights combined with some type of responsive skin. The skin definition can be defined on many precidence. The main features of the skin is to be composed of a formulated pattern that can be derived using rhino or katia. The pattern that need be developed must be able to be assembled in a way in which it is broken down into one simple guestur or form. A single piece or element that is repedative in nature and would allow for the form to develop into a complex interperation.

The precidence or thought be hind this "pattern" or composition would be thought of in such a way as a basket weave or chain mail maybe with the main idea that the wall is completely CLOSED when flat, but inwhich it can become perforated once it response to human interaction.

The idea being that the wall has a type of hue or glow to it, but once responded, it becomes open and perforated allowing the light to penetrate.

This is turn creates a new level of dynamic with the light and a new way of experiencing the Skin.

Responsive

2010-03-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Through the use of our purchased LEDs, the goal of our system would be to try to manipulate and experience the artificial light in various ways.

I feel that the "wall" should create an interaction, an experience when one approaches. A driving concept of our system would be to have the wall acknowledge the on looker and interact with upon the presence of a passer by.

Through the use of range finders, pictured at top, our wall can create an interaction, a life, a play between the person experiencing the light and the wall itself.

I believe that through this use the wall can in a sense FLEX and BREATH in response to a humanistic presence. By creating a system that not only illuminates but "stretches" the LEDs can be experienced in a unique way, one that invokes the idea of life.

Light Studies

2010-03-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Comp 5

Comp 4

Comp 3

Comp 2

Comp 1

Posted are some studies on translucency - Particularly Plastic.

The main driver of our project is to create a surface that can manipulate the light, or LEDs in this case, so that it can give the wall a new feeling, texture, feature, language, pattern, and definition.

The goal way to create a translucent surface that would define the light in a variety of ways. In this case, melting the plastic over a form that was digitally created using rhino, we were able to construct a shape that would create a dynamic interaction with the light source.

design process

2010-02-24T18:41:00.001-08:00

This week, Doll pretty much explained what limitations we had and suggested a module we should use for the 'wall'. We brainstormed on ways plastic can connect to our structure, different ways of forming plastic, and several other ideas. Each member of our group will meet later this week with a design proposal.

Today, rather than melting plastic, I thought that platic bottles already have a shape, texture, and, to some extent, a kit of parts ex. the bottom, the middle, and top/cap to play with. Also, I thought this enhanced our project considering that we are trying to use sustainable, readily available materials, and since it eliminated any platic form making from the process. Lastly, many platic bottles have a round cilindar in the middle, and a inwardly curving top, which can make a hyperbolic paraboloid, a very simple and strong structure (look at the work of Felix Candela). This weeks challenge will be to figure out how using such a shape can be inegrated into our wall project. I will likely have another proposal that considers either its transparent or 'tensile' qualites (considering it already has a form).

Tutorial and plastic model

2010-02-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

This week, I did the 'lesson 1' catia tutorial. I had trouble during the seminar, so the tutorials are really helping me understand the program.

This weeks model was an attempt at making the skin have an influence on how light is perceived. Derek had the idea of using the plastic of a milk cartoon, and melt it over a form that would wave and dip creating different levels of opacity. I made the form in Rhino, made the CAD drawings, and cut it using cardboard.

The image to the left describes the process of this model. The first image is the form, followed by the contours of that shape. The shape is cut in half, contoured, and separated for CAD.

I am about to bring up the idea of using the negative of the from also as a way to create a second from. Considering we are using readily available materials, and trying to be sustainable, it is probably a good idea.

Super LED

2010-02-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

Well might parts have all come in get the RGB led working

Parts so far

10 watt RGB LED (ebay)
3x LED Drivers, one for each color (sureelectronics.net)
Wire (sparkfun)
3x 10k Rheostats (sparkfun)
Heatsink (savaged from spare parts bin)
TIM, thermal interface material (spare parts)
12v powersupply (using spare atx pc power supply)
Arduino Mega
Character LCD 2x16

LED's are finicky things, they like constant current power instead of the typical constant voltage power. They also need an exact amount of current (amps), too much and you will burnout the LED. With normal led's, you limit the amps by using resisters but doing that with these high power leds is horribly inefficient. That's where the LED driver comes in. It uses a special chip to convert the power into something the led will like with great efficiency (up to 98%).

Sureelectronics had the cheapest led driver I could find for high power leds($4each) but they were out of stock the 350ma ones I needed, but they had plenty of the higher capacity 700ma ones. I looked at the spec sheet and found the only difference was the 700ma one had two addtional resisters on it that I could easily remove. The chip on driver determines what the output amperage by reading what the resistance is between to of its pins.

So the first thing i did was remove the two resisters to change the output amperage to 350ma. A little work with my soldering iron and they were off. Next, I soldered the drivers into the adapter boards that have the nice screw terminals.

Next I soldered leads to the LED which I then used to connect the LED to the drivers. Then drivers I the wired together to the 12volt powersupply. The white wire takes 5v PWM from the arduino to control the brightness of the led.

I mounted the LED on a heatsink to exhaust the heat it generates. The led needs to be in perfect contact with the heatsink so I put some TIM on the bottom of the led to fill any gaps between it and the heatsink. Then I tacked the led down with a bunch of Hot glue.

I got the rest of the arduino wired up with three rheostats, one for each color-, red, green, and blue athing them to the analog inputs 0-2.

A little debugging to get the get values right (the lcd is perfect for this)

and voila! I can turn the knobs to create any color I want! The LED is blindingly bright so until I have time to fabricate a shade for it, a rolled up piece of trace paper works.

RGB LEDS

2010-02-10T15:56:00.000-08:00

So I picked up a couple of RGB LED's while I wait for some more parts to come in
right the lights slowly fade through the whole spectrum.

These are really fun to work with because you can generate any color light

I bought a even higher power 10watt rgb led to play with in our project.

Rhino + laser Cutter

2010-02-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

and you get this:

An no glue. all of the pieces have cuts that interlock

Process for Cave-like Box

2010-02-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

So, here is an image of the box I made.

First, I made a simple square box not to any particular scale. I moved the grid surface onto the surfaces of the box and drew a spline on each surface. Then I combined the lines forming blob like forms, capped those forms, and then cut them out from the box.

The box was then scaled to 4x4x4". I then cut the box into layers equivalent to the thickness of chipboard I would be using. Lastly, I separated those cuts, imported them into CAD, and cut them out with the lazer.

Digital Project- Skin

2010-02-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Using digital Project as a 3 dimensional modeling tool our team will be able to create our "skin system" or portion there of. The program is rigourous and can be utalized in many different ways.

The system needs a concept, a driving point. The skin should have a relationship that spurs interation of some kind whether that is human or from the environment. I feel that basics of the skin need to be played out. what are some of these factors?

Just questions to be concerend with:

a humanistic space

a spatial narrative... could be anything

materiality

CONCEPT SIMPLICITY

Experiential complexity.... triply reapeating minimal surfaces. UK Work professor showed us.

Experiment... have fun, go figure.

so complexity, simplicity, technology, materialality (one), interaction, structure...concept?

Foliage... maybe. Filtering light.

DP: Example? up top

Arduino are fun

2010-01-14T00:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

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.