Computation09

LED time piece • v03 • PWM

Went minimalist for this iteration of my timepiece.  My new role for this prototype is a vertical light projection, perhaps for use in a bedroom at night.

Red Green and Blue mix together like a colored venn-diagram displayed on the ceiling, or perhaps a wall if angled as such.  It is a relaxing effect, and i think adding PWM to the fading of each LED (which is now down to a record-low 3!) added a lot to the overall piece.

Here is my code. I approach the for loops in 2 different ways, one by straight forward execution after an if statement, and another by creating individual functions for each LED.  Using the function method, I can pass in random numbers that are decided earlier in the code.  Overall, really sloppy, and once I choose a method I feel most appropriate, I will stick to that one.

sweet switches

LED time piece • v03 from j saavedra on Vimeo.

Minimum of 7 Prototypes

Make a minimum of 7 prototypes. 2 minimum of "Look and Feel, Role, and Implementation."

What do Prototypes Prototype

What do prototype prototype
download Prototypes.pdf

Toy fair video!

int'l toy fair 2009 from j saavedra on Vimeo.

broken - can we talk about this?

int ledPins[] = { 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 }; // an array of pin numbers

int numPins = 6;

int bigSwitch = 8;

int onOff = 12;

int momentary = 13;

int onOffRead;

int onOffState = LOW;

int onOffPreviousState = LOW;

int bigSwitchRead;

int bigSwitchState = LOW;

int bigSwitchPreviousState = LOW;

int momentaryRead;

int momentaryState = HIGH;

int momentaryPreviousState = HIGH;

void setup() {

 int i;

 for (i=0;  i<numPins; i++) {

  pinMode(ledPins[i], OUTPUT);

 }

 pinMode(onOff, INPUT);

 pinMode(bigSwitch, INPUT);

 pinMode(momentary, INPUT);

}

void loop() {

  

  onOffRead = digitalRead(onOff);

  if(onOffRead == HIGH) {

    

      switch (onOffState) {

          case LOW:

            onOffState = HIGH;

            break;

          case HIGH:

            onOffState = LOW;

            break;

          default:

            onOffState = LOW;

      }

  

      

     onOffPreviousState = onOffState;

     int i;

     for (i=0; i<numPins; i++) {

        digitalWrite(ledPins[i], onOffState);

     }

  }

  

  

  while (onOffState == HIGH) {

  

    momentaryRead = digitalRead(momentary);

    int i;

      if (momentaryRead == HIGH) {

       switch (momentaryState) {

         case LOW:

           momentaryState = HIGH;   

           break;

         case HIGH:

           momentaryState = LOW;

         default:

           momentaryState = LOW;

        }

  

      }

      else {

        return;

      }

     momentaryPreviousState = momentaryState;

     for (i=0; i<numPins; i++) {

        digitalWrite(ledPins[i], momentaryState);

     }

  }

    

    bigSwitchState = digitalRead(bigSwitch);

    int j;

    if (onOffRead == HIGH && bigSwitchState == HIGH) {

      for(j=255; j>0; j-=5){ 

        for (i=0; i<numPins; i++) {

           digitalWrite(ledPins[i], HIGH);

           analogWrite(ledPins[i], j);

         }

      }

      delay (100);

      }

    else {

      return;

    }

  }

    

  

  else {

    int i;

    for (i=0; i<numPins; i++) {

      digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW);

    }

  }

  */

}

Podcast "Reading"

Talks  David Merrill: Siftables, the toy blocks that think
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks.html

Talks  Caleb Chung: Come play with Pleo the dinosaur
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/caleb_chung_plays_with_pleo.html

Ira / Still counting sheep2...

I find the way to make my counting sheep prototype as a more compact book. I worked mostly on the hardware part, tried to find the most efficient way to connect everything together. I just started to figure out how Arduino's programming language works, so I still need to work a lot on it. For the next prototype I will mostly concentrate on the code part, and I will try to finalize the overlook itself.

Myriam - Code not working

check here the code and help me!!:D

Passage of time v2.5 with Switches

I added switches to the fourth iteration of the passage of time. 1 rocker switch for on/off, 1 toggle switch which switches between 2 patterns, 1 momentary pushbutton switch that changes the pattern when the toggle switch is up. The switches are mounted on a separate short box with holes drilled using the dremel tool and attached to the bottom of the taller box. All the switches are hooked up to the Arduino using a breadboard.

Ira / Still counting sheep...

Still counting sheep as a time passage project, but I decided try a totally different iteration.
I've tried to make it a book with sheep. The prototype came out a little bit to big that I wanted it to be, and doesn't really have a feeling of holding a book.
I do like the paper patterns, it makes the blinking light more softer ( as I already did in my first iteration).
The code is still the same one, for the next step I really need concentrate in the code and the hardware.

 

:::Switches:::

There are a few aspects of having fun with switches that we did not cover during our lecture. For those with out experience working with switches, may not be fun at all if your switches act unpredictably or do not work at all.

Concepts:

1.Pull up or pull down resistor: click here to get an explanation
2. De-bouncing

Arduino, like other Microcontrolers, need to sense a definite high or low in their digital inputs. Both pulling up or down (in the circuit)) and de-bouncing (in the code) are ways to eliminate a false or fluctuating reading from a sensor (buttons been the simplest ones) connected to a digital input.

1. Pull up or pull down: (in the circuit) you place a 10k resistor in between your button and 5v.
    With Pull down you  place a 10k resistor in between your button and Gnd instead. You choose, just         make sure that is either one or the other.

Here is what your code and circuit would look like in each case:

a)Pull up

Notice in the circuit:

1.One of the pins of the button is connected to the yellow wire and a resistor.

2.The yellow wire goes to a digital in on the Arduino board (not shown here)

3.The resistor is connected to red wire that plugs in the  5v (high) pin on the Arduino

4. The other pin of the button is connected to the black wire which plugs in the Gnd pin on the Arduino

:::circuit:::

 

:::Code:::

int ledPin = 13;                // choose the pin for the LED
int inputPin = 2;               // choose the input pin (for a pushbutton)
int val = 0;                    // variable for reading the pin status

void setup() {
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);      // declare LED as output
  pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);     // declare pushbutton as input
}

void loop(){
  val = digitalRead(inputPin);  // read input value
  if (val ==  HIGH) {            //
    digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);  // turn LED OFF
  } else {
    digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // turn LED ON
  }
}

a)Pull down

Notice in the circuit:

1.One of the pins of the button is connected to the yellow wire and a resistor.

2.The yellow wire goes to a digital in on the Arduino board (not shown here)

3.The resistor is connected to black wire that plugs in the Gnd pin (low) on the Arduino

4. The red wire plugs in the 5v pin on the Arduino

 

:::Code:::

int ledPin = 13;                // choose the pin for the LED
int inputPin = 2;               // choose the input pin (for a pushbutton)
int val = 0;                    // variable for reading the pin status

void setup() {
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);      // declare LED as output
  pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);     // declare pushbutton as input
}

void loop(){
  val = digitalRead(inputPin);  // read input value
  if (val ==  LOW) {            //
    digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);  // turn LED OFF
  } else {
    digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // turn LED ON
  }
}

2. De-bouncing: ( in your code) In order to make sure that your button has actually been pressed, you declare variables in your code that are going to store and old (previous) and a new (current) value of the button reading. These two variables are then compared. There is a given time that you write into the code so the Arduino waits in between readings. In this example of the de-bouncing code, if the Arduino senses a fluctuation in the digital in pin (connected to your  button) that time gets increased.

Here is the code form the Arduino site. This code also makes your push button behave like a switch by holding its state even when it is not been pressed.

:::Code:::

int inPin = 7; // the number of the input pin
int outPin = 13; // the number of the output pin

int state = HIGH; // the current state of the output pin
int reading; // the current reading from the input pin
int previous = LOW; // the previous reading from the input pin

// the follow variables are long's because the time, measured in miliseconds,
// will quickly become a bigger number than can be stored in an int.
long time = 0; // the last time the output pin was toggled
long debounce = 200; // the debounce time, increase if the output flickers

void setup()
{
 pinMode(inPin, INPUT);
 pinMode(outPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop()
{
 reading = digitalRead(inPin);

 // if we just pressed the button (i.e. the input went from LOW to HIGH),
 // and we've waited long enough since the last press to ignore any noise... 
 if (reading == HIGH && previous == LOW && millis() - time > debounce) {
 // ... invert the output
 if (state == HIGH)
 state = LOW;
 else
 state = HIGH;

 // ... and remember when the last button press was
 time = millis(); 
 }

 digitalWrite(outPin, state);

 previous = reading;
}

time gesture iteration - new prototype

I've shelved the cocoon prototype for the time being, in favor of a model which better accommodates the requirement for various buttons and switches. In creating this latest iteration, I dug back into a past life in which I played with molecular biology. Following cellular interactions within a biological system is an infinite source of visually intriguing time-course data, and I thought it would be an excellent point of exploration into gestures of the passage of time. A general theme in the analysis of movements and interactions in biological systems is the application of a color or fluorescent tag to the molecule in question, and then using the appropriate visualization technique to track the molecule's movements over time, say every two hours. The following is one such example of a time course examining the effect of a PPOX mutation on fluorescence distribution in the cell, showing that the mutation prevents cDNA import into the mitochondria. (RR Morgan, Identification of sequences required for the import of human protoporphyrinogen oxidase to mitochondria, Biochem. J. (2004) 377 (281–287))

I was interested in employing this type of image and time gesture in this iteration, and I began afresh with a different type of encasement, thinking that I might be able to create the effect of an old fashioned slide, such as the type used in old slide projection. I the immediate absence of such, I printed some like images on vellum paper to create a temporary prototyping tool for a similar light-diffusion effect. I also used a piece of crumpled gauze behind each image to further diffuse the quite penetrating light of the superbright LEDs.  

This is the latest iteration, with some contrived images, including some prints of old negatives.

:::Reading from Code:::

:::Reading from CODE:::

What were the specific technical issues (referring to wire and resistance) that prevented the early telegraph to be wired directly coast to coast? What solution finally worked? Illustrate how that works, allowing coast to coast telegraph communication.

We know that the thicker the wire the more conductivity it posses. However, as the length of a wire increases so does the resistance. If follows then, that a long enough wire to go from coast to coast would have had too much resistance to be able to send a current to make the mechanism work on the other side. The first solution was to divide this long wire into segments and have a person in between the segments receiving the message and sending it right away to the next segment in line. Eventually the process was simplify and automated by the use of electrical relays. Relays are switches that get turn on or off by a current. In order to understand how relays were integrated in the telegram process we must frst describe how the telegram worked up to that point. When the handle was tapped in one side, current was sent through a wire. On the other side, this same wire was rapped around a piece of iron metal. When current runned through the coil. The coiled was electromagnetized and it pulled down on one side of a bar. As one side when down the other moved up and produced a long or short sound. A relay was connected to the incoming wire and everytime there was a tap on the other side, current would be send to the relay making the bar act as switch. This switch was connected to a battery and an outgoing wire. The current was amplify by this process and sent to the next segement of the telegram chain.

Student Lecture 3

Steve, Thai, Bruce - AnalogWrite, PWM, Fading LED's, Multiple LED's via PWM, Tri-Color LEDs, Cases, Switch Case, goto 

Student Lecture 3

View more presentations from bruzed.

Multiple LED's with PWM

int value = 0; // variable to keep the actual value int pins[] = {9, 10, 11}; // light connected to digital pin 9 int numPins = 3; void setup() { // nothing for setup } void loop() { int i; for (i=0; i < numPins; i++) { for(value = 0 ; value <= 255; value+=5) // fade in (from min to max) { analogWrite(pins[i], value); // sets the value (range from 0 to 255) delay(30); // waits for 30 milli seconds to see the dimming effect } } int j; for (j=numPins-1; j >= 0; j--) { for(value = 255; value >=0; value-=5) // fade out (from max to min) { analogWrite(pins[j], value); delay(30); } } }

Tri-Color LED's

// light connected to digital pin 9, 10, 11 int pins[] = {9, 10, 11}; void setup() { // nothing for setup } void loop() { // variable to keep the actual value int value = 0; //variables to check if fade in for a color is complete int fadedIn1 = 0; int fadedIn2 = 0; int fadedIn3 = 0; //variables to check if fade out for a color is complete int fadedOut1 = 0; int fadedOut2 = 0; int fadedOut3 = 0; //fade in blue if (fadedIn1 != 1){ for(value = 255; value >=0; value-=5) { analogWrite(pins[1], value); delay(60); fadedIn1 = 1; } } //fade in green if (fadedIn2 != 1){ for(value = 255; value >=0; value-=5) { analogWrite(pins[0], value); delay(60); fadedIn2 = 1; } } //fade in red if (fadedIn3 != 1){ for(value = 255; value >=0; value-=5) { analogWrite(pins[2], value); delay(60); fadedIn3 = 1; } } //fade out red if (fadedOut1 != 1){ for(value = 0; value <=255; value+=5) { analogWrite(pins[2], value); delay(60); fadedOut1 = 1; } } //fade out green if (fadedOut2 != 1){ for(value = 0; value <=255; value+=5) { analogWrite(pins[0], value); delay(60); fadedOut2 = 1; } } //fade out blue if (fadedOut3 != 1){ for(value = 0; value <=255; value+=5) { analogWrite(pins[1], value); delay(60); fadedOut3 = 1; } } }

Here is a short video of the Switch/Case circuit that was presented in class:

Switch/Case with RGB LEDs from Steve Varga on Vimeo.

And here is the code: int rLED=11; int gLED=9; int bLED=10; int but1=4; int but2=3; int but3=2; void setup() { pinMode(rLED, OUTPUT); pinMode(gLED, OUTPUT); pinMode(bLED, OUTPUT); pinMode(but1, INPUT); pinMode(but2, INPUT); pinMode(but3, INPUT); resetLEDs(); } void loop() { int numPressed=0; if(digitalRead(but1)==LOW) { numPressed+=1; } if(digitalRead(but2)==LOW) { numPressed+=1; } if(digitalRead(but3)==LOW) { numPressed+=1; } Serial.println(numPressed); switch(numPressed) { case 1: resetLEDs(); analogWrite(rLED,0); break; case 2: resetLEDs(); analogWrite(gLED,0); break; case 3: resetLEDs(); analogWrite(bLED,0); break; default: resetLEDs(); } } void resetLEDs() { analogWrite(rLED,255); analogWrite(gLED,255); analogWrite(bLED,255); }

Student Lecture Sections

_1_____Yury___________________________2/13/09_
Structure:  Void Setup, Void Loop,
Functions:  pinMode, digitalWrite, digitalRead, analogRead, analogWrite,
Syntax:   (semicolon),{} (curly braces),// (single line comment)
/* */ (multi-line)
Constants:  HIGH/LOW, INPUT/OUTPUT, true/false,
Arithmetic Operator:  =, +, -, *, /, %
_2_____Kristen, Cecilia,___________________2/17/09_
Toggle Switches and Momentary Buttons [Types, Places, Installing]
Control Structure:  Debounce,  If, If...else, For, While, Do While, Break, Continue, Return.
Comparison Operators:  ==,!=, <,>,<=,=>
_3_____Steve, Thai, Bruce_________________2/24/09_
AnalogWrite, PWM, Fading LED's, 
Multiple LED's via PWM, Tri-Color LEDs
Cases, Switch Case, goto
_4_____Ira, Paola, _______________________3/24/09_
Analog I/O
Potentiometers. Faders-From Sparkfun.
Analog Input, Calibration, Fading, Smoothing
POT Control of LED's
_5_____Kristen, Cecila, Joe ________________3/27/09_
IR Sensors,
Calibration, Smoothing,  Control LED and Speaker via IR Sensor

_6____Paola, Ira________________________3/20/09_
Speakers
Control Speaker via IR sensor, Play Melody

_5.5___Katherine, Myriam ________________3/17/09_
Ultra-Sound Sensors
Calibration, Smoothing
Control LED and Speaker via IR Sensor

_7____Kathrine, Nick, Bruce_______________4/3/09_
Alcohol Sensors
Hardware, Inputting Values, Inputting Values, Control Lights

_8____Steve, Nick, Joe__________________4/10/09_
Capacitance Sensing Library Via Arduino
Code, Reading Values, Controlling LED's and Speakers.

Prototype 3

New iteration of the the time passing LED prototypes. Definitely getting very close to a finished product this time around. Doubled the amount of LEDs, used white spray paint as a diffuser (MUCH better now :) ), and adding some circular masking elements. I can now see what the final iteration will be and I think it will be cool.

Time Passing LEDs v0.3 from Steve Varga on Vimeo.

LED Passage of Time - Prototype 3

On this prototype a majority of my time was assembling the little structure that supports all of the leds over the arduino. I had to figure out how to allow all of the lights to shine on the outer shell, without casting shadows and still have access to the arduino. I built a small platform that supports all of the leds and places them over the arduino while, facing them to the middle height of the outer shell. The yellow led in the center is a 360 white led and gives great diffusion. The inside of the container is diffused using white spraypaint and works well in hiding the guts. I think that combining this iteration with my last one will be my next step.

LED Passage of Time -- Prototype 3 from Nick Hardeman on Vimeo.

:::Fun with switches:::

Fun with switches link

Where to buy your witches:

• Sparkfun is great for mini switches
• For a nice variety of switches go to All Electronics
• Heavy duty switches can be found in K&M Parts
• Newark also has a large selection of switches

Library Research

My library research yielded several results of time based media.

The first example I found was featured in the book "Type in Motion 2" by Matt Woolman.

The featured project is entitled "Industorious Clock" and is by Yugo Nakamura. This site can be still viewed online at http://www.yugop.com/ver3/stuff/03/fla.html, despite being created in 2001. I think the fact that this site is still relevant and impressive in a time where projects quickly becoming outdated looking speaks to the quality of the project. As you can see by viewing the site, the time is drawn by hand in video format, and then quickly erased. As the time moves towards greater increments (seconds to minute to hours etc) the motion becomes almost beat-like, creating a hand drawn animation of time.

"Circular Breathing" is an installation work by Gary Hill created in 1994. The book "Seeing Time", a group of excerpts from the Pamela and Richard Kramlich Collection, describes the works functionality as such:
"In Circular Breathing, sound is a constant presence that unites a series of fleeting images inside a visual and aural circuit. Five large black-and-white images appear sequentially, from left to right, across a wall of the gallery. As each successive image appears, its speed, and the speed of the sound, is "shared" with the previous ones, until all five images reach an almost photographic stillness, ground to a halt and blurred by the heavily slowed-down sound. As the last image slides off to the right, the sounds resumes its original speed, until it is replaced by another, full-speed sound and a sharp image, both emerging from the left. "

The video speed and motion reflects the breathing patterns of a human being, and the immersive video slowly begins to engulf the viewer as their own circadian rythms begin to sync with their environment. I think this use of the bodies built in timing as a means of expressing the passage of time is a great and really creative.

Here's a video of it I found online:
http://www.sfmoma.org/multimedia/videos/219

Student Presentation #2 - Cecelia & Kirsten

(Press pause to see each slide individually)

Download StudentPresentation2_Cecelia_Kirsten

Passage of Time / Ira Goldberg

After a very long night of work and burned fingers I finally finished  this new iteration.
I've tried to create a group of sheep (3) and make them blink on count. It turned out much more complicated then I thought it might be. The problem was the arduino board, I really wanted to hide it. Originally I just wanted to have separate 3 sheep. But the arduino board is still there, maybe if there is a way to make it wireless...
Eventually at 6:00am when it seemed to be finished, that is how my arduino board looked like:

I had so many wires and resistors, and they all got so messy, It was almost impossible to deal with.

So I decided to start over. I minimized the number of pins that I use on the arduino board by using a lot of serials connections. This is the final board:

And this is how my Counting Sheep Prototype looks for now:

Telegraph - 2/13/09 class paper

What were the specific technical issues referring to wire and resistance, that presented the early telegraph to be wired directly, coast to coast. What solution finally worked? Illustrate how that works, allowing coast to coast telegraph communication.

The longer the wires, the more resistance they have. More resistance - less current flows. The usage of thicker wires or higher voltage lowers the resistance but it still was limited to a couple hundred of miles.
The solution was a relay station; that uses electromagnet as a switch, which, activates by current and resends the message further (by an amplified current).

Code class paper

What were the specific technical issues (refering to wire + resistance) that prevented the early telegraph to be wired directly coast to coast?

What solution finally worked?

Illustrate how that works, allowing coast to coast telegraph communication.

The thicker and long the wire, the less resistance it has. This is why wires can't be extended indefinitely.

When the telegraph was created, the solution found for a long distance communication was having human relays, that stayed all day in a box in the middle of nowhere receiving and sending back messages to be delivered. At a certain point, they discovered that a human being wasn't necessary for the message to go through, because a single piece of wood attached to both the sounder and the keys was a good mecanism to type the message. 

The key is composed by wires and electromagnet for the current to go through. People finally discovered that the electromagnet emitting current could be used to trigger a switch everytime it was on.

Time pieces

1. Online projects

John Cage: 4'33'' for piano (1952)

Musique piece that lasts for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The piece is silent. Time sets the rhythm, and is t the major component of the music.

Peter Fischli and David Weiss: "The way things go" (1987)

A beautifully orchestrated chain reaction with common objects. Each elements gives life to the next one.

2. Projects from books

Marepe: "Veja Meu Bern" (2007)

Displacement is an important element of this piece. Created to last only two days at Tate Modern's turbine hall, it illustrates the ambiance of a brazilian funfair.

Cai Guo-Qiang: "Head on" (2006)

"My installations have consistently pursued a temporal fluidity, in contrast to the stylistic freedom I allow myself. However, my works in essence contain these characteristics: a participatory nature and a flow of time".

Cai Guo-Qiang

3. Toy Fair

Fascinations

Although I really don't like its black box design, I enjoyed the system on this clock displaying time and messages in the air. Using persistence of vision, the clock appeared magical.

Shailie

This design doesn't include technology, but it is a smart way for girls to develop their creativity, power of decision and their taste.

The cute little dress form comes with a plain white dress, and then girls pick up fabrics and accessories to create their princess dress.

Time pieces

1. Online projects

John Cage: 4'33'' for piano (1952)

Musique piece that lasts for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The piece is silent. Time sets the rhythm, and is t the major component of the music.

Peter Fischli and David Weiss: "The way things go" (1987)

A beautifully orchestrated chain reaction with common objects. Each elements gives life to the next one.

2. Projects from books

Marepe: "Veja Meu Bern" (2007)

Displacement is an important element of this piece. Created to last only two days at Tate Modern's turbine hall, it illustrates the ambiance of a brazilian funfair.

Cai Guo-Qiang: "Head on" (2006)

"My installations have consistently pursued a temporal fluidity, in contrast to the stylistic freedom I allow myself. However, my works in essence contain these characteristics: a participatory nature and a flow of time".

Cai Guo-Qiang

3. Toy Fair

Fascinations

Although I really don't like its black box design, I enjoyed the system on this clock displaying time and messages in the air. Using persistence of vision, the clock appeared magical.

Shailie

This design doesn't include technology, but it is a smart way for girls to develop their creativity, power of decision and their taste.

The cute little dress form comes with a plain white dress, and then girls pick up fabrics and accessories to create their princess dress.

another eye/ear-candy piece }o.0{

1000s of LEDS, smooth sounds and great visuals! enjoy.

Time pieces

Online

Volume at Victoria and Albert Museum

Volume is a light and sound installation created by Unite Visual Artists and one point six. It responds to human movement.

Bodysnatchers - Zeno Music Visualiser

This is an awesome generative and audio reactive piece created by Glenn Marshall. He has done lots of great work.

Library

Osmose - Charlotte Davies

[Image - http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/osmose/images/3/]

Osmose is a wearable interface that immerses the user, referred to as the “driver”, in a virtual world and plays through a narrative that the user can interact with and experience “osmotic” transitions. Various gestures made by the user are interpreted within the virtual simulation.

- Grau, O., 2004. Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. The MIT Press.

The Flock - Mark Grossman

[Image - http://accad.osu.edu/~rinaldo/works/flock/theflock.html]

Three large robot arms are entwined and hanging from the ceiling. Not only do these arms respond to any visitors’ positions, they communicate with each other in unintelligible machine language.

- Morse, M. 1998. Virtualities : Television, Media Art, and Cyberculture. Indiana University Press.

Toy Fair2009

First of all the toy fair was amazing, I was so excited to be there. So many toys at the same place! Awesome!
 My favorite toy wasn't an interactive or even an electronic toy. Andi's Green, "WorryWoo Monsters" are stuffed, soft and very emotional monsters. There is something so real, unique  and so sensitive about these monsters that I immediately felt in love.

Another toy that I find interesting, is the Smart-E-Bear from Intellitoys Team, is an interactive stuffed toy that interacts by music, stories and games. It can be connected to software and be customized.

Online Timepieces:

The "Art-O-Meter" by Marcelo Coelho. The piece found on "www.we-make-money-not-art.com".

This is a device that has a sensor that measures the time that the viewer spends in front of an artwork.
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2006/10/art-o-meter-is.php

The "Birth Clock" by Alexandra von Feldmann. The piece found on "www.we-make-money-not-art.com"

  

This piece is a nonfunctional clock in a very fragile glass container. To make the clock functional the user have to break the glass container. I like that work a lot, the user have make a decision if he prefer the shape or the function of the clock.   
http://www.alex-vf.com/portfolio/rca/time.html

Library Timepieces:

Francis Alys

Time Lapse, 2001

 

The image is from: http://www.fundacion.telefonica.com/at/colfotografia/paginas/e03.html

During  twelve hours, Francis Alys recorded people hiding from the heat under the shadow of the flagpole in the "Zocalo" the famous municipal square in downtown Mexico City.

After that he combined the photographs with astronomical data drawings that shows the path and angle of the sun.

"Strangers: The First ICP Triennial of Photography and Video", 2003

Vito Acconci

Watch, 1971
 9 min, b&w, silent, Super 8 film on video

 

Video/Body art; this is a close up of Vito's face following the circulation of a watch, by doing that his face represents a watch.

 

Vito Acconci, Diary of a body. 1969-1973.

::Spykee WIFI::

This little robot called Spykee The WIFI Robot is made out of 200 parts that you assemble together. Three different version can be built with the same kit: Robot, Lunar, and Scorpion. Spykee can move, hear, speak and take pictures, record video and be controlled by computer anywhere in the world  via WIFI on the internet. This means  that all this input data that is perceived by Spykee  is accecible to you.  You can can then control in response a digital video camera, microphone, loudspeaker and two motors. Spykee is marketed as a spy robot because it has video surveillance device with a motion detector that can react by activating an alarm or send you a picture via e-mail. Basically Spykee is not only a mobile interface to the internet but also has a neat little feature that  I wish my cell phone could have. Spyke returns automatically to its charging base when the battery needs recharging. Spykee WIFI is also a telephone. It can make free phone calls through the internet by using VoIP phone.

Ray Renteria, argues in Missing the Point with a Potentially Game-Changing Robot “Toy”,  that even tough Spykee WIFI down fall is that is not programmable, it does allow for  telepresence which is often overlook as a strength of this robot.

And there is already a crack so you can control Spykee WIFI with your IPhone.

Spykee WIFI

::Swinxs::

Collecting information at the Toy Fair, such as details of the different technologies embedded in the toys, prove to be  a bit tricky. It was not so much  because of secrecy but because in most cases the people at the booth were either manufacturers of sale representatives which some time did not have access to these details. One booth that was the exception was the booth for Danish toy, Swinxs. I had the opportunity to interview one of the developer of Swinxs, Govert de Vries, and here is  what I gathered:

Mr. Vries and a friend were brainstorming about creating game that would provide a frame work for children to play outdoors. The idea continued to get refined and was brought to Khadi Feiz who designed the interface  of Swinxs. The interface consist of a base with an accelerometer, a microphone, LED lights, a speaker, a RFID reader, and a USB connection that allows the user to upload new games to the console. The XS-TAG , are colorfull armbands that connect to the console by  RFID tags embeded in them. The next step in the development of Swinxs, to make the game open platform so users could not only upload new games to the console but also be able to create them, came from an unexpected source. The original programing language used to program Swinxs was Assembly. While Assembly proved to be difficult for the general public to use, a programer that had purchased Swinxs offered to create a simpler way to program new games for the Swinxs. Currently the Swinxs website provides tutorials and a forum for programing new games. Govert de Vries sees  Swinxs as a fluid game console that can continue to evolve thanks to the community of users and developers. Because of an earlier converasation with Toy Fair an attendie, he was interested in the possiblities of play that Swinxs can provide to children with dissabilities.

::Console::                                                 

 

::XS-TAG::

::RFID tags Playing cards::

  

Passage of time iteration 3

Here's my third iteration of the passage of time. This is a much higher fidelity construction than the last version and a lot of time was spent on the outer body construction. The inside of the container is sandpapered and an additional sand papered plastic layer is added on the inside to diffuse the light. Strips of black paper are stuck on to the outside of the container to block out light in specific areas and create a slat like effect. The top and bottom of the container are painted black to avoid leaking any light. The code is also modified for a different pattern.