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| LightTouch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Author(s): | Ernesto Rios Michael Horan Makiko Saito |
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| Instructor: | Moeslinger, Sigi | |
| Class: | Designing for the Five Senses | |
| URL: | http://www.makomoo.com/ITP/5senses/project02.html | |
| Documents: | lightTouch(GIF) | |
| Keywords: | touch-activated, light, physical computing | |
| A touch-activated light that illuminates a user's path. | ||
| There are some situations when we don't need to light up the whole room. For example, you want to turn on a light for the bathroom in the middle of the night, yet you don't want to wake up others. Or, you come back late and want to turn on the entrance light without disturbing anyone. Or, places such as stairs and hallways where you need to light up the place you are standing… In these cases, you only need a faint light to light up around you. It is with these scenarios in mind that we created a light that illuminates when you touch it. | ||
| Background: | This project was created in response to a class challenge - how do you offer a tactile experience that enhances the context and is closely related to the visual effect of the controlled light? | |
| Audience: | Anyone who wishes to illuminate a darkened hallway or room in the their home can use the LightTouch. | |
| User Scenario: | A user can touch anywhere on the front plexi panel to illuminate under their hand. | |
| Technical System Description: | 24 by 8 by 8 wooden box with plexi surface + 24 Superbright LEDs + SoftPots We used two SoftPots in series mounted under the front plexi panel. To receive distinct touch states, we affixed rubber 'nubs' to the back of the plexi which act as contact points on the sensors. | |
| Conclusions: | (Future plan) An immediate goal is to resolve the strobe-like effect created as a user's hand crosses the panel. Digital potentiometers will achieve this, and we intend to implement them soon. The amount of pressure required to get a response is too great, so we have to figure out a way to lighten it. We also would like to use the silicone rubber panel we originally intended to use, to heighten the user's touch response. Another improvement is to use pressure sensors to affect luminosity. | |