“The Polite Umbrella” project is about an interactive umbrella that respects people’s personal space in a public area. A user can easily adjust their umbrella anytime by pulling a handle so that one can protect themselves from harsh winds or bumping into others. The shrinking movement is immediate and is capable of morphing shapes to that like of a jellyfish. Additionally, graphic images printed on the umbrella have animated effects which create gestures of politeness such as bowing or hand gestures. Furthermore the umbrella also has readable quotes related to good manners in order to initiate communications.

This is a puppet show of sorts. The switches of the glove allow the user to control the movement of a character on screen. There also will be the option to choose characters and backgrounds, and possibly soundtracks and events. The default movements of these GoGo ladies will be infectiously dance-like.

The wearable is a representation of memories, connections, identity, roots…my story.

The final piece is a bracelet designed to fit the lower arm, from the elbow to the wrist, utilizing needlepoint lace techniques and conductive thread. Using a material that has conductive properties and implying a purpose of technology, the piece itself seeks only to relate a personal story.

The wearable lingers in the intersection of traditional lace techniques and new expressions, ephemeral in presentation, rigid in structure, entirely created by threads.

A system of roots or central nervous system provides the base of the design, a structure that will support all subsequent connections.

Our project is a pair of gloves that let people play the drums simply by tapping their fingers. Each finger of the glove is associated with a drum sound, and we have a menu system which allows the user to change which sound each finger makes if they wish. The harder a user taps on a finger, the louder that drum sound is. The project lets the user explore the rhythms that tapping their fingers create. It is meant to be both for novices and experts, as many actual drummers practice and compose pieces by tapping their fingers.
The project is built around force sensing resistors secured to the glove finger tips that control MIDI commands to a synthesizer.
We are working on this as our final project for pcomp, and work is still underway.

A short solo dance performance (5-7 minutes), looking at the relationship between body and video. A solo dancer wearing a suit with 2 accelerometers, 2 gyrometers and a thermometer. Using Jitter the dancer controls uses the sensors\’ output to control sound and video.

Donation hanger drops from the ceiling, and it will go back with a \”thank you\” sound, after somebody put on a coat. It consists of 3 segments.