Category Archives: Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jedy Chen, Jeffrey Feddersen, Jonathan Han, Projects

Equilibrium 2.0

Jonathan Han, Jedy Chen

Inspired by the mechanics of an ancient Chinese plucked zither called the Guzheng, Equilibrium 2.0 is reimagined into a rhythmic sequencing game designed for a collaborative and conversational experience between two individuals.

http://jedychen.com/category/equilibrium/

Description

The first iteration of the game led us to design an interaction that had both players pluck their individual string, held by two piezo flex sensors connected to their individual micro controller. The physical interaction of plucking have to be timed perfectly by both players to bring the undulating movement of a sin wave to a standstill.

However, we felt that the physical interaction of did not fully correspond to the design of the UI. As a result, we ‘married’ the physical interaction to the design of the UI in our second iteration.

The Chinese plucked zither is a musical instrument ancient Chinese Aristocrats would learn to play. They would, through the playing of the instrument, converse their inner feelings with another individual. In the movie, Red Cliff, directed by Ang Lee, two warring generals were seen playing the instrument to converse and reveal their innermost feelings and thoughts.

Similar to our initial idea of equilibrium, we were inspired by the mechanics of the instrument and its intentional yet subtle conversational quality. Hence, the design of the UI took after the instrument. Players now have to ‘pluck’ at individual micro controllers to hit a node placed at a designated string on the UI. They can hit the node individually but will gain more (game points) from hitting it at the same time.

The design of the experience is minimalistic. The minimalistic design approach directed the decision towards the the industrial, typography, UI design and choice of materials. The minimalistic approach paralleled the intent of equilibrium. From an information design perspective, the formal choices were clear. The only difference in the UI design is the circular node that is the focus for both players.

Equipment: Dell 23 Inch Monitor, HDMI to HDMI Cable, Power Cords and White Table.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Benedetta Piantella Simeonidis, Daniel Shiffman, Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing, Minju Kim, Projects, William Field

Explorer

William Field, Minju Kim

Explorer is a space simulator. It is designed to be an educational tool which teaches about orbital mechanics.

http://www.willjfield.com/?page_id=348

Description

Explorer is a space simulator. It is designed to be an educational tool that teaches about space flight and orbital mechanics. The user of the simulator controls a space ship orbiting one of four planetary bodies in our Solar System – the Moon, Mercury, Earth and Neptune.

The simulator has two modes: free play and tutorial. Free play allows the user to direct the ship as desired and for any planet to be chosen at any time. Tutorial mode guides the user through several steps explaining how to get into orbit and how to change the shape of the orbit.

Along with the Processing sketch, Minju and I built a handheld controller to control the ship and camera. The project is designed as a prototype for a interactive museum didactic. It is targeted to ages 10+ but is enjoyable for all ages.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

David Cihelna, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Yurika Mulase

Terminus

David Cihelna, Yurika Mulase

A 3-Dimensional game controller for a 3D glitch world that is falling apart.

http://www.davidcihelna.com/terminus/

Description

Terminus is a 3D experience that is navigated with a hand controller. Using conductive stretch sensors, players place their fingers into a strange enclosure that moves them around in a virtual world full of sounds and glitch graphics. Players can move between “cubes” with different environments and sounds to explore the world. Each environment is accompanied by narrative fragments of a space traveller getting lost in the multiverse.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Chang Liu, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Rubin Huang, Tom Igoe

Note Constellation

Rubin Huang, Chang Liu

Note Constellation is an interactive installation that provide an immersive environment to audiences, and it allows audiences use their fingers to draw note in the screen as draw a series of constellation in the sky .

http://www.rubinhuang.com/blog/?p=172

Description

Note Constellation is an interactive sound installation that allows people draw nebula in the ceiling screen and make a music note simultaneously.
Note Constellation is an interactive installation that provide an immersive environment to audiences, and it allows audiences use their fingers to draw note in the screen as draw a series of constellation in the sky . People could engage in this interaction process in terms of sound and visual part. People stand under a ceiling screen, and they look up at the starlit sky. When they intuitively point to the sky, they will automatically draw an element of constellation, and make a of note. When they finish draw a complete constellation, they simultaneously get a customized melody that composed by themselves.
We are inspired by the movie 《A Beautiful Mind》, protagonist John make a romantic scene for his lover Alicia Nash. In the movie, he hold her hand and point to sky, and they start to draw a series of beautiful constellation stars. It’s also a metaphor to represent the distance between human and galaxy. In the reality, we can not reach the distant galaxy, we even can not clearly see the constellation. We try to realize the romantic scene from the movie 《A Beautiful Mind》in our interactive work, and provide an experience for audiences to let them have a dynamic conversion between Tonze and themselves.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing, Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Projects, Song Hia, Tom Igoe

Hugstr

Song Hia

Hugstr, a carnival-style hugging game installation.

http://www.songhitp.com/?p=393

Description

Hugstr is a peer to peer hugging game designed to encourage hug giving, hug receiving, and conversation around the act. One user dons the Hugstr outfit and gives a hug to someone. The “strength” of the hug is calculated through sensors in the mittens and the user receives a rating and hears a corresponding animal sound.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Benedetta Piantella Simeonidis, Gabriel Andrade, Introduction to Physical Computing, Projects, Yining Shi

Atmospheric Sound Lamp

Yining Shi, Gabriel Andrade

Atmospheric Sound Lamp has three paper mache lamps which will emit warm light and activate atmospheric sounds when they're touched by users.

http://www.yining1023.com/?p=392

Description

Atmospheric Sound Lamp is a physical instrument that combines two sensations – sound and light – to bring an atmospheric experience. It is made of three white paper mache lamps on a rack. When people touch a lamp, it will emit warm light and play cosmic sounds. More specifically, the light that comes out from the lamp case with many cuts creates many small shadows in the room. The volume is determined by the area of the touch, and tune depends on the length of the touch. In addition the paper mache provides a crafty texture that encourage touches from people. People could touch two or three lamps, or touch the lamps in different orders to play with the sound and also enjoy the warmth. For adults, these lamps will bring a peaceful meditative warm experience; for kids, they will increase their curiosity on light and sound.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Abhishek Singh, Benedetta Piantella Simeonidis, Introduction to Physical Computing, Projects

Peeqo – The Productivity Bot

Abhishek Singh

Peeqo is your desktop robot buddy that helps you stay productive through the day

http://peeqo.com

Description

Peeqo is a tiny desktop robot that keeps you on track to get your tasks done and motivates you to stay productive through the day. All you need to do is plug him in and fill up your tasks for the day. Everytime you check a task off your list, peeqo rewards you with a high five and allows you to play with him. You can play with him by petting him, making him dance, sing or ask him yes and no questions(sort of like a magic 8 ball). He’s also insanely cute! Research has shown that a cute bot can get people to do things that they normally wouldn’t. When he thinks it’s time for you to go back to work, he’ll begin to get angry and become non responsive. I believe robots like Peeqo can change the way we interact with technology. Can we switch from a tool-based relationship to one of partnership.Can we go beyond drop downs and menus and design technology around emotion? Peeqo is an attempt at answering those questions and at making technology feel human.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Benedetta Piantella Simeonidis, Eli Zhang, Introduction to Physical Computing, Maria Fang, Projects, Tommy Payne

Sky Forest

Tommy Payne, Eli Zhang, Maria Fang

Sky Forest is an interactive hanging light installation captivating people and fostering connections through touch and sound.

http://wp.nyu.edu/skyforest

Description

Sky Forest features a meticulous composition of capacitive materials which create a connection between a light source and the user. The piece features lengths of LED light strips and soft fabrics which foster the interaction of touch and play. Three artists working collaboratively conceived the hanging installation which people of any age and height can interact with. By interacting with capacitive sensors the user learns the behavior of the piece which bears some semblance to clouds in the natural world.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Benedetta Piantella Simeonidis, Francisco Ramirez, Introduction to Physical Computing, Projects, Roy Livne

Spheres

Francisco Ramirez, Roy Livne

Light and sound emitting and interactive spheres

http://www.roylivne.com/?cat=10

Description

Our project is a playful interactive system that is made out of two main parts, a trigger ball and half sphere modules.The trigger is a sphere that produces sound and light when rolled and turned around and is used to start up the modules. Each module is shaped like a half sphere and has its own sound and light. once triggered the sphere modules emit their sound and light and transfer it to each other in a sequence and one after the other

The interaction used is the bowling action of the trigger ball to hit anyone of the sphere modules that will start up the sequence.

The idea for the project was initially inspired by 2 concepts. The first is the marble game, when a player throws a marble on a group of marbles and they scatter around the room. The other is inspired by an art installation where light is used to transfer light through a group of triangular modules.

We tried to combine these 2 concepts together. The means of communication between the sphere and the modules is done by piezo sensors that detect the vibration when the trigger hits any one of modules and they hit each other. Each module has its own sound and can be reactive to the other modules.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Joao Costa, Projects

and the wind was like the regret for what is no more.

Joao Costa

Bottle sounds created by the wind that surrounds us.

http://costajoao.com/wind.html

Description

The wind outside is the source of sound; it is the whisper that will disrupt silence. This work consists of a set of sixteen bottles – with air blowers attached to each one of them – and a wind vane. The vane is fixed on the outside of a window and detects the direction the wind is blowing. Inside of the room, the motor starts blowing air into the bottle that corresponds to that particular direction. This event generates a smooth sound, and each direction has its own pitch. The bottles are arranged in a circle, similar to the shape of the compass rose, depicting the eight principal winds and the eight half-winds.

The work explores the interaction of two invisible factors, sound and wind. It deals with the dialectics of scattered and shapeless coefficients that cannot be seen, but have an intrinsic need of existence, of being, and nothing more. To articulate these elements is to deal with the unknown, the unpredictable. It is a failed attempt to tame them, as they have an urge for expression. Gabriele d’Annunzio have said about the meaning of the wind, in a passage that named the present work:

‘And the wind was like the regret for what is no more, like the anxiety of creatures not yet formed, laden with memories, swollen with forebodings, made up of wounded souls and useless wings.’

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing