Category Archives: Jeffrey Feddersen

Danara Sarioglu, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Nikolaj Petersen, Projects

Eye See You

Danara Sarioglu, Nikolaj Petersen

A feeling of being watched by a persistent panel of 300 passively curious eyes, that has your image in their pupil and will follow you if you get close.

http://nikolajpetersen.com/?p=219

Description

By equating the human eye (organic) with the digital equivalent (the camera, the ever lasting recording entity) this piece is as a comment on how people relate to todays multiple surveillance systems.

A continuing increasing amount of watching and recording entities are being put into more and more extensive systems. Systematic use of cameras in public spaces, telephone intercepts motivated no merely by suspicion, not to mention governments and corporations strong interest in all the data we leave behind when we are on the WEB, are all examples surveillance systems that are far more evolved and efficient that one can comprehend.

When parts of our lives and behaviors are moved to digital platforms, so are all the trails and memories that once were limited to human capabilities of remembrance. Now, cameras and data have (almost) ever lasting memory as well as working persistency.

So, how do we understand and relate to the abstract phenomenon of multiple watching entities in our everyday life? How does it affect the way we behave? Does it interfere with the way we are social? What do these systems look like, looking 10-20 years ahead, and what will be the implications then?

These are the questions we are trying to provoke.

To see a prototype in work, click the video at: http://nikolajpetersen.com/?p=219

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Ava I-Wen Huang, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Supreet Mahanti

Comehitheroscope

Ava I-Wen Huang, Supreet Mahanti

Come closer to find your visual sweet spot.

Description

Moving images that come to life when some sort of movement is sensed. Another way of describing it would be the analog way to visual animation.

Based on the age-old cinematic principle of persistence of vision to create an illusion of movement, this device consists of a circular array of sequential images mounted on a rotational disk. As the viewer steps into range, a series of LEDs light up and start to blink. The intensity of blinking defines the clarity of the images from a blur to a clear animation. This intensity is controlled by the viewers distance from the device: the closer the viewer, the faster the blinking. When the blinking is too fast, the images appear as a blur, when they are too slow i.e., when the viewer is too far, the images lose visibility. This automatically spurs the viewer to find the exact “sweet spot” through a trial and error forwards and backwards motion at which point the animation is revealed at its highest point of clarity.

All this is controlled by a range sensor that senses the distance of a body from in front of the device and adjust the blinking according to a pre-defined range of values, in this case distance mapped to blink speed. Once the viewer is within range and the circular disk lights up to life, she will also notice the playing of music added up to be reminiscent of a form of entertainment of a bygone era.

This device is inspired by the early animation device, the phenakistoscope.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jason Dunne, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects

C0-Canvas

Jason Dunne

Collaborate with friends on one shared online canvas from anywhere in the world using a rad arcade-style video game controller.

http://jasondunne.com/winter

Description

Anachronism: A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.

– –

Imagine a playful 90s-era Microsoft Paint drawing environment. Now imagine that you can collaborate with friends across the globe over the web. If that wasn't enough, envision a rad arcade-style video game controller with a playstation-style joystick and addictively clicky buttons. That's called a recipe for a fun time.

Find more info here: http://cargocollective.com/jbdunne/Physical-Computing

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Shu Zhang, Xiaolong Mou

Chasing Sun Flower

Shu Zhang, Xiaolong Mou

Chase The Sun! Non Stop!

http://xiaolongmou.com/pcompdescription4wintershow/

Description

We made a flower pot which can walk and chase the sun light. It use its 4 light sensors to determine the brightest direction in the room, and to servo motors drive it to move around.

We think the plants also can live like mammal or insect, it can run and have its own desire. We also have a preset for plants set in the pot, and the flower pot will give the plants appropriate sun light according to its species. the user who own this flower pot will also get benefit from this, he don’t have to worry about the the plants’s photosynthesis anymore, in the daytime the pot will move close to the window, and at night it will move into the shade to breath.

We are not satisfied with just making a prototype with wood board, we create our project as a complete product. The structure is carefully designed and it's compact. We intend to make this product as a Arduino toy kit. All the parts are laser cut acrylic and screws, it's easy to assemble.

Our project is almost finished. Before the winter show, we only need to adjust the acrylic case size, give the surface a sandblasting. On the show, we think we also need a small piece of ground or table to let the flower pot to move. We can let visitors to change the light around this area, to play with this pot. So we believe the flower pot will be an amazing project on the show.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Boram Kim, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Lirong Liu, Projects

Weather Now and Later

Boram Kim, Lirong Liu

A physical weather board that visually shows the current temperature with different LED colors and moving pixels. The user can interact with the board by turning the clock hand to make it show the weather condition at a later time.

http://www.aboutboram.com/?cat=5

Description

The idea of Weather Now and Later first came up, as I wanted to build something that the user can quickly see before heading outside, to check the current weather condition. The concept has become more artistic since the initial stage.

This 22″x 14″ board uses different colored LEDs – red, yellow and blue, behind a translucent acrylic to give off different mood color corresponding with the current temperature. On the acrylic board, there will be pixels that move forward and backward to represent digits and show the temperature readings. There are many servomotors used to move each pixel. A stepper motor is be used to show the needle representing the current time under temperature digits, which the user can turn to check the weather condition for a later time during the day. After showing the temperature for 30 seconds, the clock needle turns back to the current time and moving pixels and LED colors change back as well to the temperature at current state. The user will not be able to see the complicated wiring of all the LEDs, as they will be hidden inside a wooden box. However they will be able to see how the motor turns and moves the pixels at the back.

Yahoo Weather API from Processing will be used to send the current temperature and weather condition to Arduino, which will tell the board what to change. The current temperature is set to New York, but can be manually changed to different parts of the world if needed. The temperature is shown in Celsius, and during the Winter Show, I can imagine the board lit with blue colored LEDs to show that it is cold outside, and a negative digit temperature reading.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Hub Uy, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Luke Kao, Projects, Xi Liu

Jeff

Hub Uy, Xi Liu, Luke Kao

In a world of increasing diaspora, “Jeff” is an interactive teddy bear designed to let children (ages 3-7 years old) easily send text messages of love to their parents abroad.

http://www.hubertuy.com/?p=2243

Description

We are living in a hyper-global society where diaspora is increasingly becoming commonplace. In the Philippines, for example, 10% of its population, over 10 million people, are living and working abroad. As the numbers continue to grow every year, we slowly see a generation of children growing up without their mothers and a generation of fathers working to support their children who they will never see growing up.

Although social networks and smart devices have made communication with loved ones abroad easier, these platforms are not designed with children in mind. If a child wants to Skype with dad, for example, the child would need to ask mom to open Skype for him. What if we could design a product specifically for children to easily send their messages of love to their parents abroad?

This is where “Jeff” comes in. “Jeff” is interactive teddy bear designed to let children (ages 3-7 years old) easily send text messages of love to their parents abroad. By simply hugging “Jeff”, a child will be able to, for example, send an “I miss you, dad” to his father abroad. The father abroad can also send back his love by simply texting a reply and lighting up “Jeff”s heart.

Here is how “Jeff” works:

At the heart of “Jeff” resides an Arduino with a GSM shield, a SIM card, a motor that moves Jeff’s head and body, a force sensitive resistor (FSR), and a few LEDs and a 12-volt battery to power everything.

Once powered, a white LED will light up to show that the Arduino is initialized and ready to send text messages.

When a child hugs “Jeff”, the FSR will trigger the GSM shield to send a pre-composed text message to a hard-coded number (the parent’s number). “Jeff” will then vibrate and with the motors, move its head to signify to the child that he has successfully sent the message of love.

The parent abroad, upon receiving the message, can simply reply. The GSM shield will receive the text message and trigger a red LED to light up, indicating to the child that his parent has sent back his love.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Tigran Paravyan

Thy-Band

Tigran Paravyan

Thy-Band is a set of wireless wearable devices for musicians that can be used to visualize their energy and emotions during live performances.

http://itp.openthy.com/pcomp/2014/12/3/thy-band-v10

Description

Muisicians usually have VJ people who do the visualisations for them. Obviously they collaborate, but we never see the “energy” of the musician represented visually. Imagine if you could see the energy of the best guitarist and drummers in the world, see the emotional state of a singer-songwriter or a whole orchestra.

Thy-Band is a system of wireless wearable devices for musicians that can be used to visualize their energy and emotions during live performances.

The first devices in the Thy-Band line are a wearable bracelet and an ear-piece for guitarists. The light-weight silicone bracelet is mounted on the back of the hand. It has a built-in accelerometer, that transfers motion data real-time via bluetooth.

The ear-piece is a tiny heart-rate monitor also sending data via bluetooth. The style of the guitarist, the way he plays and feels will affect the data received from both devices, based on which a variety of visualisations can be created.

Thy-Band can be used by all kinds of musicians from guitarists to violinists, from flautists to bassists.

Future Thy-Band devices will include bracelets for drummers and pianists, breath-sensors for flutes, and other devices that will make it possible to visualize the energy of single musicians, bands and whole orchestras, specific to the instruments they use.

The pictures and videos on my website don't do justice to the final version that I will finish in a few days.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Yang Zhao, Zhen Liu

SPACEBEATS

Yang Zhao, Zhen Liu

Drop the beat in the Infinite space!!

https://medium.com/@kathsome/spacebeats-33d7794ff154

Description

SPACEBEATS is a digital music instrument creates a feeling of playing drumbeats in the space through gesture and light. Drumbeats are played with just a simple wave of hand, which is much like the suspending feeling of space. The sound will also be responded by led strips in an reflecting box. It allows people to explore infinite space in a limited area.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Edson Soares, Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects

Discontrol

Edson Soares

A disco-ball controlled by the heartbeat and clapping hands.

http://www.hiedson.com/discontrol

Description

Imagined to inspire people to dance, the Discotech is a retro artifact with a touch of physical interaction. Its main parts include a suspended Disco Ball connected via bluetooth with a glove. The glove captures the pulse of the user making the brightness vary according to the heartbeat. Also, If the user claps the hands, the color of the lights change. It can be one solid color, a combination of different colors or a full rainbow. It’s kitsch! It’s fun! It's about staying alive.

The color change happens on a LED strip that floats around the Disco Ball (think of Saturn covered of mirror tiles). The glove also receives a few LEDs so the user has a closer feedback of the effect that is being produced without the need of looking up to the ball all the time. After all, the user needs to be free to dance!

For a successful outcome, the piece needs to be placed in a dark space, allowing the lights to be reflected on the walls. This is also important for acoustic isolation, as music would work as a background effect while people interact with the ball. It doesn’t need to be placed in a big space, but some black curtains could be useful for the isolation if placed in a shared room.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Introduction to Physical Computing, Jeffrey Feddersen, Projects, Teresa Lamb

Pet

Teresa Lamb

I constructed a fur sensor able to detect how it's being petted.

Description

Pet is a furry multi-directional pressure sensor. I constructed her from conductive and resistive fabrics, foam, and fur. While experimenting with different textiles, I observed that fur invited a few specific interactions. I attempted to create a sensor able to differentiate and react to users petting it.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing