Category Archives: Peter Menderson

Arlene Ducao, Diego Cruz Castillo, Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand, Peter Menderson, Projects

Buddy Pod

Diego Cruz Castillo

Play with your friends with a Buddy Pod remote controlled with your hand!

http://diegoitp.tumblr.com/physcomp

Description

A Pod Brawler is an RC vehicle that you can drive wirelessly using a glove. This glove gives you the power to accelerate, steer and go backwards.

The objective of this project is to explore electronic vehicles as extensions of our bodies. Based on popular references like Real Steel movie, Pokemon animated series, Neon Genesis Evangelion anime and Power Rangers series, people always dreamed of extending and intensifying their wills beyond their own bodies.

Because of current technology, we can manifest ourselves in the physical world without the dangers involving this exposure: physical damage, exhaust, or even death. In fact, throughout the years we have already replaced people with machines in the most dangerously jobs: assembly lines, mine detecting, going to Mars, etc.

With Pod Brawler, I hope to get an emphatic bond between the user and his pod, resulted from the intimate interaction both of them.

The pod consists of an Arduino and a motor driver shield, 2 DC motors, an LED screen for showing the remaining stamina and an Xbee module for wireless serial communication.

The glove has an Adafruit FLORA, a 9-DOF breakout (accelerometer,gyroscope and magnetometer), 2 flex sensors for controlling acceleration and an Xbee module as well.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand

Daniel Shiffman, Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand, Mimi (Yue) Yin, Peter Menderson, Projects, Tom Igoe, Yifan Hu, Yingjie Bei

Moon Phases

Yingjie Bei, Yifan Hu

Moon Phases is a project in which users can input a date and they are able to see the moon’s phase of the date through a physical installation and computer screen, which is both educational and poetic.

http://www.yifanhunyc.com/?cat=1

Description

Moon Phases is a project in which users can input a date and they are able to see the moon’s phase of the date through a physical installation and computer screen, which is both educational and poetic.

The center of the installation is a 4’’ moon sphere made by cement. At the outer circle of the moon sphere, there is a flashlight connected with the gear under the surface, which affects the changing of the moon’s phase.

Users are able to see the corresponding moon phase while inputing the date through three knobs(which stands for year, month and day respectively) on the panel. Also, there is a row of 8×8 LED matrix that displays the date that was input.

On the surface of the project, there are laser etched related informations – lunar month and names of the moon phase.

We think the changing process of the moon phase is beautiful logically and aesthetically. It is not only reflected in the complicated astronomy system and the passage of time, but also in the interpretation of human beings. For example, in my country China, there are a lot Chinese ancient poems about moon and moon phases. We were thinking about adding some specific cultural meaning to it. But we decided to do without it, because we do not want to limit the context and the imagination of viewer, especially those who do not come from the culture we present.

We want to create a experience of crossing the time and space dimensions for viewers through a easy interaction(three knobs). At the same time, inspire the viewer to think of the time, the world and universe that we live in.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand

Chanwook Min, Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand, Peter Menderson, Projects, Tom Igoe

Droplet++

Chanwook Min

The work is interactive light installation. In order to make great movement of society, it need numerous people’s movement, not only a person’s movement.

http://chanwookmin.com/index.php/artworks/droplet/

Description

The work is interactive light installation. Social changes in the world are made by numerous people’s movement, not a person movement. For example, On December 12, 2014, protest police violence in NYC, 2008 candle protest in South Korea and ETC. Likewise people try to change their society. In order to make great movement of society, it need numerous people’s movement, not only a person’s movement. So this project’s subject is “Making great movement gathered small voice.” To be specific, as gathered small droplet can make big drop, this project create by people’s voice.
The work interact between sound and light. so there are two parts, sound and light. Firstly, people can hear real dropping sound and see changing brightness of light according to the volume of sound. Secondly, people can record a drop of water sound using their voice, such as “ddong” or “ddock” or something like that(There is time limitation to record). Brightness of light will change by the volume. Thirdly, people can hear all recorded voice at the same time and see also changing brightness of light.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand

Ben Light, Intro to Fabrication, Materials and Making Things by Hand, Peter Menderson, Projects, Tan Ma

Rotation Wooden Cubes

Tan Ma

Use motors to restore the wood grain

http://mamatantan.com/?p=591

Description

The pattern of wood itself is so beautiful, But when trees are cut down and cut into pieces, we can't see their full pattern again. I want to let people see the magic and beauty of the wood grain. Cubes can always bring you surprise, I plan to use some cubes to restore the grains of wood. Through rotation, the original random pattern will be changed and then form a tree' grain. The rotation can be controlled by buttons or sensors.

Classes

Intro to Fabrication, Materials and Making Things by Hand

Materials and Making Things by Hand, Peter Menderson, Projects, Seiya Kobayashi

Meta Crafts

Seiya Kobayashi

A series of self-referencing crafts that reveal the nature of the medium.

http://metacrafts.tumblr.com/

Description

I love the idea of Douglas Hofstadter's “Self-reference”, a term used to indicate something that refers to itself. ex) This sentence written in six words.
And I believe that this technique is a good way to shed light on the essence of medium and human cognition(and humor), because it reminds me McLuhan's saying “Medium is the message”.
This is a first collection of self-referencing crafts that I have been creating using new technologies.

Classes

Materials and Making Things by Hand

Arlene Ducao, Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand, Namira Abdulgani, Natalia Cabrera, Pat Shiu, Peter Menderson, Projects

Pulse

Natalia Cabrera, Namira Abdulgani, Pat Shiu

Two persons lay down and experience visual and sound representation of each other’s heartbeats. It’s a quiet and intimate exchange of our most vital sign.

www.pulseproject.net

Description

The experience requires two participants. Each of them get a pulse sensor attached to their index finger and a set of headphones, then lay down on a chaise lounge. White paper domes lower until they hover over the participant’s upper body, shielding out visual distractions from the environment and submerging them into the experience. Headphones provide the sound based on the heartbeat of each other, domes show a projection of visuals generated with heartbeat of each other, participants don’t know if they are experiencing their own or another vital sign. With time, sound gets louder, until it becomes the central point of focus and heartbeat rate tends to slow down. When one of the participants remove the pulse reader the domes come up and the experience is over.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing, Materials and Making Things by Hand