Homemade Robotic Hand

FY Zhu, Wangshu Sun

Designed an open-source robotic hand for the disables and also for fun, currently we use the MYO as the input control for gesture control, and will use LeapMotion for interaction usage

http://itpzhufy.com/2015/10/21/hands/

Description

One of the biggest distinction between human-beings to other creatures is that human have hands. Unfortunately, not everyone have two hands. Though 3-D printing is very popular in the current age, it is still not available for everyone to take usage of it. We designed a Low-cost Robotic Hand, with only piece-by-piece materials and standard parts, make it available for everyone to duplicate it only with cardboard, scissor and parts bought in Amazon. We also make a linkage between Myo and our Hands, in order to make the hand controllable by the residue muscles that the most disables have.

The hand works well currently, made with acrylic and a transmission between the computer and the Myo. The whole system has suffered a presentation time for the NYU prototype fund show on Dec 4th, and attracted lots of the attentions and good feedbacks.

The interaction-part currently is a half-slave logic, that is to say, the hand will do some gestures as the user do, but also, some unusual gesture will be another trigger for some pre-determined gesture, like the video shows, turn the palm out will trigger the victory-gesture and turn the palm in will trigger the rock&roll-gesture, that’s only designed for the disables since those unusual gestures actually have the most powerful muscle electricity signal.

For the winter show, I will duplicate another hand made actually with the materials like cardboard and foam, in order to show it’s potential of the duplicatable for everyone, and will make the current hand with another two freedoms of wrist and use the LeapMotion as the input part, in order to finish some simple interactions like Paper-Scissor-Stone and Give-Me-Five.

Classes

Designing for Digital Fabrication, Introduction to Physical Computing

Animal World

Shaun Axani, Xi Liu

An interactive electronic board experience for children with disabilities to be exposed to all types of sensory feedback.

http://shaunaxani.com/2015/12/07/sensory-wall-updates-getting-close/

Description

For our assistive tech class, Xi Liu and I have worked with Strivright, a Brooklyn school for children ages 2-5 with hearing impairment. We have devised a sensory wall unlike any other. It's a large magnetic surface with an animation of the outdoors. There are many animals that are CNC routed out of wood, with graphics adhered to the front and magnets on the back. They can be placed anywhere on the magnetic surface, but when they're put in special places, they close circuits and there is an assortment of sensory feedback, including flashing lights, animal sounds, vibrations, and spinning tails and ears on stepper motors. We are getting all the printed designs back from the printers this week, and the custom circuit boards will be etched, so everything will start to look much more like the final product in the days ahead. I will update the video with more of the final content shortly.

Classes

Designing for Digital Fabrication, Developing Assistive Technologies, Homemade Hardware

Dhish

Denny George

Dhish is a musical instrument that captures universal percussive gestures like<br />
snapping and clapping to create music.

http://notes.abrain.in/digi-fab-proposal/

Description

I wish to create a novel electronic musical instrument that seems accessible and intuitive to audience.
I am using clapping as my focus for musical gesture.
I feel it is a universally understood gesture with musical connotations in Eastern Music (especially qawalli where its expected for performers AND audiences to clap to keep rhythm) and Western music where people often clap at concerts in rhythm.

There has been a history of using a glove like form for experimental electronic instrument but I feel never addressing the clapping capability of the hand is a missed opportunity. My project aims to explore that.

Eventually I wish to write and perform oral storytelling pieces with my instrument and also be able to give it as a MIDI instrument to other talented musicians to see where they go with it.

[Special Request] I am working on a comedy performance using this musical instrument. I would appreciate if I can get a small room for the ITP show. I remember there was a project by Kaini in Shawn's room last show. I wish to conduct 5 minute shows for 5,6 people one after the other all through the day. I feel it will really help me showcase my project and idea in the contex that I want.

Classes

Designing for Digital Fabrication, Homemade Hardware, New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Educational 3D Lamps

Marcelo Cespedes

The Educational 3D Lamp is a 3D amazing optical Illusion loaded with low energy technology, with a life expectancy of 13.7 years!

http://www.marcesp.com/?p=377

Description

The “Holographic” Lamp is a combination of 3D amazing optical Illusion and low energy technology. The idea was to trick the mind into thinking it’s looking at a 3D “floating” wire-frame globe using a 2D design.

The light is conducted through the engravings made with the láser on a quarter inch plexiglass.

This lamps was meant to be placed next to the bed. It started as a midterm project but i keep making improvements on the design and in order to provide more functionality, i’m working on adding a iphone holder (with charger) and a USB port to charge any other USB device.

The base of the lamp made from 3 pieces of wood cut with a cnc router and stick together with glue. Almost every part of the lamp (wood, wires,light switch) was recycled.

Loaded with low energy technology, this lamp has a expectancy of 13.7 years!

Classes

Designing for Digital Fabrication

Modular Mancala

Louis Minsky

A mancala game that can be expanded for use by more than two players.

Description

Traditional mancala boards can only be used by two people at a time. Modular Mancala expands to allow any number of people to play together.

Classes

Designing for Digital Fabrication