KATIRIA| PROJECT 17, 18

PROJECT 17

PROJECT 18

Chapter 6, Projects 17 and 18

Nisa and I worked on these two projects together and here are the videos that we had taken of the results.

Project 17 -

Project 18 -

Evan Meaney @ the Atlantic - 8:00pm!!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/246843545441578/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

Final project ideas

We were thinking of doing something that produces a manual output, rather than the digital output like we experimented with in the last project. Some sensors we are researching are:
touch sensors
motors
laser/light sensors - photo cells
We looking into multi step projects as well, input-causes reaction which triggers another reaction
We definitely want to do something interactive, that the audience can participate/experience

http://makeprojects.com/Project/Laser+Harp/690/1#.UJ

Project 32 Fritzzzzzz

Hmm...

Ive been struggling with this idea of concept for what seems like months now. I tried looking it up in the dictionary but all I got was 'an abstract idea' which seems very vague to me.

Jack had us read the 'Realtime Art Manifesto' by Auriea Harvey & Michaël Samyn [link: http://tale-of-tales.com/tales/RAM.html] and while I found the entire manifesto interesting, I was really intrigued by section 8, 'Reject Conceptualism'

Here are a few snippets from the section that I really loved:

Make art for people, not for documentation.
Make art to experience and not to read about.
Put the artistry back in Art.

So much can be said about each one of these lines. Sometimes the concept is so heavily emphasized here that I feel like the aspect of art and craft gets lost. I hear all to often that the concept is the art, but I disagree. I do not think the definition of art is not something that can be pinpointed to one specific type of art. Conceptual art is an art form, and art that lacks concept can still be art. This idea has been driving me crazy for far too long. Make art for people, not for documentation. I want to make art for people!

Honestly, I really do love making and experiencing conceptual art, for the most part. Some I don't like, but hey, thats everything. If I am going to make conceptual art, I would like my concept to be something that I am actually really passionate about.  I am not interested in making conceptual art for the sake of my art having a concept. I completely understand that we are in a Fine Arts college and if it is conceptual art that I need to make to graduate, well then, conceptual art is what I am going to make.  I imagine that it is your hopes that I would want to make conceptual art rather than me making it just because I have to. This is totally true, I do want to make conceptual art, but sometimes for projects I feel like we are just pumping out concept for the sake of saying we can make art with concept. It is more important that it has a concept rather than that concept

I hope you don't think that you have failed me as a student because I think this way. I know I want to make a difference in the world through my art wether it be some huge conceptual piece of mine, or a stupid little drawing, animation, game, or dare I say, commercial, hollywood-style movie and/or game. So I am going to try to start right now and make something that I really care about. I am really interested in making a conceptual piece of art that mocks the entire aspect of concept. I am not sure how I am going to be able to expand upon this for this final project using the arduino and sensors. (And if at all possible, the raspberry pi).

Something along the lines of… oh i don't know, this is literally the first thing I thought of, but what about if I had some sort of random image or LED array of matrix made (on that LoL shield), and then underneath on an LCD screen a randomly generated written out concept shows up for that 'piece of art' and only when someone looks at the 'piece of art' (the randomly generated LED array) using a distance sensor, make someone have to be close up for a significant amount of time. Then it will change and move on to another random array and random generated concept. This was literally the first thing I thought of as an idea for this project and it doesn't have to be anything like this.

Maybe this whole idea is something that I can build upon for my senior project instead of this final project? Not really sure what the requirements of senior project are.  I still need to let this stew for a little bit so I am not really sure if this is suitable for the final project. I would rather really successfully execute this idea rather than rush it and it turn out just meh.

I am interested in hearing what you think about this. I hope that this can be a starting point for a very fun project.

Partners… I am totally down to be in a group, and if anyone thinks they can help out and/or has good ideas that will build onto this thought I would love to work together

Final Project Ideation

For my final project, I would like to make some kind of a sculpture type object with led lights. I would like for this sculptural object to be a brain. I would form the brain out of panty hose material filled with polyfil or some other sort of filler. I would like to route certain LEDs to different parts of the brain and categorize them to different functions. However, I am stuck on how to make this interactive. I would like the brain to interact to some kind of stimuli, such as talking would light up one part of the brain, while stepping on a bend sensor or exploring an object would light up another area that controls motor functions. I would like to have this mounted on a metal rod or on top of a metal tube with the different color wires exposed to make it look like the spinal column. Again, I feel like I'm going towards making a biological function visually appealing or educational. I want to have this project be a form of interaction and education, but somehow I think this could be more conceptual. I feel like if I attached it to a set of wheels that would move according to where a person stepped on the floor. I think this could be conceptual in the idea of thinking as limitation versus freedom. It would take the viewer time to get this brain sculpture out of an opening within a barrier around the object, such as a square.

This is what I have so far, but I think it might be too difficult.. I need some feedback before proceeding with this idea.

Here is a link to a possible idea of making the object move according to someone's steps:
http://www.makershed.com/product_p/mkseeed8.htm

mid-term reflect and final project thoughts

Mid-Term Reflection . . .

My mid-term project ended up being more challenging that I anticipated.  First was the difficulty of wiring the cameras. I still do not know how I could have found the data to determine what resistor would be required to not short the switches on the camera. Other than the switches shorting out, the camera part was not that bad, the examples that I found on-line I just modified based on my camera’s wiring and reviewed and modified their code.  Regarding the humidity/temperature sensor, I was able to find too much information and it became a bit overwhelming, yet I was able to follow and hook up and use the sensor.  I also had an issue with battery life, both the arduino and the camera.

To improve upon this project, I have a list of things that I would change. First, the power issue needs to be addressed. I would need to research and understand the camera circuit board better, so that I can wire to stay on. Then, I need to disable the lcd screen to use less power. Thirdly, I would want to connect the entire set-up to a solar panel as main power source. Hopefully these changes would allow for a longer duration of the camera being installed outside.  

I would also want to attach an SD card to the arduino, to record the time/temperature/humidity of each trigger point/image capture. I also need to calibrate the humidity sensor, as for the first trial, it was not calibrated, only firing upon a change in measurements.  

In the small print installation that I had for critique. I did enjoy the aesthetics of the prints working together like pixels revealing a larger image. I would keep the smaller images, in a tight tiled arrangement, but I would want a much larger bank of images.  My goal would be to have a multiple day capture, that could create a wall of images (height of 7 to 8 feet) and as wide if not wider. I think that would build on the undulation of the images, the shifts in color and gradations as images move through time.

I also enjoyed Jason’s digital recommendation for an on-line rendition, where each image would be clickable with data for the viewer.

With each above mentioned change, I would also like to install in a minimum of three different places.

Final Project Plans . . .

For my final project, I want to use some of the sensor types and reactions (sound and visual) to activate a space through movement. I plan to grid out the black box and strategically map an array of motion sensors, with a small activation cone. These sensors when tripped will either trigger a sound or visual reaction. My goal is for the sensor placement and reaction to not be readily obvious to the viewer. I want the viewer’s body moving through the space to create a cinematic response. I would also like to program a variety of responses into each arduino, so that based on the amount of time lapsed since last activation a different response will be triggered. I’m thinking a spatial poetry, to refer to Mallarme. I will be working alone.  To complete this project, first I need the supplies: 10 arduino, 10 motion sensors, and I will build 10 mounting boxes.  For the installation, I will need two projectors (and need to figure out how to wirelessly connect to arduinos or a covert wiring method). For the creation of the mis-en-scene narrative elements, I will be working from the ongoing concept of my work to create a stand-alone sphere eco-system, reflecting upon economic impacts on land use and experience.

touchscreens - project 34 and 35

project 34 - was not able to get to read out on the lcd - but it would read on the serial monitor

project 35

Project 36 and 37 - temperature sensors

project 36

Project 37 - Part 1

project 37 - Part 2

Project 36 & 37

Project 36 we couldnt get to read positive 

Pressure Sensors and GLCD

Library-

Final Project ideas

So for our final project we are thinking about using these very long force sensors:

They are perfect because the dolls are going to be able to receive information from many places that they are being pressed. There is going to be a person with heat sensors attached to their arms and wherever the doll is being pressed the person is going to feel in their own arms.

Project 36 - temperature sensor

We got it to freaking work

Temperature Sensors

Temperature Sensor
Project 36



Temperature Sensor
Project 37
Part 1


Temperature Sensor
Project 37
Part 2

Project 36 Temperature Sensor

Here are some screenshots of our sensors and the temperature read on the Serial Monitor.

Mid Term Reflection

Although I am very proud of our working tilt sensor bracelet, it is far from the original idea, or rather any idea we had for the project. In a perfect world our bracelet would be wireless and have used the accelerometers in a bracelet for each hand of two people having a conversation. The accelerometers would then communicate with with processing to produce two separate line drawings overlapping (color-coded for each participant) to visualize and compare the shapes and architecture as the conversation develops. I also imagined the bracelets being lighter and more concise as well as the line drawing producing vertical and more varied shapes. One idea I really like from our crit was to have the two participants facing each other with the projection of the line drawing on the wall behind them, this positioning would not only facilitate conversation between the participants but also allow for the audience to have a better understanding of what is happening.

pressure sensor

Project 32 - First attempt

We have not been able to get the pressure sensor to work with the GLCD. Here are images of our first attempt.

Pressure sensor hooked up to the LCD screen

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y2DRi5Alvgs


Pressure sensor hooked up to the LCD screen

Temperature Sensors

Fritzing diagram project 31

Project 31, 32Pressure Sensors and GLCD screens

Final Reflections for Project 1

I already had made a post of the issues we didn't discuss during Critique, so those should be paired with the rest of this reflection. The main points brought up during critique were the volunteer and wether they should be forced in one spot/condition/situation, the visual, and then our explanation of our project and concept behind it.

One of the last issues Julia and I ran into was our explanations of the project contradicting one another. Before we started critique, we discussed the project and had a detailed explanation to give when we presented. We went over what to say and what not to say during critique because we seemed to confuse a lot of class members during the mid-process crit. I'm not sure if the critique got to us and interfered with our plans to explain our concept because throughout the critique it seemed like we started explaining two different projects, so I want to outline what I thought we had agreed on pre-critique:

This project has to do with the false image of self-esteem and security people put on in front of others and in the presence of more stressful situations. Individuals (specifically more timid or introverted individuals) will attempt to look calm and collected and sure about themselves in front of others. Example: someone may look like they are calm, collected, and completely comfortable giving a speech in front of a large audience when in reality they're palms are sweaty, their heart is racing, and they need to reminded themselves constantly to breath every few seconds because of anxiety or fear. The pulse monitor takes away this false image and was intended to really show how calm or anxious someone was based on their heart rate. The camera captures the person's image because the project is about them. The visual is not an ambiguous visual with an unknown person's heart rate, its the volunteer's image with the volunteer's heart rate. To show real (in lack of a better term) "strength" in the situation, the slower the heart rate, the calmer the person is in reality, and the more bright and solidified their image is on the projection; the more anxious/nervous/uncomfortable a person is, the faster their heart rate, and the more broken, faint, and unsteady their image is in turn. This was done by having a reductive process in the drawing of the "visual" in the projection. By this I mean processing is constantly drawing the visual, but every time a "beat" is detected, the visual is erased so that the faster a heart is beating, the less time processing has to draw the visual before its wiped clean again, creating a fainter and unsteady image for a fast heart rate and a more solid image for a slower, calmer heart rate.

Some issues we ran into that were not mentioned at the critique:

One thing I never mentioned is we had to use Processing 1 (not the new Processing 2) because our coding does not work in Processing 2. Why? No idea. But it worked on the original. At the beginning of the project I was using Processing 1 an then somewhere along the way someone recomended I install the NEW Processing 2. Well I am very glad I didn't uninstall Processin 1 because the Processing portion of our code was completely useless in Processing 2. We had issues with the webcam feed and with the serial connection with arduino.

Also, a problem we ran into was when we extended the cables. The sensor is temperamental  as most of the class's sensors are) but it was about 80% accurate pre-extension. Then we extended the cables and suddenly the sensor went crazy and was incredibly touchy and was a guess wether or not it was reading correctly. Big bummer. This lead to us having to find new ways to attach the sensor to the volunteer. Our new issues with the extended cables is that the sensor would misread a pulse when it was moved too harshly. Our new issue was keeping the cables loose enough to allow movement of the volunteer, but the sensor part firmly against the volunteer's finger, but not too tight that circulation to the finger would be lost and the pulse would no longer be detected.

I wish the suggestion to attach the sensor to a pedestal that the participant puts their hand on had been offered before the critique because our project could have been much more successful than it was. This pedestal idea would have allowed us to use the sensor as-is plugged directly into the arduino without any extended cables and the issues we had with accuracy could have been reduced.

I know we had some heavy critiquing on why we needed a visual, and I mean no disrespect but I still stand by my thoughts that we needed a visual element. I think without it the project wouldn't even be art because it would just be a badly made medical device. The point of the project was displaying this data and the volunteer participating.

Midterm Project Reflection

Reflecting on how our project went, I think we tried to do something that may had been more than we could do even in the span of this class. We were to track movements and the code that I would look like would involve super difficult math equations and such. This being said, the technology really controlled the outcome of our project. The project we came up with was more of a prototype for something better in the future. We literally got the technology working 50% of the time two nights before we had critique. It was so nerve wracking cause we won't even sure that the glove would work on critique day.

Now onto the actually critique. It went much better than I had expected. People in class felt there was a performative aspect to our project which i totally agree with and would love to play with more in a future aspect. Some critique of the project was the inaccuracy and frustation that kind of come with using the glove. Once again, the technology had a lot to do with this, but we were giving some really great tips on how to make the experience better. For instance, it was suggestion to make a wireless set of gloves so two people could talk and their conservation would be recorded through image on the screen. I really liked this idea and in an ideal situation the gloves would be this way.

Another critique we had was creating an engaging conversation so we could get people to actually talk instead of waving their hands around. We really didn't consider this aspect especially since we only had one glove, but it is something that we would consider if we did go back and work on this.

Another thing that really wasn't really commented on but kind of bugged me was the visual of the project. I was imaging having a webcam image of the people in the background and the screen would be recording and the movement would be drawn over the people's webcam video. This what I had ideally imagined and I was disappointed with what the visual ended up being.

Overall, for a first critique in Sensors, I thought we did pretty well considering.

Reflection upon the Midterm Project

For our midterm project, I thought the critique went very well. I was very interested in hearing what some of the people had to say and here are a few things I found particularly important.

1) Amy Lobasso and a few others had mentioned the significance of someone being "in front of a crowd" and how she/they in particular are not scared of those types of situations. I thought that it would be a good thing to think about and in going forward in the project (if we were to in the future), we could find a way to make that more clear, or to change the subjectivity of the placing of importance or focus on a person entirely.

2) There was a number of people who had said that they didn't quite understand the imagery and that possibly giving the person a task to show the variations of the heartbeat would be interesting. I agree with this logic because I think it would be cool or better if we would have had them do some kind of karaoke, physical activity, etc. to show the variation and make for a better statement about the project. I also think that the sensor needed to be stabilized more because we were having issues with it towards the end of our project.

3) I also enjoyed the idea of constraining someone and possibly having them confined in a chair or something with a large spotlight on them. This would induce more of the anxiety that we were possibly going for. I wanted for the viewer or the participant to feel uncomfortable, so doing this kind of "interrogation style" of artwork would be interesting for me. Possibly playing with darkness and the only focus would be on the lighted person.

Overall, we had some issues with our project, but we worked through it to create a digitalized manifestation of the heartbeat, a biological function. I think we were successful overall, but with some room for improvement definitely.

Videos for LCD exercises

Here are our exercises for the LCD screen excluding the pressure sensor test. We will be doing that exercise next class. The last video is the thermo sensor test.

HYE: midterm reflection "sonic narratives"

Reflection of "Sonic Narratives"

Strength - installation 
This collaborations is a good experience to learn how to use "ultrasonic range finder", build wave shield, figure out codes, make boxes and present them as a nice installation. We wanted to create open and unlimited narratives with collected sounds from daily environment.  So, we have a specific method and visual aesthetic to execute for the project, and I thought they were successful.

Weakness - lack of the concept development
As a participant, why are I am interested in listening random sounds from sound boxes?
As a participant, why do I want to listen sound and why do I want to write the story to share with a typewriter?
We were focusing how to make the sensor work, but we didn't consider enough why to make, listen, write, and eventually why to create an open narrative.

As a collaboration, we were fascinated with artistic methods and visual choices, but we didn't seriously agree with what kind of contents communicate with participants. Especially we used random sounds to not to make a specific space or narrow story, but eventually any sound we collected become meaningless. I realized that there is attraction but danger to have "open narratives," because how artists make more open narratives through making intentional visual choices. If we collect and decide to play some sounds, but only play them random, how does it make "open narratives"? Is it a just degree of how much artists control or not control?

Further development
After the critique, I want to have specific direction of sound to have more responsibility and to make "open narrative" against some matter such as intimacy, private place or body sound through discussing with collaborators.
Also, we will develop our work more and have a show of "sonic narrative" in January 18th at WARPhaus gallery.

pressure sensor and glcd

barometric pressure sensor tutorial:

 project 31:

project 32:

 Glcd library - Rockets