Sunday Report (9/25)

This morning I decided to report some of my actions related to the class this weekend. I know it isn't required but it helps the narrative to explain events and decisions so I don't have to say, "I forgot to mention that I decided...".

Anyway I had gotten this mirror

Front

Back with board removed

It is a very sturdy mirror. It's made of plastic so it will hold up. When I bought it I think it looked interesting and I could perhaps use it, but this morning I realized how I could actually use it for the sound project. 

Why not make a magic mirror? I would just have to put the touchpoints onto pieces of metal that are decoratively shaped not unlike the snakes on the Snow White mirror and it would make weird screeching sounds. As you can see on the back picture, there is space behind the mirror to hide the battery and all the cords. The placement of the speakers might give me trouble but the frame itself can easily cut into.

Earlier I finished taking apart the toy flashlight and made a diagram of the circuit so I could better understand how it worked.

It has three buttons in a row plus a single button, a switch and rotating mechanism which I call a turntable switch (it might not be the actual name but its the same basic principles of a turntable).

As the circuit 2 I made has 6 touch points and a switch I think the best course of action is a symmetrical orientation if I choose to pursue this idea. It will be: 3 touchpoints in row, the circuit 2 switch, the turntable (and related light), the flashlight switch and the buttons. I am not sure where the 4th solo button from the flashlight will go but like I said I would like the other touchpoints to be pieces of decorative of metal.

Anyway, that is my project idea. Will work on it tomorrow and ask Thomas questions. Will see what comes of this idea. Either way, I have two circuits.

Hertzian Tales Ch2

In the last chapter of Hertzian Tales, we discussed technology and its interpretations (metafors, etc.). In this second installment, the writers are again talking about machines but this time in regards to interfaces. Previously, I had complaints about the writers style overcomplicating the discussion so it was not easily interpreted. I must admit the writers got better explaining the ideas they were presenting in this chapter. It was not over cluttered with references, in lou of such methods they actually expanded upon ideas in a way that was straightforward and easy to understand their meaning.

In this chapter, the writers discussed interfaces such as user-friendliness, environment and other things which influenced the design of technology. I admit I was bored at first by the ideas in this chapter because they seemed pretty straightforward but once I got into the meat of the chapter halfway through I got intralled. 

There were a number of influences to the interface which seemed straightforward (certain groups of people for example), but the idea of semantics was interesting. In that section of the chapter they mentioned Lisa Krohn who created a device called an “Answerphone” which combined an answering machine with a phone to make a device which transcribed and printed messages. Even with today’s technology I think that creation from 1987 is really cool and I wish I had one. Plus the idea of a device which looks like what they are designed to do is cool. 

The other section which was fun to find out about was called pets or memoricry of human behavior. They mentioned a car in japan which stops running if you are not feeling well. It reminded me so much of Baymax from Big Hero 6. The idea of alien devices was interesting as well since it was more abnormal devices.

I really enjoyed this chapter because each time I turned the page (or scrolled through the pages) there was some new extraordinary device (a ball that moves itself!) that caught my attention and with my attention I could better assimilate some of the deeper design choices chosen and their interpreations.

Saturday Report (9/24)

9/24
I went to a number of thrift stores in search of the element which would combine the two circuits for my sound project.

At one store I saw a gumball machine which I thought was cool but I didn't know what I would do with for the sound project.

The last thrift store I went to I found a mirror (pictured below) with a blue plastic frame. When I saw it I thought it had potential. Not exactly what I had been looking for but then again I didn't know what I was looking for. Since I probably will be posting a lot of pictures of said mirror till I finish the project here is a dinosaur which was hanging out across the street from the final thrift store.

What I did 9/19 - 9/21

9/19
On tuesday, we presented our group projects (see previous post). I think it went well. They seemed to like it. The suggestions from the class were mainly in regards to location (going somewhere else other than the library/campus).

During the other half of class, I worked on the circuit. I recreated what I had done (with suggestions from Thomas). I got the basic set up in place with alligator clips, but I did start soldering some of the basic wires (such as the two wire attached to the speaker).

9/21
Today in class we discussed Chapter 1 of Hertzian Tales by Anthony Dunne. It was interesting. In the discussion, we talked about objects as metaphors such as Magritte's Treachery of Images painting. We mentioned thumb drives which I researched and found was that name was a brand name.
-Thomas showed a cool picture of a first resistor which looked very artistic

"we live in a world of ideas...so why not live it that way?"

-we saw a electronic room with programmable appearance
-we learned about something called "duo skin" which is metalic goldleaf tatoos that can be used as: input devices / output devices / communication devices and even have LED lights. You can design the circuit on graphic design program and then use a vinel cutter on the gold leaf/tattoo paper. Cut it out and then apply to skin.

The other half was dedicated to working on the sound project. I had found a toy with buttons and a light in one of the boxes in the FabLab, so I had decided to take it apart. I was able to unscrew all but one screw which had been stripped as well as a screw which was on the absolute center of the toy (thus unattainable). With the help of Thomas I was able to pry it apart and then smashed it because the center screw did not want to comply.

Admittedly at the time I commented that I was sort of disappointed on the contents after all that effort but I do like the circuit from the toy and I may play with it for the sound project.

What I did 9/12 - 9/14

 9/12
We continued to play with circuits in class. But this time rather than using a bread board we actually soldered it down to a board. It took me a long time to get mine going. I accidentally switched the speaker and the battery wires. Then I didn't realize the speaker wires were a reflection of what the power wire orientation. So there was a lot of unsoldering going on. That being said, it worked out.
The picture is from when solder had combined on two wires so I had to clean it. Like I said, it took a long time. But I got it working to annoy people with the sound.

9/14
The next class I played around with the circuit I had made the previous class. I cut the wire and fixed some of the soldering. Then explored I glanced around the cabinets for ideas for future projects. I decided to ask Thomas a question and that gave him an idea of how to fix circuit 2 (which I had) so it would shut off other than when it is unplugged from the battery. I'll have to play with inserting different resisters with a switch to change the frequency.

On 9/16 Ben gave me the device for the group project. Might be better than I thought it would be.

Group Project

Ben created a device with a button and a dial. When one pushes the button and turns the dial a loud frequency screams from it. It's a pretty fun device with a fairly simple circuit. It's based on a design from Instructables of using a LM386 as an Oscillator. The box is Ben's creation.

Once Ben created the box he gave it to me and Toung to get reactions. It took several several minutes of deliveration to figure out where we would place it. We considered placing it at a mall, but I vetoed it as it looks too much like a bomb for my taste.

Finally we decided to go to the front of the library and placed it by a lamp post. And then we recorded it:

Hertzian Tales Ch1

Although it was long (not War and Peace long but long enough), the article was fascinating in its own way. I had taken a hundred or more student lecture class when I was at the University of Central Florida and the professor delved into this subject of technology and its many definitions. There were a lot of interesting discussions on this very subject. I do not think the writer (or writers) of this text did the best job exploring the issues here. It was very dry and oddly phrased so they reference all this stuff but not really saying all that much or too complicated to fully appreciate. I mean no offense to the writers but I think the style does not do justice to the concepts they want to put forth which, if you understand them, are actually very interesting.

However, that being said, when you do understand what the heck the writers are trying to say, the whole psychological exploration of electronic devices is pretty cool. We are not talking smart phones or tablets here we are delving into technology on the conceptional level and how it impacts certain areas of life and the metaphors put forth. It is pretty amazing to just sit and think about. And then add in the whole idea of design of technology. I do not know. This stuff might just be going over my head as it is pretty mind blowing think about. But then it is all pretty simple as well as we are talking the combination of design/tecnology as packaging. I am pretty uncomplex when it comes to technology. 

I know the basics of how things work (and if I do not I research), but the writers (and my professor back at UCF) really explore technology further than I have really thought about.