VrTech's Future Experiment Lab

We have various choices for riding and skating. However, I want to focus on the portable size of the device. There are many inventions and precedents before and I find several problems that most people do not want to use a device that too big, too bulky or too heavy. Moreover, it is hard to walk with normal roller skates or carry your huge skateboard across massive people.

For those reasons, I want to enhance the way we are using roller skates for the daily commute. Introducing “HASTEN”, the shoe attachment device that empowers your mobility.

The following are the key features and user experience that I have learned during my research and development.

        Compact – The original design failed because the size and the height of the device are too wide and high so, I redesigned the model of the attachment device as small as I could. Also, I made the electrical wiring schematic to fill all components inside the device without getting any damages.

    Comfortable – I have experimented and designed the wheel storage system that users can promptly use or keep the wheel in or out anytime with a basic human leg gesture. If the user makes an angle of 45 degrees, the device will trigger the wheel to move. It is made possible by the gyroscopic component with WIFI connection.

I sketch for the shoe attachment at first. Then I try to list the components that I have to bring together and make it work. It’s very difficult to find the way it works together but somehow I manage to try them all.

At the beginning, I did my prototype with wood planks. To find the perfect spot for skating, I dig a groove in different positions. Finally, I find the back side is more comfortable to roll.

Then I 3D printed my model and try to test by myself. it feels pretty good.

This is how it will look like with a shoe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d1eb8jjJi0

I try to make particles fly to the center of the mouse

Code Snippet

timer += 0.00001; PlayerPosition = ofVec2f(ofLerp(PlayerPosition.x,ofGetMouseX(),timer), ofLerp(PlayerPosition.y, ofGetMouseY(), timer));

if (ofDist(PlayerPosition.x, PlayerPosition.y, ofGetMouseX(), ofGetMouseY()) < 10) { timer = 0; }

I made my circle work as a ball which getting larger during moving!

//-------------------------------------------------------------- void ofApp::setup(){

PlayerPos.x = ofGetWidth() / 2; PlayerPos.y = ofGetHeight() / 2; Size = 20;

}

//-------------------------------------------------------------- void ofApp::update(){

}

//-------------------------------------------------------------- void ofApp::draw(){ ofSetColor(ofColor(255, 0, 0)); ofDrawCircle(PlayerPos.x, PlayerPos.y,PlayerPos.z,Size); }

//-------------------------------------------------------------- void ofApp::keyPressed(int key){

switch (key) { case 'w': PlayerPos.y -= 10; Size++; break; case 'a': PlayerPos.x-= 10;Size++; break; case 's': PlayerPos.y+= 10;Size++; break; case 'd': PlayerPos.x+= 10;Size++; break; }

We start our journey with Stuyvesant Square Park. It is the quietest park in New York. 

Unlike Union Square Park, this one gives us the feeling of being isolated from the city for a while.

We have analyzed the flow of the park and get the hotspot which is the fountain in the middle.

So we get a concept of “Forest bathing” which is from the Japanese Culture.

SCIENTIFIC FACTS from forest bathing:

lower heart rate and blood pressure,

reduce stress hormone production,

boost the immune system,

and improve overall feelings of well-being.

So we were planning to design a chair at first.

We realized that in western culture people don’t sit on the floor so we come up with our 1st Prototype. There will be pillows with a printed jigsaw image on top. Scatter the pillows around to let them play with that.

We try to make a small size of just the puzzles and lay it down on the ground.

People don’t interact with this much.

So I tried to put a pillow below it! But no one interacts with it so far.

Just for the unexpected animal.

After that, we get our observation Keys

-  Eye Level

-  Attractiveness of the puzzle pieces ( Images )

So we redesign our puzzle to the new idea which is the puzzle wall.

After they connect those pieces, they will get the hidden message.

And this is the final project in a short 3-minute video!

I want to try the JQuery to play with storytelling.

So I make like a button that when you click, it hides all the words 

Then you feel so sad :D

I never use JQuery before. It’s so good and fast. I feel like I want to study about this more

I have tried API for Thingspeak. This can send data between 2 networks. For example, laptop to device or device to a laptop. Thinkspeak acts like a cloud for devices to communicate each other. We can create our own channels and send any information to make it speak ! 

I start with 2D sketches and come up with the 3d case for the glasses after knowing all components needed in my project. This is really fun to make and I fail multiple times during the project. My wires got disconnect, Even though, My case didn’t fit with the components and also the code has bugs, still, I’ve overcome all obstacles so far.

Yay for a pressure sensor.

Keep reading for code.