Week 7 (1 - 5.03)
This week we continued work with our API of choice and also we started to build prototypes for user testing.
Wednesday, 3.03
We were a bit confused after our coaching, but it turned out, that we were not the only ones. There has been some kind of incomprehension between our teachers - Peter told us that our API doesn’t have to be used in our main project in the end, while Johannes and Clint insisted that it should complement it.
We decided that we will move on wit our API examples individually and also, after a long discussion due to a severe disagreement in our group, I started to work on the prototype. Building experience prototypes and finding users for testing are requirements from our Project Guide, however Sanna wanted to focus mainly on API. A big confusion exploded, especially after we talked to Taner, and finally, me, Carlo and Patrycja decided to meet on Friday in MAU workshop to start building.
We really wanted to use electronics, as suggested in the Project Guide, but we didn’t know if we would manage to do that as we are not that great with Arduino and programming. We went with “what the hell, let’s try it, in the worst case we will end up with fishing lines again” ;) I started thinking about how to use a servo motor to sway a pot and did some brainstorming with my sambo and then sketched the best ideas.
Next, I asked for some help with 3D modelling and I printed the device.
We assembled it and attached the servo motor.
With such a device, the only thing that was left was to program the Arduino during our Friday meeting. I found it quite difficult, because I couldn’t figure out where is the arm’s starting position, but with a bit of meticulous analysis and luck, it turned out to work. What is more important, we aimed for swaying (plant’s good mood), but I managed to fake this kind of vibrating motion which seems like a perfect indicator of plant’s bad mood.
VIDEOS:
Angry movement and Happy movement
We are very satisfied with our job so far. Now we need to recruit some people for testing on Wednesday and implement the API.
Lecture, 04.03
We had a quite useful lecture with Clint this Thursday. He was talking about prototyping and he mentioned the term critical design, which I am familiar with. I listened about critical design a lot in some podcasts and I find this really interesting how it floats between an art and an actual design and at the same time brings attention to important social issues.
