May 06, 2005
TAG! Final Project Documentation
Tag! is a game played via custom wireless consoles. All the electronic components are very inexpensive. The game logic is just like the children’s game.
I am working on this project with Surabhan Temiyabutr (also known as Nick).
*****
SORRY! I'm a little paranoid about intellectual property now, so I've taken down most of the documentation.
Here, however, is a pic of the first prototype.
Posted by rus200 at 12:46 AM | TrackBack
March 19, 2005
Final Project Test 1
This is a java applet that tests the interaction for my final project. The next iteration will give control of the other dots to human players.
INSTRUCTIONS: Click on the applet to activate it. Use the arrow keys to move your dot. Try to tag the other dots.
NOTE: This program is nothing more than a sketch. If you manage to tag another player, he doesn't chase you. Sorry.
*****
SORRY! I'm a little paranoid about intellectual property now, so I've taken down most of the documentation.
Posted by rus200 at 05:55 PM | TrackBack
Final Project Abstract
SORRY! I'm a little paranoid about intellectual property--I've taken down most of the documentation.
Posted by rus200 at 05:35 PM | TrackBack
March 11, 2005
Midterm Documentation
IDEA:
Problem:
I often like to go to a coffee shop in my neighborhood to work. Sometimes when I arrive there is no space. Sometimes, there are
little kids running around and being noisy, which makes work
impossible.
Solution:
The least desirable chair in the café will usually be the last one
occupied. If I can check to see if the chair is occupied from home, I
will have some indication of how crowded the coffee shop is, and I
won't waste my time walking over there. Including an audio sensor on
the chair, I can get an idea of the ambient noise levels. Both these
methods are fairly non-intrusive. They relay useful information about
the café but do not really violate anyone's privacy.
PROTOTYPE:
Chair:
I used a stool from the shop. It isn't as awkward as it should be,
but for the purpose of testing the electronics and concept, it will do
just fine.
Communication:
I used an XPort combined with a PIC 18F252 for communication. The
XPort automatically logs into a JAVA-based chat server hosted on a
computer at ITP. The PIC program parses commands sent through the
chat program and relays sensor information back to the chat, all via
the XPort.
Sensing:
I had another PIC 18F252 hooked up to an audio preamp and a light
sensor. The light sensor was strapped onto the top of the chair to
sense occupancy. The preamp circuit utilizes a LM386 chip and a $3
radio-shack condenser microphone. This setup is capable of detecting
basic noise levels. I had to do a lot of coding to get an accurate
representation of the ambient noise levels in the room.
The code can be found here: Communication,
Sensing.
The preamp circuit can be found here.
Inter-PIC Communication:
One PIC handled sending and receiving commands from and to the XPort.
The other PIC analyzed information from the sensors. The sensor PIC
was constantly broadcasting its information serially. The
communication PIC would listen to the sensing PIC when it received a
request from the chat for sensor information. Getting the PICs to
talk to each other required only a few lines of code on each PIC:
On the Sensing PIC (Send):
serout2 picTx, non9600, ["P"]
serout2 picTx, non9600, [soundLevel]
serout2 picTx, non9600, [occupied]
On the Communication Pic (Receive):
SERIN2 adcPicRx, non9600, [WAIT("P"), adcPicByte, adcPicByte2]
Pictures:
1. Photocell
2. Audio preamp with microphone and PIC.
3. XPort with PIC
CONCLUSIONS:
A friend of mine thought this was a terrible business idea. I'd never
considered thinking about my project in a business sense, so his point
was interesting. My device benefits the consumer and not the coffee
shop. There is no reason for the coffee shop to purchase such a
chair. It would only keep people out of the café. My intentions with
this project were to realize an idea that would be well thought-out
and generally useful. However, I suppose that if I'm thinking in
practical terms, the next level might be to think on a business
level—apparently, looking at ideas economically can illuminate facets
that I otherwise overlook.
Posted by rus200 at 05:33 PM | TrackBack
March 01, 2005
Smart Homes Reading
I wonder if the complexity of these devices will require more effort from the user than they purport to save. I have an automatic coffee maker. I never use it. If I am feeling ambitious, I will prepare the coffee the night before and then I’ll turn it on manually when I get up—it only takes 2min to cook. The TMIO internet-accessible refrigerator/oven may give an extra leg-up on the logistics of cooking something that requires an awkward amount of time, say a 4-hour roast, but I am skeptical that the installation and training time required is worth the small amount of flexibility that it gives the user. In general, the technology embedded in these devices seems frivolous.
The Salton project seems to be fixing problems that don’t exist. For example, the bedside computer that updates you as to the status of your coffee machine. Also, the Salton products use Windows, which makes me wary of their usability. The only idea that impressed me in that project was the microwave that will scan the barcode of the food you are about to cook, entering in the cooking time automatically. That seems easy and straightforward—possibly useful.
Posted by rus200 at 12:11 AM
February 21, 2005
BOO! Game Documentation
Description:
For our pair assignment, Nick and I made a game that was as simple as possible. We devised a game which used a minimum of inputs and outputs.
The object is to get the fastest time possible when responding to a “Boo” sent by your opponent. When you are on defense, a light (triggered by the button on your opponent’s console) will light up and you must press your button as soon as you can. Then you are on offense and when you press your button your opponent’s Boo light lights and he has to respond. Then response times are compared and the round’s winner is determined. After 5 rounds have been played, the game is over. The game is played on two identical consoles connected via the internet.
Input/Output:
State Diagram:
Results:
Our prototype works and the game is fun. As one is waiting for the light to light, attention is focused and tension runs high. However, a sturdier console is needed. The button needs to be mounted in something so it can be hit. Also, to add to the surprise, the Boo light should be bigger and brighter, perhaps paired with a buzzer.
****
Nick's documentation can be seen here.
Posted by rus200 at 11:06 PM
Location Based Reading Response
With the exception of the game-oriented projects, these examples of location-based media seemed highly experimental. What I mean is, with most of the projects, the purpose is not entirely clear. The two projects I found most impressive, Tapestries and UCSD ActiveCampus, had vaguest goals. However, they worked to build a powerful system in which many different kinds of activities could emerge. I would be curious to hear from the users what they get out of the system.
The artistic projects, such as GPS drawing and Sonic City are clever. The idea of augmenting reality sonically is interesting. However, judging from the video on the website, the overall effect does not seem artistically satisfactory—the users do not seem very impressed. I could see how the system could be annoying.
This GPS drawing blows my mind:
Posted by rus200 at 09:59 PM
February 08, 2005
Reading Response 2
With the exception of the caffeine projects, boundaries were crossed. In the BBC project, users were able to interact from the street, through the window, and with the BBC. With Alzado, blinkenlights, and SimpleTEXT audience members were allowed to participate in a performance. The line between performer and audience was breached with technology.
The caffeine projects were more about distributing information. They differed from traditional internet applications in that they required physical computing to gather data. The information needed was held in the physical world, e.g. how much coffee was available was indicated by the amount of coffee in the pot. Physical computing devices, a video camera for example, were needed to translate this information into electronic form. The internet could then distribute the information.
Posted by rus200 at 12:50 PM
February 01, 2005
Reading notes
This is a mostly theoretical paper. It sets out to illustrate the author’s design process which can be loosely summed up as Observation-Invention. They perform “rapid ethnographic studies”; that is, they interview and observe potential users. Next, they create characters and brainstorm scenarios (around 40) to discover places where technology could be useful. Then they move into a prototype/evaluation phase.
Given the examples of projects that came out of this project, I’m not convinced that the design process advocated here is better than the vision/intuition model that the authors frequently deride. I thought the devices in the other paper where more interesting and their creative process did not seem so involved.
The paper starts off explaining that devices that indicate the availability of coworkers should be indicated only in the periphery of the users awareness. Also, the indicator should not be running on the computer--it could be obstructed by another open window and also some people do not work on the computer. I thought the devices were clever, better than those in the other paper. I especially liked the doll that faced the wall when a coworker was not in the office and faced the room when he was present. Also, the video-conferencing device seemed like it could actually be quite useful, a good way to mix privacy with communication.
Posted by rus200 at 02:50 PM
January 24, 2005
Networked objects reading responses
OSI Model Readings:
These papers are in need of some examples. I need a play by play account of a unit of information traveling through the network. So far, my grasp of the model is tenuous at best.
The Coming Age of Calm Technology:
I like the idea of technology engaging the periphery. His example of video conferencing seems especially apt. However, I don't really see how this is going to become the next phase in technology. He states that Ubiquitous Computing will succeed personal computing and Calm Technology will be essential to UC. However, I am not convinced that UC will be the next era. I am unsure what improvements UC and Calm Technology will bring. Video conferencing, it seems to me, is not particularly popular, even among those who possess the technology to use it. (I have read blogs that mention the common experience of an Apple iSight falling into disuse after a month or so, for example). In the end, this article has given me a clear concept of Calm Technology, but does not convince me of its utility.
Posted by rus200 at 05:46 PM