Author: Mansi Gupta

Fall Lamp

I struggled with this project from the beginning because the prompt allowed to make “anything.” Too many possibilities? I decided I wanted to make a lamp because the lights in my bedroom can only be controlled from the living room…oh, how I longed to have a light that I could switch on and off while lying in bed.

Inspiration, then success, then failure…

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I wanted to create a lamp that responded to motion. The design of my lamp would allow the lights to fade in and out if it sensed motion. I used a tilt switch for motion sensing, a 4-pin switch for on/off capability and Tip 120 for using the Voltage In. After much “circuiting”, I got the lights to work exactly like I wanted, yay!

I was going to use a Leonardo Ardunio that would attach to my lamp and I soldered the many wires together. The tilt switch was to be connected to the one of the brass rods that would hang from the lamp. So, I proceed to create the mess you see below:

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…but then a lamp!

I realized later that I created a short circuit and managed to kill my Arduino, but I decided to make my lamp anyway, and it does work like other lamps, so it won’t fade, but it will give you light when you want. Here it is:

dark IMG_4779 IMG_4795

 

unfocused

It’s inspired by fall and each of the big maple leaves are personalized with elements of my life. I used the CNC to cut out the shelf piece which plays the “tree branch” and I used the laser cutter to make the leaves.

Here it is, in action:

 

Dream Catching Light/Chandelier – Inspiration Post

I’ve been thinking a lot about ways to capture dreams for the Autodesk workshop. Since I really liked the lamps that were presented in last class by David and Matt, and I like the chandeliers that Emi and Gaia have worked on this semester, I decided to work on a light or chandelier that would also serve as a dream catcher which is personal to me.

Here are a couple chandeliers that I liked:

Ingo Maurer’s Zettel 5
Halo Chandelier

I really like the simplicity of the Halo chandelier and the “personal” features of Maurer’s work. I want to work on a design that is a combination of the Halo and Zettel 5. The Halo’s circular form will incorporate the typical dream catcher look, which I will add pieces of my life that I connect with dreams as artifacts the complete and decorate the piece.

Candle Curtains

Don’t we wish we had some automatic lights during the hurricane? In my new phase of appreciating candles after Sandy, I decided to create curtains that lit up like candlelight automatically when they detected a certain level of darkness. I used some simple Arduino code, a photo resistor and some string LEDs. Here’s a quick video showing the action:

I sowed the LED’s in the shape of a stage curtain on the back of the fabric. I did very simple running stitch embroidery on the front to complete the look of the curtain

 

 

Candle Curtains

Fabric and light together automatically makes me think of wearable technology, but since I had already worked on a light-up shirt for my first project, I wanted to do something different.

My first idea was around light and sound – a tambourine that lights up when you shake it. The inspiration from this one came from a dance I watched which takes place in a dark setting and only when the dancers move, their clothes light up. I thought of a tambourine as a dance prop.

 

My other idea was around making a backdrop, or wallpaper that could be used in a room, or ceiling. But finally, I decided that I will create some curtains that light up as it becomes dark outside.

 

Next steps:
– Design the curtain (color, fabric, paint/embroidery?)
– Code arduino for the light sensor.