Interactive play space for kids
A hideout space for kids with interactive lights and sounds embedded in 3 cushions. One cushion using conductive fabric acts as a control to choose the combination of light and sound to create a fun environment. One cushion is embedded with a speaker. The third cushion has RGB lights inside.
It got featured on Instructables today and got ‘popular’.
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/12/11/smart-fort-interactive-hideout-for-kids-wearablewednesday/
1. Tent still to be completed in the VFL
2. Testing the code with waveshield and Arduino to make sound and light work at the press of capacitive sensor. Saw some instructables and tutorials. Still need to work it out.
Secret World Tent idea –
Designing for – Kids between age 2-6
Concept – To create playful environments through light and sound while playing, reading stories, sleeping etc.
Interactions –
1. Lights up when you enter – Infra red sensor
2. Choose color of light – LED STRIP, Buttons mounted on a board to switch on.
3. Choose from different modes (sleep, jungle, dance, play, rhymes) -Speakers, recorded sounds, Buttons mounted on a board to play.
I am really interested in doing something for kids. Although I almost sealed on the idea of safety device for women, the idea for designing something for kids is holding my interest more.
From one of my previous project, I have been really interested in how kids create space and environment with their imagination. Under the desks, inside cartons, surrounding with pillows, etc.
I want to create something for this space which celebrates their imagination, encourages story making and telling, stimulation for crafting own fun activities etc. I can either build a simple tent shape with wood, or work with an existing one like this below – 
I will update with a more concrete interaction soon. Open to suggestions and teaming up!
Switches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGHHQWkFC6M&feature=youtu.be
Magnetic Switch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdcAzhEGU2o&feature=youtu.be
I wanted to make a switch with magnets. The idea was that the magnets which are put on magnetic boards with notes, pictures etc should light up when the two magnets come in contact with each other. The problem is that craft magnets generally dont conduct electricity, unless they are covered with a metallic surface.
Drum
Sourced a drum after 4 hours of roaming Manhattan. This one was loud, meant to be played kids, was open from the bottom to give me space to fit electronics.
Started out playing with different codes http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/Knock after making a temporary circuit on Arduino Uno. It was fun to play with the piezo sensor. I wanted to ambitiously change the brightness with the impact on the sensor. I was almost there but the light wouldn’t go out in static position. Learnt about Mapping, countdown etc in coding.
Soldered the LEDs in a parallel circuit
Finally used a Digital interaction instead of Analog one. Code:
// these constants won’t change:
const int ledPin = 11; // led connected to digital pin 13
const int knockSensor = A0; // the piezo is connected to analog pin 0
const int threshold = 1; // threshold value to decide when the detected sound is a knock or not
// these variables will change:
int sensorReading = 0; // variable to store the value read from the sensor pin
int ledState = 0; // variable used to store the last LED status, to toggle the light
int mapFade= 0;
int brightnessLED = 0;
int countDown = 0;
int fadeDown = 0;
void setup() {
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); // declare the ledPin as as OUTPUT
Serial.begin(9600); // use the serial port
}
void loop() {
// read the sensor and store it in the variable sensorReading:
sensorReading = digitalRead(knockSensor);
// if the sensor reading is greater than the threshold:
if (sensorReading >= threshold) {
// send the string “Knock!” back to the computer, followed by newline
int cSensorReading = constrain(sensorReading, 0, 50);
mapFade = map(cSensorReading, 0, 50, 0, 255);
brightnessLED = brightnessLED + mapFade;
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
Serial.print(“knock!”);
Serial.println(sensorReading);
Serial.print(“constrain”);
Serial.println(constrain(sensorReading, 0, 10));
} else{digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);}
delay(10); // delay to avoid overloading the serial port buffer
}
SEE THE VIDEO 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_t-vmfd3I&feature=youtu.be
Thank you
A wearable portable disco ball ! Every time you go to a boring party, or want to have more fun at night stays, put on ure own music and enjoy the disco lights which dance along (integrated in the wearable) …. ??!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5EkcBtpk98&feature=autoshare
This exercise was done by Wolfgang and me. We made the leds twinkle and then played around with how fast we can make it blink with different thresholds.
🙂
He will have the code.
Fading the Led —-
Fading the Led with a switch —–
Then I was playing with a infra-red proximity sensor. I wanted to change light color according to proximity, but that didnt happen. I did however learn how to read the readings on the serial monitor, which shows that it is working and reads different numbers and different proximity to the sensor.
Exploring : different meanings of Embroidered, Musical instruments, techniques, integration of the two words
Challenge : How to learn an old technique while keeping it unpredictable. How to embroider an instrument into being.
Making : I decided to embroider an instrument (not over it). It would feel like its the embroidery which helps it make music. After many glitches and failures, I made a guitar like instrument which plays with the idea of old and new. Metal and electric guitar strings + embroidery.
🙂