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The code I ran with

#define TILT_SENSOR_PIN 7 #define TIMEFRAME 3000 #define SHAKES 20 #include <LiquidCrystal.h> LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2); int previous =0;

unsigned long lastMillis = 0; int tilfeldig = 0; String words[6] = {"Sunkissed paa", "Kokkekurs i", "Finnebassen paa", "AHO Works", "Den store", "Pecha Kucha"}; String words2[6] = {"BLAA 21:00", "mathallen 14:00", "Jaeger 22:00", "Exhibition 16:00", "Kinodagen 10-21", "Paa DogA 20:20"};

void setup(){ Serial.begin(9600); pinMode(TILT_SENSOR_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP); previous = digitalRead(TILT_SENSOR_PIN); delay(50); lcd.begin(16,2 ); lcd.setCursor(0,1) ;

}//setup()

////// void loop(){ int counter = 0; int reading;

reading = digitalRead(TILT_SENSOR_PIN);

if (reading != previous) { lastMillis = millis(); counter++; previous = reading;

delay(50); }

while ((millis() - lastMillis) < TIMEFRAME) { reading = digitalRead(TILT_SENSOR_PIN);

if (reading != previous){ counter++; previous = reading; Serial.println(counter); delay(50);

}

} //randomSeed(lastMillis/1000); if (counter > (SHAKES*2)){ //delay(200); tilfeldig = random(0, 6); lcd.setCursor(0,0) ; lcd.print(words[tilfeldig]); lcd.setCursor(0,1); lcd.print(words2[tilfeldig]); Serial.println(words[tilfeldig]); // Turn on the display: delay(4000); lcd.clear();

Fine-tuning the code

With everything inside the box, I had to tune the code to make the experience flow as smooth as possible.

Most of the tuning came down to deciding the delay after a suggestion, the ammount of shakes it would take and the timeframe you had to do it in.

Cookie box!

After making my product into different sizes of boxes and cylinders, I started thinking about cookie boxes. I think the fact that we’re closing in on christmas played a big role in that. As a child I would always shake the cookie boxes to feel how much was inside. It was somehow rewarding to feel and listen to the cookies move inside the box, maybe i’m just crazy..

I cut a whole at the top of my box and connected the LCD screen with wires going into the box. I wanted the screen to be tilted towards you, rather then laying flat at the top.

I cut my box to a smaller height, to make it easier to hold, and to make it look like a small cookie box.

I’m not yet sure whether to glue the components inside or to have them shake back and forth to give you an actual feedback right away as you pick it up, right now I’m tilting towards the latter.

#Punintented #badampampsssshhh

Deciding form

The first problem that popped up when I was working with form was how I could make it understandable that a product containing a LCD screen is supposed to be shaked. Normally, products containing electronics, especially something so fragile as a screen, isn’t something people would normally toss around. I still didn’t want to give up the experience of shaking for clues. I started drawing up suggestions for how my product could look like.

Since my initial tought was to make a crystal ball, I obviously ended up trying to make my product into a ball. However, I quickly ran into a few problems. First off, making a perfect ball that is hollow isn’t as easy as you would think. I tried to swivel and vacuum press to get the perfect ball for my project, none of which I was very satisfied with.

Eventually I gave up trying to make the ball myself, and took my bike for a trip downtown to see if I could find something I could buy and cut open. I did actually find one, but things started to fall apart when I tested the experience.

One of the few things that became clear to me after I finally got the ball of my dreams was that well, it worked way better in my head. First of all, a ball doesn’t have any sides. It could litterally roll off your table and crush the screen or break the components inside. There’s also something clumsy about reading off a flat LCD screen attached to a round object, so all that work for nothing. I did however find out something I felt could be pretty crucial for my project, and that was the use of graphic design. Instead of trying to find the perfect form that would make you understand what to do with it right away, i’d rather make a shape that could contain some kind of timeline or a story of how a night could turn out. That too would be hard to illustrate on a ball..

I started building boxes and cylinders instead to test out the difference with the use of graphic design.

For the flow of information to work, I decided to use a LCD screen, hooked up with a tilt sensor. The way it works is to give you random suggestions on things to do if you shake it back and forth. The plan is to hook it up with the facebook calendar, so the product could suggest different events and happenings around your area. By using the product, you would get access to new and exciting things you didn’t know about that is happening around your area on a daily basis.

Choosing paths

Alright, so deciding on a subject I wanted to work with definitely helped my process. I finally felt like I had something real to work with. The tricky part now is to choose which path to go.

Should the product simply show you the level of activity or should it also give you tips on where to go? Would looking at something telling you there’s alot of stuff going on around you motivate you enough to leave the apartment? What would it take to inspire someone to get up from their couch to go out and meet new people?

I started sketching for different outputs I found interesting to work with, drawing and writing down what I came up with.

To try and figure out an output, I went from drawing, writing and simply testing out different mechanics with the arduino. My problem at this point is deciding the main function of my product and how the interaction should happen between the user and the product.

After alot of back and forth I ended up on trying to use the shaking mechanism inspired by a magic 8-ball. I liked the idea of shaking an object to give you hints, clues or tips on what to do. I figured that for this product to work the way I wanted to, it had to give away some form of information about what and where theese things are happening.

Back to Scratch

Alright, so after a failed week that lead me to, well, nothing, I was forced to stay at the school the entire weekend, trying to start over.

I began where I started the first time, going back to the mind map of different everyday settings, trying to find something I found interesting. Out of this I found a few things I wanted to work with, but nothing really kick-started my workflow. I still felt stuck without a concept, only weeks away from deliverance.

After a conversation at a small get-together on saturday I listened to a girl talk about how she felt lost in a new city. She didn’t know about all the “cool things” that was happening around her area and usually ended up feeling abit lonely. This eventually lead me to ditch the conversation, leaving her there probably feeling lonely, to run home to begin the new concept that was forming in my head. It finally felt like things came together.

I now wanted make a interactive object that would give you tips or motivation to get out of your apartment. To discover cool things happening around your area and to give you motivation to go out and be a part of it.

Research & Mind Mapping

Starting the project was not an easy task. Sitting down with a blank sheet of paper saying to yourself “Ok, make something new, ,delightful and cool!” Is something that just made my brain shut off. The task was to open and broad, and I didn’t know where to start. So instead of just trying to make something new out of the blue, I started making mind maps for different settings of everyday life I wanted to work with.

After alot of back and forth, I ended up wanting to work with procrastinating. The whole idea of finding an output subtle enough to not distract you if you did focus, but remind you to work if you started to drift off was something that intrigued me. Unfortunatly for me, Oda was alredy working with the exact same issue and was alot further into the process then I was. Beeing sick for 2 weeks at the start of the project didn’t exactly help my situation. I decided to start over and try something new. I’m really excited to see how it ends up though, It looked really promising at the last iteration :) Take a look at her blog: @odaheier

Getting to know Arduino

Arduino is a fun chip you can program to do alot of different things. It comes in a box with many different sensors, lights, wires and a bunch of other cool stuff you can use to make fun interactions.

The first week was used to do the basic tutorials, incorporating code and mechanics. Turning on LEDs, making a servo move, checking for values by using different sensors etc.

The first code we used for the Arduino, to make a LED blink on and off:

Advancing from the blinking LED to a LCD, beeing able to write messages to be shown on a display:

Fiddling around with the arduino opens up alot of possibilities, but I have to admit, I’m not any closer to a concept at this point.

Inventing interactive products

For our next brief we are supposed to make a new interactive product. By using Arduino and learning code, we are making working prototypes for our interactions, emphasizing on the user experience.

Material exploration: A solenoid is a coil of wire with a magnetic core. Solenoids can be used as electromagnets, as inductors in electronic circuits, and as miniature wireless receiving antennas. You can not run a solenoid straight from your arduino, but there are tips and tricks you can use to make it work, withiout burning your board. I would advice you to check out this link before you start: http://playground.arduino.cc/Learning/SolenoidTutorial

This is "CanWall"

Here's our short film showing our app in use. We did not dedicate enough time for the filming and clipping of the film, which is unfortunate. One of the reasons is because we underestimated the amount of time it would take to mask out the people in the video, using after effects. Another reason is because we had our hands full the last week, so the filming and clipping got put aside to be able to finish the project. We are lacking a few essential clips that would better demonstrate the app, but all in all, I think you get the basic idea of how the app works.

theodorvange-blog

torgeirnh-blog

The final layout for the user interface

The website for our application. Go take a look!

Our work up untill the second presentation is represented above. This week we started abit slow. We decided to take a step back to get a better overview of what our focus areas should be. We spent the second week on the project to define the concept and working on the layout. Nothing final, but getting there, step by step!

Brief 9 - Urban Delighters

In this next assignment we are supposed to work in groups of 4, and make an application for smartphones. The group consists of: @totoxd @heitheodor @mortyoneforty and @TorgeirNH. After alot of sketching and brainstorming, we landed on Digital Tagging. Digital tagging is placing grafitti, text or pictures up on walls, while remaining invisible for anyone lacking the application. You would have to go outside and draw, write or upload a picture, and place it on the wall. Others using the same application would be able to see the taggs by simply holding up their phone towards the tagged surface.

Day 1 sketches. Working on visualizing the concept.

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