Physical Computing Midterm

Fundamentals of Physical Computing with Rob Faludi

For their midterm assignment, students were asked to design a new solution for an existing problem. As a group they observed a problem, created a prototype, tested it, and revised it over the course of three weeks.

• Eric St. Onge, Colleen Miller, Gene Lu, Michael Katayama : Hand Wash Tracker

  In response to a recent outbreak in Swine Flu, this group build a physical computing device that tracked the handwashing habits of users in the department’s bathroom. Using Arduino, the device detected when someone entered the bathroom and locked the door, and when the soap dispenser had been pressed. When the user exited the bathroom, the device would display a positive or negative indicator light. A dial displayed the average handwashing usage of the bathroom based on the positive and negative responses.

• David Bellona, Benjamin Gadbaw, Allison Shaw : Kitchen Alert

  With Kitchen Alert, the group wanted to address the issue of over-crowding in shared common areas, namely the IxD studio kitchen. Over the course of a typical day in the studio, the communal kitchen can reach critical mass at times, with students focused on individual tasks alongside catching up with classmates. The group wanted to create an alert system that made users mindful of others waiting to use the kitchen and offer an alternative space. With the second iteration of the prototype, the group shifted focus to creating different layouts in the kitchen and collecting user feedback. The project resulted in the installation of additional counter space in the IxD studio kitchen.

• Sera Koo, Cooper Smith, Michael Yap : Small Steps

  

  There is a constant stream of people coming and going from the SVA IxD department, yet the only method available for them to travel is via elevator, which is slow and often overcrowded. For the physical computing midterm, this group took a two step approach to addressing this concern. First, they petitioned various stakeholders within the building to get the stairs unlocked between the first floor, the sixth floor studio, and the eleventh floor classroom. With this accomplished, they built a large pressure sensor to place at the stairwell door and track how many people were taking the stairs. They attempted to intercept people as they went to call the elevator by displaying the running total of people who had taken the stairs for collective impact. In the week that this project was up, over 200 people elected to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

• Kristin Breivik, Erin Moore, Adjoa Opoku : Spelling Magic

  

  To teach people to spell correctly, you need to get to them early. This group made a simple game for kids to play with that will give them immediate feedback on whether they are spelling right or wrong – by letting LED lights light up for each letter that is right. Through research, the group found that colors can play an important role when teaching kids to recognize different letters. Most children learn the colors before the letters, which made this group use colorful letter blocks in the final prototype. Only a few three letter words can be spelled in this prototype, but the game could easily be expanded by adding more letter spaces, and by including all letters of the alphabet.

  See the game in action

• Christopher Cannon, Tina Ye, Catherine Young : Studio Stat

  

  Studio Stat is a device that communicates the user’s mood and messages to his colleagues. A slider allows the user to indicate his stress level as well as several buttons that indicate whether he is hungry, needs a break, wants a drink, or must not be disturbed. Using Processing, the analog and digital inputs from this device can be visualized on the computer. The goal of Studio Stat is to facilitate communication and socialization of people sharing an open studio space while reducing noise and respecting space. While designed specifically for the SVA MFA IxD space, Studio Stat also has potential for in-house communications in other working environments.

  View presentation slides (PDF)