Intelligent Objects & Memory: Arduino Project

I am in a group of three working on a Physical Computing Project. Ive been in charge of doing all of the coding and component building of the project, and the other two are in charge of the exterior design. I've really enjoyed making this smart object, and it is a good example of object memory: storing information, processing it, and outputting it accordingly.

There is an aspect of physical computing that is called ;making things talk'-there is a book on this. I am very interested in the idea of objects having their own identities sometimes operating outside of human interaction for periods of times. This will be further explored very soon.

I was able to program the arduino to 'remember' which side had been most recently interacted with, and to 'forget' these things when the arduino was tilted onto its side.

Pachube was one of the technologies that i was originally interested and there are lots of ways to integrate this with arduino. http://community.pachube.com/arduino/usb/pachuino You can also integrate processing for visualisation.

The process of the project was in four stages

1. Concept: What we wanted it to do (as a group)
2. Giving it these functionalities (programming done by me)
3. Building plans for the housing, and putting it together (Other group member)
4. Putting the arduino into the housing and soldering it together (All group members)

I really enjoyed this project as it developed me technical skills and it also gave me a taste of interactive object memory. I am very interested in object memory and experience, and the identity of objects.

The project is in its 3rd week, and we are on step 4.

The project is a box with three light sensors on the outside. When the user hover over each side, the lights change colour. There is a tilt switch so when the box is tipped over it turn off. There is a push button with two music programs: The Simpson's and Eastender's theme tune. When the button is pressed it cycles through these two tunes.

We are currently at the stage where the internal parts and external parts are fully functioning, but still need to be put together.

Internal:




I also drew a schematic diagram using Fritzing. I taught myself to use this program so that i could record and share my Arduino designs and replicate them.

Finished housing:

We used the Mitre Cutter and a Laser Cutter to cut six sides out and cut the text out. We had an induction on it courtesy of the Design Department staff. Now able to use this machinery we were able to produce our housing to a very high standard.