The first thing to do is make fritzing models of the last xBee prototype i made for reference purposes.
The next thing is to work out the functional requirements for this prototype:
1. Needs to indicate presence
2. Needs to have a way to share the pre-recorded stories
There is an option for the parent to simply send a command to the child i.e. to put a certain track onto an m3 player rather than actually remote controlling said mp3 player. This prototype will be made without remote control functionality and will instead have an LED screen which will display a number when a button is pushed. There should be two different story options: 'Goldilocks' and 'The three bears'. So therefore
2a. Two labelled buttons on the parents device that will play one of two stories
2b. an LED screen that can display numbers
3. Some kind of instruction manual (eventually)
This prototype builds on the Design Evolution exercise by Matt Ward. Tactile interaction is important, and rather than have a textual input there are button inputs.
Again i will use Mill Moggridge's 4 step Interaction Design Process. I am doing this because it helps clarify ideas and forces the designer to be specific about what they are trying to do. This is useful both to the designer and the people that they are designing for. It allows me to connect my motivation to the end outcome and ensure the appropriateness of the design. A clear context of use has emerged and it can revert back to other contexts and have multiple applications. The user base must be fully researched.
1. Motivation - errors or ideas
2. Meaning-metaphors and scenarios
3. Modes-models and tasks
4. Mappings-displays and controls
Case Study: The 'Teddy Share'
1. Motivation: Parents are separated from their children and miss out on crucial time with their parents.
2. Metaphor and scenario: I want to make something that is like being able to send your child a bedtime hug from far away. A busy parent can still interact with their child even if they are not able to make a phone call for a long enough period of time to read a bedtime story.
3. Model and task: The parent is connected to the child, and it creates a sense of togetherneess. Tasks:Set up the connection, notify eachother when they are present, trigger the stories. Prerecording of the stories will have to be done at some point. Should there be an online resource of printable stories that come with the set?
4. Display and control: Tactile operation. In this prototype there will be no remote control sound but a track number will come up on an LCD screen.
I am planning on building on the current system to make it appropriate for the new prototype. I need to get the numeric LED screen working
This is a tutorial about how the LCD screen works. As i am only going to use one number i can use less pins. I could also crate my own library to control the numbers in a more visual way. This is the datasheet for the component http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Components/LED/7-Segment/YSD-439AK2B-35.pdf
12:00 The first thing i am going to do is wire up the LED screen and test it on a board.
12:30 The display isnt working at all, I cant even get it to turn on. I believe that the whole board needs to be wired up so I am going to use another option: light indicators.
Two labelled LEDs will indicate which story should be read. If the button is pushed one the first LED is on. If it is pushed again the second LED will turn on.
The first thing i did was add another two LED s to the recieving board and a push button to the communication board. I am mocking up a one-way presence indicator at the moment but this will be expanded to two ways next. The next step was setting up controls. I get the new push button to send a 'C' whenever it was pushed which would write 'cinderella' to the corresponding serial monitor. Once this was tested and worked correctly i then had to get the button to control the two green LED's. The code will work on the receiving board so no more has to be done to the communicator board.
Each button corresponds to a different story and they turn a different light off.
I managed to get the light indicators working. As the toy didnt arrive, i made a card mockup and plugged the sensors in. I am using a LDR to sense presence. The parents device is ergonomic and handheld.
Below: The prototype wiring
Below: The wiring behind a drawing of the two interactive objects.
A short video of the functionality: the nose flashes occasionally when it senses presence
To expand on this the sensors will be soldered into long wires and placed inside cuddly toys.
As soon as the toys arrive i will do this.
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