Progress Report - Week 4

Phase 1 complete

The professors have decided that our concept was the best physical design of the competition, but that Team 2 had a better digital concept. After a brief pause for celebration, we got back to the grindstone, examining our digital design and how it can be improved.

Physical Design

Mesh

One design aspect that we pushed aside for phase 1 was the idea of spanning mesh between some of the modules. This would increase the surface area of our play-space, and would also reduce the costs for the physical construction. We play to reevaluate the potential of mesh in our concept.

We also plan to refine the overall concept and explore that ways in which the modules can be arranged.

Digital Design

One of the weaknesses of our proposal was that the digital interaction was not extrinsic to the physical interaction. It was possible to create games with lights, but it was an arbitrary interaction with the structure. In light of this we are brainstorming on several possibilities for alternative interactions which are more cohesive to the physical structure and the physical play.

Sound

Group 2's concept involved pressure sensors that would cause a tone to play when pressure was placed on the structure. We believe that this design has some major flaws: a) The sound would be annoying to any sedentary person, rendering the space useless as a place to rest; and b) The constant tone would require a large amount of power. We have devised some ideas that will enhance the interaction of sound, without the annoyances.

Ideas:

1) Have each module produce a tone on impact, but not a sustained sound while pressure is applied.

2) Have each individual module produce a unique note

3) Have one side of the play-space produce melodic tones, and rhythmic drum beats on the other side

4) Build physical drums (out of acrylic) into the arches

5) Use the energy from the impact to power to speakers

Lights

Having an art installation that is interactive on multiple levels is something that really appeals to us, so we would like to still incorporate lights into our design, and have them used in conjunction with the speakers.

Ideas:

1) Light up LEDs at the same time sound plays on each module

2) Light up other modules in chords, to suggest to children (and adults) that music can be made

3) Light up LEDs in a pattern that, if performed, would produce a song

These are just our preliminary brainstorming ideas before going into group discussion in class. We are looking forward to refining our concept, and bringing our ideas to fruition.