Photo and Video Archive on Flickr

Since I already had an existing Flickr account where I post pictures and video I take, I felt it was pertinent to have a Smartsurfaces specific set.  I've been posting images from the past two weeks.

The link below is the set in which I've specifically uploaded images of projects from the class.  I'm fairly positive I've allowed all content to be downloadable.  If there's anything that any of you have difficulty in downloading or using, or even just something you'd like me to record and post, please let me know.

Smartsurface Images

This is just an example of some of the pictures I have taken, and will continue to take.  This is the breadboard setup from the Heliotropic Light Tracker project from last week.  We used six LDRs, three for each axis of movement, sending information to the respective servos.

The board is confusing, but using a single breadboard allowed us to localize all of the wires.

I will try to find the time to put accurate descriptions of what is included in the pictures and videos.  This was, admittedly, not the most helpful or clear shot of the circuitry we used, and I will try to take much clearer and direct photos in the future.

Assignment 1: Arduino Lessons

Arduino board with LED circuit assembly and lamp fixture over LED circuit. (I took video of the light sequence, and the lamp with tissue inside, but haven't figured out how to post the video.  I will be doing that as soon as I figure it out.  I also apologize for the poor formatting, I'm not familiar with the "blogger.com" functionality)

I've had a little experience with C from my engineering 101 course, and circuit boards from my 100 course, so the processes of the tutorial were relatively easy to follow and complete. My lamp shade was the most time intensive portion, I've always enjoyed modular origami and constructed a dodecahedron (30pieces).  I didn't have any tissue paper so I took some clean and unused toilet paper, seperated the two ply from each other, and stuffed them into the shade.  My favorite projects are the ones that utilize the problem solving process synonomous with programming (breaking problems and processes into steps, and using a language to describe and achieve a solution), as well as being able to create something that has the potential to evolve.

I'm very interested in being able to participate in the task today, centered around systems and the arduino boards.  I also hope that no one expects me to be a crackerjack with programming, I haven't had much experience in programming, and no experience in these kinds of systems, and I don't really know what kind of expectation will be had of me.  I am excited though.

Task 1: Sand Transport

At some point soon I will add an about me section, explaining a little better who I am, why I decided to enroll in this course, and what I feel I have to offer.  I have essentially no experience with blogging, and have always had a difficult time with keeping journals, so I sincerely hope that the content and validity of my observations improves as the semester, and projects, progress.  I also apologize if the inclusion of project objectives is unneccessary


The first day of the course began with short talks by each of the three collaborating professors, Max Shtein (engineering), John Marshall(art and design), and Karl Daubmann(architecture).  Each professor explained their interest in the collaborations that will be achieved through the course, as well as their ultimate interests and goals concerning the experience. 


I will admit that of the three, I recall what Prof. Shtein spoke about the most clearly, as it was a lecture I'd heard most of already in the non-Smartsurfaces senior design course for the Materials Science department. I'm also keenly interested in solar energy, which was a primary focus of the talk.  However, I did think a great deal, as Professors Daubmann and Marshall talked about the evolution of ideas, about how group members would be communicating.  We were to be working in assigned groups, which will rotate each week for the first few weeks, with two engineer, two architecture, and two art and design students.  I was excited to see how we would be interacting with each other as most everyone in the course seems to have at least some sort of technical experience, but from very different educational backgrounds.


Task 1: as extracted from the course syllabus
I. Objectives

• Deposit sand in specified locations
• Use only the provided materials and tools
• Utilize a minimum number of steps / energy transfers
• Present the design and final mechanism (winning team gets a prize)
• Teams judged on Efficiency, Durability, Economy, Spectacle / Delight of mechanism


II. Deposit locations
A given mass of sand starts out at a position 100 centimeters above the table; specified in
Cartesian coordinates by (x0, y0, z0) = (0, 0, 100 cm). A fraction of this sand must be deposited in
paper cups positioned at 3 locations given by:
Location:                                    Minimum Mass:                      Cut-off Time:
(x0, y0, z0) = (0, 0, 100) cm      100% of original mass             0 minutes (from start)
(x1, y1, z1) = (0, 0, 100) cm      50% of original mass               5 minutes (from start)
(x2, y2, z2) = (0, 60, 80) cm      50% of mass at (x1, y1, z1)    10 minutes (from start)
(x3, y3, z3) = (40, 40, 60) cm    50% of mass at (x2, y2, z2)    15 minutes (from start)
(xm, ym, zm) = (150,150,150) m Maximum volume allowed for your system


Provided with cardboard sheets, duct tape, dowels, rubber bands, paper, wire, string, and paper clips, and commanded to adhere to the judging criteria-Efficiency, durability, economy, and spectacle/delight, we began to discuss as a group our ideas.


The foremost thing I noticed about my group's interactions in the planning, development, and construction, was that everyone competed.  We all had different suggestions for the means by which the sand would be moved.  Everyone in the group, as well as the class, is very intelligent, but I still felt that everyone was trying to prove that their idea was the most valid and effective.  It may have just been the personalities of the people in the group, but we didn't reach a consensus as to what needed to be done until after we'd all made what we thought would work as a component and had realized what didn't work.  


We learned that more productive planning, i.e. designating a purpose and parameter specifications for each individual's assignment, a team manager to keep track of time and to ensure that each person is indeed doing the right task, and more genuine communication- not endeavoring to assert individual correctness as opposed to working to create something that works as a group.


I look forward to seeing how all the groups this next round interact after our experiences with Task 1.