Love-O-Meter

This is a simple stupid pet project test based on the machine that has been playing matchmaker at carnivals and fairs for years. Below are two videos of tests based around this classic game. I used both a knob and a pressure sensor.

Knob:

Pressure Sensor:

Intro to Physical Computing
Tom Igoe
Week 3 Class Test

Fantasy Project

So it might sound odd but for the last 5 years my fantasy project has been to make a working and technologically advanced doorbell out of a broken one that is, or rather was, just simply a button attached to a hammer that hits a metal strip to make a sound. I love the idea of using a very simple object and turning it into something that uses the technology available to use today. Below is a little sketch showing what upgrades I would love to add to this sad broken doorbell.


Sensory Overload

Most people walking don’t realize that they are surround and interact with hundreds of sensors everyday. We were asked to take a day and make a note of all the sensors that we run into. At the beginning of this project I thought maybe 10 would be the max but I found myself constantly writing a new sensor every few feet. Above are a few images of some of them and below is the entire list. Take a day for yourself and do the same, the results are insane.

Elevator Button
Light Switch
iPhone
Headset
Electric Guitar
Watch/Clock
Emergency Brake
Subway Turnstyle
Microwave
Stove
Refrigerator
Security Camera		 Pay Phone
Crosswalk
Light Motion Detector
Toy/Candy Machine
Bus Strip to Stop
Intercom
Parking Meter
ATM
Cars
Stereo
Remote Control
DVD Player

 

Intro to Physical Computing
Tom Igoe
Week 2 Homework

Brooklyn Excursion

For my Applications class I was asked to go somewhere I have never been to before in the 5 boroughs and write about what I saw and took in. I had a friend pick a random subway stop, made sure I have never been there, and took my skateboard to wonder around the area. The stop that was selected was the Kingston-Throop Avs Station on the C line, this stop dropped me off in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. To keep things random and new I decided to let the traffic lights guide me on my tour, if it was green I would go straight, red would be either a left or right turn, generally trying to go with the traffic. Also to set a timeframe I created a music playlist that would play for 30 minutes, once the music stopped my journey was complete. To keep a track of where I went I used the Nike+ iPhone application which uses the phones GPS to track my location and plot it on a map. I also documented the trip by taking a picture every so often.

Although I started my trip in Crown Heights I went through two other neighborhoods along the way, Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Prospect Park South. I started on a very busy street lined with businesses and it appeared to be predominantly Caribbean, based on the people walking around and the restaurants in the area. As I continued south and got deeper and deeper into Crown Heights the area became much more residential and I ended up riding through tree lined streets with gorgeous town houses everywhere. As I continued weaving through traffic, while listening to Mother by Danzig, I found myself seeing less African Americans and more Hassidic Jews roaming the streets. At this point I had just crossed over the Eastern State Parkway and was on the outskirts of Prospect Lefferts Gardens. As I continued on through more residential streets with even larger more extravagant homes, I started seeing RVs and trucks with pictures of Rabbi’s on them and where labeled things like Matzov Tank, supporting the idea that this is mainly a Jews community. As I started to go west the area suddenly went from residential homes to a huge street, Flatbush Avenue, and I noticed that I was on the south side of Prospect Park. As I was skating next to the park my final song ended and I noticed I was right in front of a sweet old Hispanic lady selling ice cold water, what a perfect end to a 30 minute, 5 mile skateboarding adventure through the heart of Brooklyn.

Based on this trip I learned that there are quite a few vastly different communities in very close proximity to one another. Also the area can quickly turn from families in their front gardens to massive 4 lane streets lined with businesses, restaurants, bars and bodegas in a split second. I honestly enjoyed this project so much I think I will continue to pick random areas in the New York area to explore and see what they have to offer. I would like to report that on this journey I only fell once and was only hit by one car, or rather ran into one that was parked on the side of the road, and no injuries.

Playlist:
Ms. Connection — Film School
Natural One – Folk Implosion
Ramp of Death – Stephen Malkmus & The Jinks
Suicide Invoice – Hot Snakes
Testing – CKY
Time to Pretend – MGMT
Video Tapez (Ft. Del) – AmpLive (Rainydayz Remixes)
The W.A.N.D. – The Flaming Lips
Mother – Danzig
Air War (CFCF Remix) – Crystal Castles

Pixelled First Day of School

So for our week 1 homework assignment for ICM we were asked to create a purdy picture using processing (java). The same day I was assigned this my sister sent my a picture of my nieces on their first day of school and I used this picture as inspiration since for one it was adorable and two I could totally relate to the excitement of starting school. See the original picture below. And to view the javascript page click here.

Intro to Computer Media
Matt Parker
Week 1 Homework