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The Beginning

I am working on the final project for my senior thesis at Oakland University. I will be posting soon some of the projects I have been working on with the Maker’s Club at Oakland that has helped spark new ideals and I will be using tumblr to document this final journey at OU.

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Wearable Art

With Adafruit Flora, I created this steampunk wearable art for my Adv. New Media class.

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Tara_Forstner_Steampunk

Here is the final wearable project. We learned a lot, like coding, soldering and sowing with conductive thread. 

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Here is a bit more to show proof of concept. I color coded the key and used this to help show how it will work on the wearer.

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I found this sample diagram in Adafruit’s web site and found it helpful in drawing up mine.

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Proof of concept

Final Project

I am attracted to the idea of a time traveler from the romantic area; I will construct a wearable to fit this time traveling adventurer. The wearable will have small but powerful LED’s lights that empower the wearer to show victory, excitement, and the spirit of the adventure they are on. The lights are in gauntlets made of mock leather to look strong and empowered, maybe even a super hero. The gauntlets will have a small amount of embellishments for a feminine quality.

What is the machine doing for the wearer of the machine? When the time Traveler wears the gauntlets and the goggles, they are empowered to be more daring to go to new places. The romantic look of the wearable makes the wearer appear from another time, a time traveler, existing in our time period on an adventure of discovery. The wearer will feel empowered to be more daring and mysterious, it is about mastery and empowerment over and with the machine.

Small project: I will us the right arm gauntlet to play with a light sensor and the Gemma. The small project will be independent of the goggles and left arm gauntlet. This right arm is environmental, 3 to 4 small LEDs will sense light/darkness changing to a variation of blues in the dark and different oranges in the sun. Programing the small Flora will help me work out the bugs of programing.

 The light sensor will allow the wearer to show some emotions. If the right arm is shaded than this could reveal shyness purple is a color known for being submissive. If the arm is out and shaking strangers’ hands, than this could reveal boldness, I will use yellow known for a happy color. 

If/Than Statement for Small project:

If the sensor is shaded, than the lights will be purple (R160, G50, B227)

If the sensor is in the light, than the LEDs will show yellow (R252, G244, B8)

  Large Project:

Goggles: I would like the goggle lights to roll left to right. So when you tilt your head to the right the lights fall to the right and so on. Goggles will also connect to left arm so the wearer can control their destiny. When the wearer rises the left arm over their head the lights will turn red, a sisnal for victory. When the left arm crosses over the wearer’s chest the lights turn blue this will mean a win for the blue alliance.

https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles

https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles/overview?view=all

I will follow some of Adafruit instructions for goggles.

Gauntlets: Has the accelerometer in it, this is where- If arm crosses the chest than the lights in the goggles and gauntlet turn blue, If an arm is raised up the lights will change red.

 If/Than statement for Large Project:

If arm is raised up in the air< than the lights in goggles and arm will turn red (R252, G0, B0)

If the left arm crosses the chest< than the lights in the goggles and arm will turn Blue (R0, G0, B252)

 The Diagram:

  List of components:

12 Sewable NeoPixels

2 NeoPixel Ring - 16 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers

3 FLORA Accelerometer/Compass Sensor - LSM303 - v1.0

3 Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 350mAh

1 Flora Wearable Bluefruit LE Module

1 Flora RGB Smart NeoPixel version 2 - Sheet of 20

 Other items:

Pleather

Buttons

Rubber hoes

Velcro

Lace

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First draft diagram for Final project.

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Final Project

wearable art

I am attracted to the idea of a time traveling celestial being, I will construct a wearable to fit this thought of what my time traveler looks like. It will have small but powerful LED’s in the pleather to look strong and empowered. It will have a small amount of embellishments for a famine quality.

 What is the machine doing for the wearer of the machine? The lights in the apparatus, creates a sense of a celestial being, someone from another place and the old and romantic look of the wearable makes the wearer look like a time traveler. Existing as both, time traveler and the celestial being becomes empowering. The wearer will feel empowered to be more daring, so in all, it is about mastery and empowerment over and with machine.

 Small project: I will us the right arm gauntlet to play with a light sensor and the Gemma. The small project will be independent of the goggles and left arm gauntlet. Programing the small Flora will help me work out the bugs of programing.

 Goggles: I would like the goggle lights to roll left to right. So when you tilt your head to the right the lights fall to the right and so on. 

https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles

https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles/overview?view=all

I will follow some of Adafruit instructions for goggles.

Gauntlets: I would like to say that, if the gauntlet touch pad is hit twice than all lights will turn red, if hit one they turn blue. If I use Bluetooth and accelerometer it will look like: If arm crosses the chest than the lights in the goggles and gauntlet turn blue, If an arm is raised up the lights will change red. 

Second thought: Arm up than light turns red, arm to the side than the lights turn blue. 

The Diagram:

   List of components:

 12 Sewable NeoPixels

2 NeoPixel Ring - 16 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers

3 FLORA Accelerometer/Compass Sensor - LSM303 - v1.0

3 Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 350mAh

1 Flora Wearable Bluefruit LE Module

1 Flora RGB Smart NeoPixel version 2 - Sheet of 20

 Other items:

Pleather

Buttons

Rubber hoes

Velcro

Lace

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Systems and Mapping

http://prezi.com/rcjedjwnutpw/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

I used a prezi to map out random photos I have taken during my many adventures. Life is a journey and taking the time to really see small wonders can enrich our lives.

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Speculative Proposals - Feb 9, 2017

I will use these goggles as a base for my work with Adafruit’s Arduino. I want to try and hide the battery and switch in a fashionable way. I believe I will think more on if I want this on a top hat as well; also, would like to fit the goggles with a proximity sensor and change from just running lights to something that has more character.

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This is my second life and way I am drawn to cosplay! This program reaches out to all types of children and young adults teaching STEM and much more; the biggest benefit is how well Art flows in as branding and advertising. I find I create better things when it has a cause behind it and instead of making more work for myself, I will allow these two worlds to collide and see where it goes.

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Science + Technology + Engineering + Art + Math = STEAM

I have been tightly intertwined in FIRST robotics with my daughter and so I feel I am very drawn to the STEAM movement!

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The machine embedded in or clothing, what is it doing for us and the artist. How can I us technology to create for me?

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVtURELhy1w)

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQwDXIJjU6o)

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I’m sure I will add on to this as we get into discussions!

Reading assignment for New Media SA383

 1.   Summarize Tom Igoe’s overarching philosophy about computers in a couple sentences.

Computers are more than just something to type with and look at. Igoe looks at a computer and asks the question, “What can I make it do for me and others?”

 2.   What is the difference between linear media and random access media in terms of representing experience?

Linear media is called upon in sequential way like a movie film, random access media is can appear as if it is next to another ideal like copy and paste function where we can rearranged.

 3.   What are the three stages needed in most physical computing projects for the project to be successful to an audience?

 Input, processing and output; however my over complicating mind thinks that there is more to it than this answer.

 4.   Based on Igoe’s definition, what are four examples of transducers?

Eye, ears, hands and mouth

5.   Can you describe the difference between analog and digital input/output?

Analog input/output is more information than needed to preform a task; digital input/output gives a direct conversation.

 6.   What is an example of input in physical computing?

 7.   What is an example of output in physical computing?

  8.   What is the difference between parallel and serial events?

Serial is a singular event at a time and parallel is many events at once.

 9.   What is the difference between high-level tools and low-level tools?

High-level tools may be able to do complex job if you don’t know what you are doing but the low level might give you more freedom to personalize the job.

 10.What are the four recommendations Igoe lists at the end of the article in order for someone to be successful at making a physical computing project?

 First keep a journal, write it all down.

Second work fast and use the high-level tools.

Third don’t become paralyzed by planning.

Fourth collaboration.

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SA 383 New Media

For this semester, Winter 2017, I will be focusing on wearable art. I have a few ideals I will explore but first the professor has the class answering a few questions.

1.         What part or parts of the body particularly interest you as sites for augmentation?

I think the eyes are intriguing, the color and shape are the first thing I will notice about a person. In this case I feel that I could focus on the head as a whole.

 2.         In a perfect world where money and technology are without limit, what kinds of augmentation (super powers) would you pursue?

Empathy, to make people feel a strong sense of what others or myself feel at any given moment; however, flying would be nice.

 3.         What characteristics would like to portray in your fashion statement?

Super heroes are always fun to portray but I am drawn to dark heroes. They are nether good or bad, maybe even eccentric like Sherlock Homes or Iron man.

What materials would support those characteristics?

Strong, dark and durable materials like leather and metals and maybe chainmail would support the characteristics of an eccentric dark hero.

 4.     Look at the Adafruit website for the FLORA microcontroller and pick 3 or 4 project tutorials to review. Look through the instructions and the video. 

        What intrigues you about the technology used in the project.

        Extra credit: Can you see integrating the technology in an expanded way in another project?

 https://learn.adafruit.com/zipper-switch?embeds=allow

An on/off switch stitched into the clothing can make for a flawless look to the wearable art.

 https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles?embeds=allow

I am very interested in learning how to make these goggles! I am mentoring the sprit part of a robotics competition and I can see the cheer team using these to standout in the sea of other teams. I would elaborate on this ideal with a hat like a steampunk top hat.