BACKGROUND

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Concerned that many Silicon Valley people can’t relate to art, Stanford has decided to promote a Technology in the Arts program. As part of this program, students in ME218a have been commissioned to create Automatic Reactive Technology (ART) for the viewing pleasure of the public. Art Reviewers Touring Institutions of Suitable Technology (ARTISTs) will survey the gallery and interact with the various displays. These ARTISTs may not be familiar with the mechatronic aspects of your ART, and so it must be able to be operated not only by fellow ME218ers, but also by common folks (including children, 218 alumni, and random people off the street) who may know little of the technology involved. The design should be suitable and appropriate for viewing and use by a multitude of interested (and potential) ARTISTs of all ages. The ART will be displayed in the gallery (that is, on tables in the Bldg. 550 Atrium). 

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ART OPERATION

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• The ART will power up into a welcoming mode, encouraging interaction with the ARTIST. Whenever the device is in this mode it should create a display to maximize its sporadic creativity. …

• The ART must produce either ART2Keep (a take-away piece) or ART2See (a performance). …

• The average ARTIST should take approximately 45 seconds to interact with your ART. No one except Edgar Degas (ED) should be able to completely evaluate tour ART in less than 30 seconds. …

• Each ART should include a creative display of the passage of the time since the ARTISTs have begun their work. 7-segment displays don’t count. 

• The ART must require creative input. The ART should reset after the ARTIST stops interacting with the ART within 2 minutes if producing ART2Keep or 30 seconds if producing ART2See. …

• The ART should involve at least 3 distinct ARTIST interactions. …

• The ART should require large scale motion on the part of the ARTIST for at least one of its interactions. …

• If the ART is finished with its ART2Keep, it should provide a clear audio and/or visual indication that will inspire a sense of accomplishment in ARTISTs everywhere. This indication may last no more than 30 seconds before the ART resets.

• The ART should be usable without the guidance of a Master ARTIST. Any static instructions must be only in pictorial form 

 

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BASIC SPECIFICATIONS

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• A team of four class members will construct an ART.

• The ART must have parts that visibly move under the control of the Tiva LaunchPad. …

• Each team must construct an ART. While it is permissible to use consumer devices as components, copyright concerns require that such devices must be substantially modified before incorporation into your project. 

• Each ART must respond to at least three distinct inputs/interactions. …

• At least one of the user interactions must be interpreted as an analog input to the Tiva from the user. The analog input must be used to produce some behavior by the ART that makes use of the analog nature of the input. No simple thresholds. …

• In addition to the analog input, at least one of the user interactions must involve non-contact sensing. …

• Each ART must provide the user with feedback about his/her actions. The feedback must include at least one of: haptic/audio/tactile feedback. …

• The complete ART must be a self contained entity, capable of meeting all specifications while connected only to the provided project power supply. …

• The ART must fit into a footprint no more than 18” wide by 18” deep by 36” high. During operation, the user interaction may occupy a volume of no more than an 24” wide x 18” deep x 80” high in front of the ART. Two ARTs must both be usable while sitting together on one of the 5’ wide tables in our classroom. The entire ART must be easily and safely moved from the construction site to the grading session and then again to the gallery (to the Atrium) for the presentations.  

• Any painting that is done near the SPDL must be done using appropriate masking so that no paint residue is left on the building, furniture, sidewalk, driveways, grass or trees. No Painting in the SPDL! And no glitter! …

• The finished circuitry may be constructed on proto-boards. 

 

 

SILENT DISCO

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The Silent Disco is an interactive art piece that creates unique light patterns based on user inputs. The light patterns are created by 3 spinning LEDS (1x Red, 1x Green, 1x Blue) with 2 degrees of freedom, each independently controlled by a motor. User pushes the start button to start the art, turning on the 3 spinning LEDs and initiating the timing LEDs. User then follows the LED instruction to put on the headphones. 5 seconds later, a theme music (2 overlay tracks) starts playing and user follows the LED instructions to put hands above the 2 IR sensors to start spinning motion of the motors. The closer user's hand is closer to the IR distance sensor, the faster the corresponding motor spins and the track plays. User sets the motor speed and track speed by quickly moving his/her hand away from the IR sensor. A timing LED turns off every 3 seconds. When all 15 timing LEDs (5x green, 5x yellow, 5x red) turn off, user reaches the end of the art. The timing LEDs flash, an ending music starts to play, and the motors stop spinning. 5 seconds later, the art returns to standby state. If user stops interacting with the art for 30 seconds during art operation, the art returns to standby state. The art has a reflective enclosure for safety and infinite mirror effects.