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API Assignment

As we were debating on what API/Library to work wive we decided quite fast that we were reluctant to use one that required input from keyboard such as writing etc. This decision was to make the implementation of the joystick more simple, and intuitive.

The first day we spent with researching the different APIs/libraries available. After deliberation between a few we settled on a RGB color picker wheel. The first major challenge we encountered was regarding how to make the joystick input the method for choosing the color, as this originally was done with the mouse. We researched this during that day and then got the idea of also integrating an RGB diode to match the color of the color picker.

On Thursday we did the majority of the work. As we had decided to use an RGB diode we had to change the arduino code up to match the new type of light. A surprising element of that process we found was that the buffer size also needed to be corrected to fit the new light, which we did not expect. After figuring out how to correctly implement the RGB light we could focus on how to connect the joystick to the color picker, and then the color picker’s values to the new light. A challenging aspect was not how to use the documentation or implement the color picker with options, but turned out to be where in the template code the different options for the color picker were supposed to be placed.

At first we managed to get the color picker to connect to the joystick, but that point we found another major error that needed to be handled - the joystick is made up of 2 or 4 axis, while an RGB color picker has 3. This was solved by connecting to axis to the green value, then one could go to red and one to blue.

Finalising the project we got everything to work the way we expected, with only minor bugs left - mostly regarding the joystick’s sensitivity and dead zones.

Reflecting on the project retrospectively a major surprise I found what how daunting it may seem to dive straight into a code without full knowledge in what it does or how it works, and how difficult it would be to know where to start with an implementation of something new into this. Following this even more surprising to me was that while working slowly and reading parts at a time and not stressing about it, it wasn’t nearly as hard to manage as expected. As a designer I believe this composure while working is a good strategy while attacking issues one might not have faced before, and being able to calmly handle new projects that one might not have a lot of previous knowledge in. Further, the use of this certain library we chose at first glance felt disconnected to our position as interactive designers, as it felt mostly silly to want to use a joystick for something  as simple as a color picker. While working with it and  testing it out though I changed my mind and started reflecting on how it in fact is a really interactive experience that might not be as far from reality as I first thought. Making use of this design with focus on being as coupled as possible, the user not only gets a very close interactive experience with the picker it also with the diode changing color. While I might not be able to see this fit into our current project in any major way my mind instead instantly goes to video game controllers and their increasing coupled designs. Vibration haptics are since long implemented, but recently there has also been touch pads added, and movement sensors. I don’t think it is extremely far fetched to be able to imagine a light similar to the one we designed in this context.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hzk2768yvrlavy8/IMG_2075.mov?dl=0

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Libraries and API in JS

Following Love's demos we've learned how to bring libraries and make use of APIs in our JavaScript code.

Making use of libraries is really straight forward once you understand where in the documentation to look. It did not take a lot of effort to understand and be able to use.

APIs are by comparison a lot more complicated, not in the sense of how to understand them but rather that to make use of them there is a lot of coding required and at first glance it can be quite daunting. There is a lot to structure and knowledge needed for what the code needs to look like. The documentation is a big help, but as APIs are usable in very many different ways the documentation is also more vague and doesn't tell you exactly what you need to do. Rather you need to figure out a lot of coding yourself, and use the documentation only as a guide for understanding the parameters needed for the API.

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Prototyping with makey makey

In a small group we built a controller system for a simple online game. We chose a fighting game as the only keyboard keys used were "w,a,s,d,g" - all of which we had access to on the makey makey board.

Our inspiration came from existing games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Sports where the player gets a controller that lets them engage with the game in a manner that would resemble real life. With this we thought that a fighting game could have an implementation where the player is able to "punch" a controller in order to punch in the game.

The building of it was fairly easy, with some exceptions being the material that was accessible. The "punching bag" that would resemble the opponent was made out of a box, that was a bit fragile and not very punchable. The concept was still presented well though, in my opinion. As the box could be moved into different positions that perhaps could showcase different ways of fighting.

Rather than building your own version of this, one of the most learnable moments for me was to see what everyone else had created. With the brief in the beginning it was very hard for quite some time to think outside the box of what already exists. Personally I have known myself to be very creative in certain scenarios, but also easily get very stuck in one thought and not easily expand on that without some information to go on. With that in mind it was very interesting to see solutions I don't think I would have thought of myself, and how people chose to implement them. Many of them were very creative and sparked a realisation in my mind on how we could have made out prototype more existing or ways we could have made it differently.

All in all i think it was a very learnable experience, even though I had doubts in the beginning as the assignment didn't seem to be very difficult. It turned out the true lesson for me was closer regarding the creative process of being free in your designs and not limit yourself, rather than understanding the technical part.

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The design lab and laser cutting

Instructions were given to how to manage the different machines in the design lab, information that is very important to ensure safe usage when building things. The machines are to be used with respect and with knowledge of proper handle, and what to do in emergencies.

A walk-through of the laser cutter was also given. With a brief intro to the use of Adobe Illustrator we were taught what type of files the laser cutter managed and how we would construct them. Regarding safety of the machine the most important things were to ensure the laser had the correct settings for the material used in order to avoid fire. 

Being machines of high complexity it is of utmost importance to treat them with respect regarding what they can do. That said, the access to the design lab also enables us immensely to let any desire for design out as we basically have every tool and material available to us. With that it will also be a great learning experience as designers to understand and reflect whether a component will be most efficient to create in the vacuum press or laser cut, for example. This will force our minds to not only think about what we are creating but also how, which I believe will further develop our minds in context of how we understand creativity and production of the designs we might create.

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3D modeling and 3D printing workshop 27/2

After a lecture in 3D modelling and a brief on how to work the 3D printers we now have sufficient knowledge for using this tool in our prototypes. 3D printing is very usable for shapes that would be tedious to create out of wood or other means because of a complex shape or more precise tolerances. With this in mind it is also more usable for creating mechanical solutions, as needed parts tend to be simpler to model in CAD rather than cutting out by hand. The safety surrounding the machine is also important, such as be aware of the temperatures of the machine. Further it is also important to remember ways to ensure a successful print, such as not touching the plate after being wiped down with isopropyl alcohol and how to remove the finished product when it has properly cooled down.

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Arduino Workshop 26/2 and 28/2

During the two sessions of initial workshoping we've been familiarised the Arduino boards and simple codes that can be run on it.

During the knight rider exercise we got to learn about the basic ways to connect buttons and diodes, and creating simple interactive systems through code. This, as well as the second exercise with the potentiometer controlling the diode, was an excellent learning experience that gave a good first try on the system. As soon as I got to try it out once, and had my mind refreshed on how to read circuit diagrams, I instantly got more confidence and inspiration to try to learn more myself. The exercises themselves were not especially difficult to understand which gives me more motivation to see what else can be made and how I can use these methods of prototyping to understand more complex forms of interactivity.

The usage of Arduino and code will most definitely come in handy when building prototypes as it is one of the most tangible ways to interactivity. The use of if also allowed for some understanding in how the processes work behind the scenes and what boundaries we are working with.

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Netflix gesture exercise

A short design proposal was made for how various functions in Netflix could be managed using gestures. For them to be easy to remember they needed to be short and simple, but also hold a significance to the function the gesture was used for. Therefore the gestures were based on either symbolic resemblance (play and pause) or correlation to action (raise/lower volume and mute). An interesting aspect was also to decide that the gestures were to made completely one-handed as this would make for easier usage.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/82f6ofxjn63sngc/InShot_20220130_180132934.mp4?dl=0

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Sketching Challenge 24/01

Creating five very different ideas to turn commuting a fun practice with interactive means turned out to be more of a feat than I previously imagined. Alas, with perhaps a bit of force they at last reached five.

First up we have a scene where a person on a bus is bored, or feeling crowded, or impatient - all emotions that ended up being answers for the question "why is commuting not fun?". The window in this cyber-like future contains some sort of travel companion that can have a conversation with the commuter, or perhaps play them some soothing/calming tones through their Bluetooth head phones to make them feel less stressed/crowded.

Another is an app that keeps your normal means of passing time in a convenient place, also minimizing the thinking power needed to look for things (which might be needed during the early hours of commuting) by keeping track of favourite podcasts, which e-book is being read at the moment, or favourite news app.

A different app idea is a quiz like game based on the things around you. If your passing a place where a famous person once lived, the quiz might ask you about that. As you are in motion, a timer is present.

Another app is removing the game concept of this and simply making it a conversation which is more calming and not as stressful. Perhaps this would link to interesting Wikipedia articles or similar.

The last of the ideas is a game designed in a very common phenomenon where an individual riding a car, train, bus etc will imagine a person running along the road outside the window who parkours over obstacles in the way. Having been on the internet for a while, I remember being surprised finding out that others did this imagination game too. The game would simply show the person running and you would be able to play in real time how they would parkour.

One interesting aspect in the learning of this challenge was for me how much of our ideas root themselves in our own experiences. I am a person very fascinated with trivia and find that as a means of entertainment, I also easily get overwhelmed in crowded situations, and I am fond of games. All of these aspects of me can be very clearly seen in my ideas, making them uniquely mine. This further can challenge the way we approach issues as we need to realise that my idea of "fun" might not align with other peoples.

Thinking of the sketching itself I feel it is very clear which sketches invoke a feeling, and the one most doing this is the person talking with the AI smiley. While it did take the longest to make, the there is no effort in details. The effort lies in feeling - where the feeling in this case is a crowded bus where people turn into silhouettes surrounding a person. They are just shadowy figures - easy to draw but also to enhance the feeling of crowd. With the same shape but a slight bit more detail it is easy to draw focus to the person in question, just adding eyes and some directional shadow makes them pop out from the image. The AI smiley also garners this effect being in a contrasting colour. There is a focus on the feeling rather than the direct function.

In comparison, every app design is simply a screen, as a hand holding it wouldn't add anything. And a scene of someone holding it would make it hard to see the details. These images may be more boring, but they show a more clear concept. The difficulties lie in fitting content on one screen, that on sketch is non-scrollable. The design is also left out, as words need to be bigger to be legible making the sketch dryer. The small elements making this type of sketch more friendly and fun could for example be the speech bubbles in a conversation, or the timer element in the quiz app. They don't necessarily affect the core content of the app, but they add to the feeling it is aiming to create.

Also sketching people/scenes is more fun than screens in my opinion, that reflective thought is also very individual perhaps but it makes it feel more fun for me. Perhaps because we normally in this society are very consumed by apps so the things outside them start to be more novel and keep our interest for longer.