michelle li » kinetic

MIT’s Recompose Concept

admin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:27:58 +0000

MIT Media Lab’s Tangible Media Group have developed Recompose, an experimental touch interface that provides tactile feedback.

Recompose is a new system for manipulation of an actuated surface. By collectively utilizing the body as a tool for direct manipulation alongside gestural input for functional manipulation, we show how a user is afforded unprecedented control over an actuated surface.

Made up of motorized tiles that pop up/down, the 3D interface can be directly manipulated by pressing down on the tiles or simply using gestures by waving your had over various areas of the surface, which move in response to your input. The feedback is a 3D visualization of the user’s physical interaction with the tiles. A camera and projector, combined with computer vision are used to recognize and understand the language of the physical interactions.

via Fast Company

Inspiration: Math Marbles

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:15:03 +0000

In researching various forms of play, uses and applications involving marbles, I came across a nifty marble calculator. Not only does it really add binary numbers, the playful visualization and sounds make it a wonderful little contraption. Brilliant!

iSerendipity Interactive Lounge

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:00:46 +0000

During my Embedded Interaction workshop with Michael Fox, we were immersed in a group project to design an interactive environment demonstrated with a kinetic model. My group came up with the concept of an ambient space called iSerendipity:

iSerendipity is an ambient lounge that enhances mood, sociability and interactivity among people. Organic-shaped pods float amongst each other through space and light up once a person steps on. These pods detect the activity levels of people on each pod and drift through space, either isolating people for contemplative reflection or clustering active groups to enable chance encounters – serendipity. Pod lights are time- and context- sensitive: initial activation of a pod stimulates a glow that intensifies over time and colour hues change according to activity levels. The exterior façade displays the harmonious movement and colour intensity of each pod as aesthetic visual information to passersby.

Videos of iSerendipity’s interaction points in motion

See the process blog here.

Kinetic Pine Cone

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:29:44 +0000

In considering the movement of organic opening and closing I decided to base my kinetic design on a pine cone. Below are some studies of the movement, and ways in which I could make a simple working prototype in less than 2 days. Initially I tried to use the structure of an umbrella as a basis for the motion of pushing upwards and outwards. I took 3 umbrellas and disassembled them in an attempt to extract the runner and stretchers to layer them atop one another. It turned out quite messy and just short of disastrous, and I realized it would be impossible to make it work in less than 24 hours. In the end I employed a simpler method of using a cardboard tube with arm pulleys sticking out of the core and a centre core moving the pulleys when being pulled upwards.

Biomimetics

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:42:25 +0000

I just started a new course this week called Embedded Interaction with Michael Fox, who specializes in interactive architecture. For our first exercise we’ve been asked to build a kinetic structure inspired by nature or biological systems (also known as biomimetics). We can draw examples from plant tropism, bird wings, spiderweb structure, etc. For example, Velcro was invented after the engineer, George de Mestral, realized the hooking mechanism of burr to his dog’s fur.

Interesting examples for consideration:

jellyfish

weeping willow

pinecones will close when warm and dry but close in cold and damp conditions

Although this project won’t involve motors or gears our later projects will. Flying Pig is a basic useful resource for future reference.