Just discovered “Rhodium Plated Reed Switches” these switches are triggered by magnets, SO new plan, I’m going to fit these switches into the fingers of a pair of gloves, allowing me 8 contact points overall (I of course could have 10 but bear with me) on the thumbs I will wire in micro switches, these will be Ctrl and Shift buttons effectively giving me 24 buttons. The next thing I’m going to try and do is wire the optical sensor from a mouse into the palm of one of the gloves, and on the other a magnet, the mouse will give me the look around view and the magnet in the other palm will be used to trigger 4 more Reed Switches and these will give me my 4 directions.
Well that’s the plan anyway.
…and we do all love it when a plan comes together.
Reed Switches
and of course I realise that gameing gloves exist, hes a link to a top of the range pair:
Gaming gloves
But mine use both hands, and have an in built mouse...
Sunday 27 February 2011
A Couple of Things...
So a week away, ideas have moved on and also I’ve got some shiny new ideas, mostly inspired through conversations with people back home, when I was explaining the idea of this project. Very quickly the control system got a little out of hand, as well as a little out of my ability, but I was able to take away some ideas that I will be exploring this week.
1: I started looking at how an optical mouse works when I found this article that goes through step-by-step how a mouse works.
Hack'a'Mouse
There are also a few on how an optical mouse can be used as a scanner, but for the purposes of my plans I only need it be re-purposed slightly, I then started to think of the mouse a bit like the old roller balls on arcade games like Missile Command.
This coupled with directional controls that are still up in the air between being pressure pads and motion control (PIR) sensors, or even Infrared/ Phototransistor based.
There was even the idea thrown out of adding functionality with gestures, this I think could be worked out using tilt switches.
So at the moment the primary controls are looking a lot like being gloves/ gauntlet based, as the flatter the surface can be the better for the optical sensor. So the under side of these gloves will be reflective and made of pannels. On the top of the glove I will add a tilt switch that will allow the player a function (reload was one that was mentioned but the FPS elements might have to be dialled back in some ways) as well as a low resistance button near the thumb that can be used as a trigger. All of this would be set into one glove, and a second glove could be made to add even more functionality, using tilt and button switches.
The directional controls will either be a set of pressure pads on the floor or if I use motion detection, they will be mounted along side the optical element on a consol.
The secondary control system will still I think based on the giant harp idea, as I think that it can also be used to shape the look of the installation, but of course I could also create the secondary player a set of gloves with tilt and buttons to control the audio features.
Hopefully early designs will start coming out of my brain soon, or well that’s this week’s plan at any rate.
2: I’ve been feeding my brain with tasty, tasty Podcats this week, and the How Stuff Works podcast from Stuff You Should Know has really been a mental meal, the podcasters Chuck and Josh are knowledgeable and quite amusing, even if the article the podcast is based on is not one of their own they don’t just read out the article they do a lot of outside research highlight of the series for me was the episode on Quantum Suicide, as I am a nerd for that kind of thought experiment type physics. So a link to their blog and a recommendation.
Stuff You Should Know
1: I started looking at how an optical mouse works when I found this article that goes through step-by-step how a mouse works.
Hack'a'Mouse
There are also a few on how an optical mouse can be used as a scanner, but for the purposes of my plans I only need it be re-purposed slightly, I then started to think of the mouse a bit like the old roller balls on arcade games like Missile Command.
This coupled with directional controls that are still up in the air between being pressure pads and motion control (PIR) sensors, or even Infrared/ Phototransistor based.
There was even the idea thrown out of adding functionality with gestures, this I think could be worked out using tilt switches.
So at the moment the primary controls are looking a lot like being gloves/ gauntlet based, as the flatter the surface can be the better for the optical sensor. So the under side of these gloves will be reflective and made of pannels. On the top of the glove I will add a tilt switch that will allow the player a function (reload was one that was mentioned but the FPS elements might have to be dialled back in some ways) as well as a low resistance button near the thumb that can be used as a trigger. All of this would be set into one glove, and a second glove could be made to add even more functionality, using tilt and button switches.
The directional controls will either be a set of pressure pads on the floor or if I use motion detection, they will be mounted along side the optical element on a consol.
The secondary control system will still I think based on the giant harp idea, as I think that it can also be used to shape the look of the installation, but of course I could also create the secondary player a set of gloves with tilt and buttons to control the audio features.
Hopefully early designs will start coming out of my brain soon, or well that’s this week’s plan at any rate.
2: I’ve been feeding my brain with tasty, tasty Podcats this week, and the How Stuff Works podcast from Stuff You Should Know has really been a mental meal, the podcasters Chuck and Josh are knowledgeable and quite amusing, even if the article the podcast is based on is not one of their own they don’t just read out the article they do a lot of outside research highlight of the series for me was the episode on Quantum Suicide, as I am a nerd for that kind of thought experiment type physics. So a link to their blog and a recommendation.
Stuff You Should Know
Friday 18 February 2011
And Today's Lesson is...
So, after some internet searching I found the tutorial on how to take apart a Glade Automatic Airfreshener:
Hack'a'Glade
But I learnt more than I was expecting too:
ONE: If you do this:
To a product only to find that what is inside isnt exactly what you wanted, Wilkinson WILL NOT REFUND YOU. Lukily though the main circit is exacly what I wanted but the power source and actuators are not what Iwas looking for still its was a fiver and I now have a ready fabricated PIR sensor. Somthing tht would cost me arounf £12 from Maplins.
TWO: When testing unknown circuts ITS IS NOT a good idea to plug them in and then try and work out how they work, through poking and little or maybe a lot of proding.
THREE: 34p for terminal blocks! Wilkinsons ftw.
AND FOR MY NEXT TRICK
Inspired by this artical:
Musical Rope Sculpture
I've got a new idea for a switch, and am working on designs for a human/ computer interface that will resemble a harp.
Hack'a'Glade
But I learnt more than I was expecting too:
ONE: If you do this:
To a product only to find that what is inside isnt exactly what you wanted, Wilkinson WILL NOT REFUND YOU. Lukily though the main circit is exacly what I wanted but the power source and actuators are not what Iwas looking for still its was a fiver and I now have a ready fabricated PIR sensor. Somthing tht would cost me arounf £12 from Maplins.
 |
| PIR is on the left. |
TWO: When testing unknown circuts ITS IS NOT a good idea to plug them in and then try and work out how they work, through poking and little or maybe a lot of proding.
THREE: 34p for terminal blocks! Wilkinsons ftw.
AND FOR MY NEXT TRICK
Inspired by this artical:
Musical Rope Sculpture
I've got a new idea for a switch, and am working on designs for a human/ computer interface that will resemble a harp.
Thursday 17 February 2011
We Were Exploding Anyway.
While listening to Radio Protector by 65daysofstatic, I stumbled across a link to an article about the story behind the artwork for their newest album, We Were Exploding Anyway, and an article about how music effects art and artists I felt it was right to add a link to it here, if nothing else than to remind myself of the way in which, in this project certainly, but how in everything I do music is the common theme, and the driving force of my creativity. Right slightly pretentious ramble over, links:
Article:
We Were Exploding Anyway
Song:
Article:
We Were Exploding Anyway
Song:
Right... a word about the thing and flashy doo-dads. GO!
This blog isnt just about the creation of a (for a lack of a better word) "thing", I'm also developing along side this the concept for an iPhone (and other iOS devices) based game/app, that blends Augmented Reality, Augmented Sound, Interactive Fiction and Cybertext into one big flashy doo-dad.
So with the updates on the building of the "thing" will be updates about the flashy doo-dad. And this is the first of those.
So with the updates on the building of the "thing" will be updates about the flashy doo-dad. And this is the first of those.
 |
| First Design for the "Parallel" Logo |
 | ||
| Design for the Apps User Interface |
| So basically yay for the flashy doo-dads? |
16/02/2011
Started looking at ways to cheat my way around the IR switch, background light issue, and saw a link to a guy who was using Glade Automatic Air Fresheners as a trigger for a camera.
Link to the guys's site:
http://www.jcopro.net/2011/02/01/hacking-a-glade-automatic-spray-air-freshener/
next job is to get a hold of a Glade and a "triangle" screw driver.
Links to other sites where I have drawn some insperation:
www.hackaday.com
www.nerdkits.com
Link to the guys's site:
http://www.jcopro.net/2011/02/01/hacking-a-glade-automatic-spray-air-freshener/
next job is to get a hold of a Glade and a "triangle" screw driver.
Links to other sites where I have drawn some insperation:
www.hackaday.com
www.nerdkits.com
11/02/2011
I was given (and then purchased) an IPAC2 board, this is an arcade controller that essentially works like a keyboard the differences are that each of the terminals have a microprocessor that stops there being lag it also bypasses USB controllers not allowing 6 inputs at a time allowing for a verity of button presses, and key strokes.
I also after watching a video one creating a wearable Theremin was interested in the idea of hooking each of the terminals to and Infrared Switch perhaps creating my own version of a Theremin, and also being able to show the idea of Augmented Reality/ Sound the idea that human interaction could be used to alter music, I went and bought some components after reading up on some circuit board diagrams on the internet, and attempted to assemble some infrared switches, I encountered issues with background Infrared and this caused the switches to be suck on open, my other attempt at a switch used an infrared LED and a Phototransistor, I also included a 10k and 270ohm resistor to complete the circuit, after hooking this is I think I need a secondary power source to power the LED.
I am also planning to experiment with different ways of triggering the switches, developing touch, pressure, and tilt switches.
Video for the wearable Light based Theremin be warned these guys call them sleves "nerdkits" and they do not dissapoint.
I also after watching a video one creating a wearable Theremin was interested in the idea of hooking each of the terminals to and Infrared Switch perhaps creating my own version of a Theremin, and also being able to show the idea of Augmented Reality/ Sound the idea that human interaction could be used to alter music, I went and bought some components after reading up on some circuit board diagrams on the internet, and attempted to assemble some infrared switches, I encountered issues with background Infrared and this caused the switches to be suck on open, my other attempt at a switch used an infrared LED and a Phototransistor, I also included a 10k and 270ohm resistor to complete the circuit, after hooking this is I think I need a secondary power source to power the LED.
I am also planning to experiment with different ways of triggering the switches, developing touch, pressure, and tilt switches.
Video for the wearable Light based Theremin be warned these guys call them sleves "nerdkits" and they do not dissapoint.
Asked a Bit much of Blogger to upload TWO videos at a time.
Hand on Pad Shape goes Left.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Thought it might be a good time to talk about the music side of this project. The bands I'm looking at for inspiration are:
Explosions in the Sky:
65daysofstatic:
Moving Mountains:
I hope to enlist some collaborators/ friends at some point, becuase just me will get a bit stale, getting others on board will also give me a chance to work on my production skills, as well as give me more time for mixing and sampleing.
The plan is to create enought tracks that one player will be abole to direct another player around a maze using only musical cues.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Thought it might be a good time to talk about the music side of this project. The bands I'm looking at for inspiration are:
Explosions in the Sky:
65daysofstatic:
Moving Mountains:
I hope to enlist some collaborators/ friends at some point, becuase just me will get a bit stale, getting others on board will also give me a chance to work on my production skills, as well as give me more time for mixing and sampleing.
The plan is to create enought tracks that one player will be abole to direct another player around a maze using only musical cues.
8/2/2011
I got my hands on a keyboard and was asked why I wasn’t looking at using other input devices, I was given a set of pressure pads and hooked them up to the directional controls, and I then built a simple flash file that moved a shape around the screen.
[Above left: Attaching First Wire to the keyboard, Above right: First veiw of inside a Keyboard
Middle: First pressure pad is connected, Video 1: With my foot moving the shape onscreen to the right]
After playing with the professional pads I then started working on my own pressure pads.
I built them in varying shapes and sizes as well as different types of contacts.
[Above left: Attaching First Wire to the keyboard, Above right: First veiw of inside a Keyboard
Middle: First pressure pad is connected, Video 1: With my foot moving the shape onscreen to the right]
After playing with the professional pads I then started working on my own pressure pads.
I built them in varying shapes and sizes as well as different types of contacts.
1/2/2011
After talking to Dave I went away to start designing a control board using a keyboard as my primary input source. My original design was based on the old labyrinth games where the player moved a ball bearing through a maze controlling a platform that could move on either and X or Y axis, I was looking to try and design something similar but that would require a person to manipulate a series of plates each mounted on an X or Y, but instead of having rotating knobs the user would be required to stand on two foot plates and move the board using their balance and weight
I would then disassemble a keyboard and remount the contacts that I required at the points where each plate would make contact with the plate below.
My early designs for this were flawed because I wasn’t thinking structurally containing a platform in another small platform would mean that the materials I would have had to use would have not have been able to have any bend in them, this would make them brittle and susceptible to breaking.
My early designs for this were flawed because I wasn’t thinking structurally containing a platform in another small platform would mean that the materials I would have had to use would have not have been able to have any bend in them, this would make them brittle and susceptible to breaking.
Lots of Updates tonight.
Ignore the time stamps a little, I'll date the posts was they were written into my Production Journal.
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Bits of Wire and Stuff
Over the next few months I will embark on the Final Major Project for my degree in Games Design.
my areas of interest are music and story, i also i like building things...
So I'm going to create an installation, my vision for this a two player game where one player is lead through a maze by another using only musical cues. So for this is have had to evaluate my amateur electronics skills, as well as investigate what household objects i can "hack" to use in this project.
So as i pull apart Glade Automatic Air fresheners, and attempt to make an Infrared Theremin, then put all the knowledge into a finished game I'll be updating this blog, there is also a chance this random assortment of materials will create a Time Machine, and that means I've already finished and hopefully I’ll turn up any second to tell myself that I don’t need to worry about carrying on.... damn.
So no time machine, but still the assembly of random objects and components.
...there’s a small chance I’m not getting the deposit back on my flat....
my areas of interest are music and story, i also i like building things...
So I'm going to create an installation, my vision for this a two player game where one player is lead through a maze by another using only musical cues. So for this is have had to evaluate my amateur electronics skills, as well as investigate what household objects i can "hack" to use in this project.
So as i pull apart Glade Automatic Air fresheners, and attempt to make an Infrared Theremin, then put all the knowledge into a finished game I'll be updating this blog, there is also a chance this random assortment of materials will create a Time Machine, and that means I've already finished and hopefully I’ll turn up any second to tell myself that I don’t need to worry about carrying on.... damn.
So no time machine, but still the assembly of random objects and components.
...there’s a small chance I’m not getting the deposit back on my flat....
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