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Interactive Dynamic Piece - No Physical Contact Required

This is one of three pieces in The Three Sisters set I've been working on - for what seems like FOREVER. Like the other two, it uses a small, battery powered, programmable micro-computer to control its "behavior".

A small unobtrusive sensor (a Light Detecting Resistor) is incorporated in the finial. When a shadow falls on the sensor / detector the "controller" senses the change and turns on a special type of light emitting diode (LED). This little puppy has THREE different little LEDs built into one lens - Red, Green and Blue - RGB. Each of the three LED's brightness can be set to one of 255 levels - 0=off, 255 = max brightness. So - with a little programming magic - it can put out any color in the visible spectrum.

So, this piece sits there looking like a normal static hollow form with finial - and some little surface decorative "beads" around it. But when a shadow passes over its finial it goes into Display Mode - the little beads begin glowing - and changing colors. Shadow goes away - the beads stop glowing - the piece returns to being a normal static turning.

I shot the video with day light coming through windows on three sides so I had to cup my hand over the sensor to shade it. If the piece were top lit the sensor would be triggered from farther away - say by leaning over the piece examine it.

Working with these micro-computers / "stamp controllers" was just a wee bit trickier than I thought it would be. With just ONE controlled "component" things are easy. With two controlled components it still isn't that tricky. To get them to work together - the way you want them to work - well THAT can get tricky - IF timing is important - for generating a tone at a specific pitch - or tones whose pitch changes based on what a "sensor" is seeing, feeling or hearing. I'm working on a bunch of web pages about this "stamp controller" thing that hopefully will make things easier For The Next Guy - or Gal.

Will be posting links to the Youngest Sister and the Oldest Sister in the near future - hopefully.

Here's the link to the YouTube vid of this one

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comments, questions, constructive criticism welcomed.

Reply to
charlie b
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Can you build in an on/off delay?

BTW, very Cool!

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

How about Three Fingered Jack? The Sisters are North, Middle and South.

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

Sure. But that would make Cause & Effect less clear and I WANT a "viewer" to intentionally interact with the piece - to literally play with - and play with the light.

With this piece, I could eliminate the sensor on the finial and just have the LED go on and off at random intervals and do different "displays" each time. While that would keep the "dynamic" part of dynamic interaction, it'd eliminate the "interaction" element.

The idea of randomness is interesting. When I finish The Three Sisters set I think I'll look into using that idea.

Lot's of possibilities when you have light and sound to play with and can program their behavior. Adding a sensor to trigger things does add an additional element to pieces though.

Reply to
charlie b

No, I mean a delay before it goes off, or a 1-3 second delay before it goes on. I'm thinking about a small puzzle for the viewer.

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

Sure. You could program it so that until sensor #1 has been triggered, sensor #2 won't be activated. Once sensor #1 & 2 have been activated another function could be activated. That function could activate a servo which could pull a bolt back, allowing a door to be opened.

Interesting idea, using the controller for a puzzle. Thanks.

Reply to
charlie b

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