Setup and Motors

Last night and early this morning I worked on figuring out exactly how much wire I will need for the project.  I drew a diagram of my planned LED setup and it wasn't too bad. (150 ft of 18awg and 200ft of 22awg)  Next I started to draw the motor setup and realized that I would also need to calculate the amount of wire going from the chips to the place in the motor circuits.  This ended my hope of having 96 motors.  I only calculated the closest 20 motors to the arduino and I was already at 46 ft.  I decided to stop there and figure out a more realistic approach. After talking with Wayne, I've decided to start with just 27 motors.  They will be able to be controlled by just the Arduino Mega.  This will solve my microchip problems as well.  Once I get this setup working I may move on to more motors depending on if  it is necessary for the aesthetic.  Since I only need 27 motors now I decided to buy the more expensive motors.  The power supply will only need 6.75 amps and it won't end up costing that much more.

Motors and 595 chip

The motor schematic has worked flawlessly.  Two motors have stood out as the most efficient and cost effective.

1955669 (canon)

1810099

The second motor is less expensive than the canon and requires much fewer amps at maximum efficiency, .06 compared to .25.  It also has quite a bit less torque 14.8 g/cm compared to 34.8 g/cm.  To run the 96 motors I am planning on using it would only require 5.76 amperes at 12volts.  The canon would require 24 amps.  Although this may seem like a given, the second motor is cheaper and would require less amperes but it doesn't appear to be as high quality.  I have until Monday to make my final decision.  That is when I order the first set of parts.

I haven't had as much luck with the 595 chip.  I tried several times today to get it working with just LED's but the communications between the arduino and the chip just aren't working.  I'll try again tomorrow.

Communication between Arduinos

I knew I was going to need more than one arduino in order to control the planned 96 motors for this project but I wasn't entirely certain on how I would go about communication.  I need to work with processing to get the Kinect data to work but I also need to use arduino environment in order to send data to the 74HC595 chip. To prevent writing my own basic communication into the processing and arduino code I will try using this I2C.

I2C between Arduinos

Pixels in an Array

Inspired by Making Things See book

I am so pumped for this project!  I've been reading the Making Things See book that I bought earlier this week and it's giving me so many good ideas.  Once I build the LED/Motor grid there will be so many opportunities to explore through Processing.  The grid will be a medium for me to explore all sorts of interactivity.  It's really exciting!  I hope I have time after I get the grid set up to experiment with the code.

Parallel Open Activity

I went over a quick review of what happens in a parallel circuit when branches are open.  I was worried that if I had only one motor running it would receive all the current from the power supply because the other motors would be open circuits.  Luckily, opening a branch circuit reduces the total current so each motor will always receive the same amount of current.

Here's the link:
Opens and Shorts in a Parallel Circuit

Kinect to Processing

I have literally never experienced something so frustrating, there are dozens of websites explaining this and not a single one worked.  After at least six or seven hours of attempting to install the right drivers and version of OpenNI I found out that I needed to redownload processing in the 32 bit version and the 32 bit versions of OpenNI.

Today I bought the Making Things See ebook and it has been extremely helpful.  I am now working on getting one motor controlled by the depth received by the Kinect.  Tomorrow is the critique so hopefully it works.

Motor Control Setup

This is the first motor setup I will test

Schematic

Contract

Michael Fox
Contract

BFA Exhibition 2013

            The piece I will create this semester will encompass everything I have learned throughout my art career thus far.  It will represent where I am as an artist and will hopefully lead me into further development of my technical skill and conceptual ability.  I have become obsessed with interactive art, it entrances me unlike any other genre/type of art and so I hope to create that same obsession in others this semester.  It will be one installation and I will make it as large scale as I can afford and am allowed.

            I would like my BFA Exhibition to be a text on parallel worlds. Throughout history many people have believed in multiple worlds, worlds that we cannot not see or interact with but yet they exist and sometimes they affect our lives.  I would like to bring this topic into the mind of the user and make them question how and when in their own lives they may have been affected by forces outside of what we can perceive.

            The piece will use a grid of LED’s to create a blanket over the user.  It will represent the barrier of worlds.  When the LED’s move vertically it will appear as though something is pushing them towards the viewer from the other side.  On the floor will be mirrors to reflect the image of the LED ceiling.  They will also make the space seem larger to the viewer.  The mirrors on the floor will represent another barrier of worlds.

            The final format will be a 12 x 8 foot LED installation 14 to 8 feet off the ground.  An aluminum frame will hold all the motors and circuitry and will also support the LED’s and their wires.  The computer and microcontroller for processing will be near the nearest outlet and wires will be cable-tied/taped to nearby poles/walls/floors for ideal cable management.

List of Equipment needed:

-Drill Press

-Hand Drill

-Hack Saw

-Soldering Iron

-Electrical Tape

-Wire Cutters/Strippers

-Stainless Steel Hanging Wire

-Power Supply (voltage and amp currently unknown)

-Arduino Mega

-Kinect (ordered)