andresc – Tangible Interfaces http://mas834.media.mit.edu MAS.834 Sat, 12 Dec 2015 03:52:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://courses.media.mit.edu/2015fall/mas834/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/09/cropped-TIlogoB-02-copy2-32x32.png andresc – Tangible Interfaces http://mas834.media.mit.edu 32 32 Radical surface http://mas834.media.mit.edu/2015/11/03/radical-surface/ Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:38:24 +0000 http://mas834.media.mit.edu/?p=5033 Idea
A radical surface is a material that is flat in the XY plane and can rearrange itself along the Z axis. In other words, the shape of this surface is malleable and can be computationally controlled. Additionally, the surface contains sensors, so a computer can detect the shape of the surface when manipulated by a user.

radical_surface

Potential applications
-A monitor that can move as it displays content.
-A map visualizer in 3D.
-A keyboard that provides haptic feedback for mobile devices.
-?

Implementation thoughts
Perhaps the technology from Unimorph can be used to build a radical surface. By dividing a unimorph surface into a mesh, the shape of the entire surface could be controlled by actuating specific segments of the mesh.

]]> Pneumatic touch feedback http://mas834.media.mit.edu/2015/09/29/pneumatic-touch-feedback/ Tue, 29 Sep 2015 06:27:20 +0000 http://mas834.media.mit.edu/?p=4614 I’m going to list two ideas:

1) Providing touch feedback for touch screens

Touch screens are flat and lack touch feedback. In particular, touch screens rely exclusively on visual feedback to convey meaning to the user. Providing touch feedback could make it easier for users to interact with a phone or tablet. While not scientific, I find it helpful to compare my speed and comfort while typing on a tablet vs. typing on a keyboard with physical buttons. I hate typing on a tablet.

The idea is to build a prototype for a tablet that provides touch feedback with pneumatics. If the tablet shows a button,  the button would rise to indicate that users can press on it. Since pneui is not transparent, I believe it’s best to prototype this idea with a projector that casts an image on a panel.

2) A jamming camera tripod or light fixture

I have a light that is clamped to my desk . Positioning it properly is a nightmare. Spring based mechanisms are just not flexible or accurate enough for this situation. A similar problem is that of positioning a tripod to a desired composition. Both of these mechanical components could be replaced by a jamming interface. The tripod, for instance, would be flexible until users press a button when the desired composition is found, after which the tripod would jam an freeze in the current setup.

sketch

]]> Andres Calvo http://mas834.media.mit.edu/2015/09/21/andres-calvo-2/ Tue, 22 Sep 2015 03:37:42 +0000 http://mas834.media.mit.edu/?p=4296 Hey! After finishing my undergrad in computer science, I worked as some sort of mobile app developer. I initially became interested in design to compensate for a tendency to make terrible user interfaces, but I eventually acquired a taste for design in and of itself. I am interested in merging design and development to create engaging user experiences, and I appreciate both practical and artistic applications. Though I’ve mostly worked with pixels, I am really interested in learning about the potential of tangible limitations to overcome the limitations that are inherent to a flat screen. I hope to build fun projects throughout this course and to be able to add a star (or at least half of one) to my “fabrication & craft” skills.

tldr; In this class, I want to build cool projects at the intersection of art and technology.

☆☆☆☆Fabrication & Craft
★★★☆ Design
★★☆☆ Electronics
★★★★ Programming
☆☆☆☆ Biology
☆☆☆☆ Chemistry
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