Project 4:Exhibition and Critique

We have had the last few days creating the exhibition presentation to enhance our work and display what our project 4 has been all about. For this we rented out some display lights to focus on our posters as well as a flat screen tv to display our experiment videos. We had to think about the first thing the viewers will look towards and what order of viewing we wanted them to go through. It was also important of the position of the cart so it didn't interfere with the presentation and for us to look at towards the end rather than the beginning.

Our presentation/exhibition

Overall I felt I should of had more input into how we positioned our posters on the wall and discussed more on what display features were used to make our work look more professional. I think we thought too much about what we needed in the presentation rather than how it was going to be presented. When presenting our work in the critique I thought we were able to talk about what was asked in the brief and explain those parts of it but did not take into account the preliminary reasoning of our work and how to contrast with how others might have seen our project as.

There was a few questions that were asked which may not have been answered in full detail which I had not anticipated on answering in the presentation, even if we had thought about these things and had already come up with reason behind them:

We found that creating an ice cream trolley as a way to fit into the city was less likely to attract attention because of it being more common in this urban area, even if Auckland is not big on food stands they would be less out of place compared to a wheelbarrow design or some of our other concepts for moving around a large car battery and jar of ice cream. If we were to experiment in rural areas than I would have been open for a more farm look, like the wheelbarrow design. I know that ice cream trolleys are used to help promote there sales but I still see them as cliched enough to stop me from thinking of it as more than just another food outlet on Queens street. The only moment I would want to walk over to a trolley selling food is when I am hungry, but since our experiment areas were largely based around other more appealing food shops it made sense that we could be blurred into the rest of the food industry without others looking twice at us. Our use of colours also made it less appealing and made it look like if we were selling food that it would not be in good taste. We really felt we wanted to get the right amount of being able to label us as part of the city to keep us inconspicuous, as well as looking dull and unappealing to stop attracting a public audience.

Our experiment in action with our different forms of data

The reason we included an umbrella mounted onto the side was for more practical reasons rather than a themed one. It was to protect the equipment from any seasonal weather as well as stop the unwanted sunlight that produces IR light. We wanted to get light sources from man made devices rather than our sun as this would not help with our meaning or outcome in results. We also did take it down for the night or indoor experiments. I also think it helped in labeling it as just another food outlet without bringing out too much attention to the trolley.

With relating our time based visual with the graph, it was to not only show what the IR camera was picking up but also how the LDR sensors would be transferring the data to the arduino board. We purposely put a LDR sensor beside the IR camera because we wanted them to pick up on the same IR. Also the time based visual is meant to relate to the environmental camera more than the graph. As well as the IR camera relates better to the graph then the time based visual. We could of just had the top two screens displayed but wanted the viewers to actually see the IR that the LDRs picked up and how it would compel that data into determining how much heat went onto the ice cream.

Project 4:Experimental Research

Over the course of our development in creating our project we needed to research other material to help in aiding a problematic solution to a number of our problems or to find ideas that could be used within our project. Here are a few of them:

At the beginning of our project we looked up what type of camera we wanted to use to detect energy, out of all the possibilities the closest one for thermal energy we found was from here. We discussed if this was a possibility to create but found it was at such a high risk of not giving the results we wanted that it would be advisable to look at alternative methods of energy detection. It also would take too long to get a result if this method was approached.





We were able to move onto making an infrared camera that looked to be able to supply an energy source and for a cheap price. It seemed to be possible to hack a webcam by opening it up and taking out a infrared filter and replacing it with a light source filter. There was a tutorial that helped us with getting this done efficiently and provided proof of a reasonable outcome. I found this research to be the most useful part to our project and was the first sign of us creating an elaborative idea. 

Coming up with a conductive element was a big setback for our project. Because of this we had to go into more research into creating this element. One of our findings was of using some wire to wrap around a small substance but after testing this it was not as useful as we had first hoped. I do not know how they have created a decent amount of heat from the device but for our project it came as an experiment that used up our valuable time. It also taught us a few things about electronics and may become as useful information later on with other experiments.

Project 4:Conceptual Statement

Conceptual Statement

The city is always alive. It conforms itself on surviving on us humans that live within in it. We use this city and drain it for all its life, from guiding us in the night to keeping us awake in the day. We do this without realising how dependent we are on it continuously operating and have become addicted to it without a sight of return. We can walk past food stands or bus terminals and do not think twice about what would happen to them if the city was to shut down and for all its energy was to vanish.

If we were to see the life of the city in a more obvious state, in a way that can bring all surrounding energy into our auxiliary equipment and have it diminish a life source slowly within time. This life source's survival will depend on the amount of energy that is in the area. The more energy there is the shorter the life span. The operator of the equipment will also be able to get a feel with the energy being transferred out of this life source because of the labour they will be encountering from moving the equipment. Once we test at different places and time we will see how much of the energy of the city that area is taking maybe we can become observant of the city we live in and understand the abuse of consumption being taken out of this life.

Project 4:Conclusion

I really feel i have thought a lot more about how I was to go about this project, taking more prethought into our development as well as researching all possible constructions for creating our equipment. Although sometimes my team could not comply on communicating when a problem was afoot we were able to discuss in depth into solutions and ideas of what all of us wanted to create and get a medium for a practical solution.

The development stage I felt to be very productive towards the start and end of the fabrication, but once that was complete it slowed down because of our misunderstanding on the roles each person was to perform in. This caused for parts to not be completed because it was accused of being the other members job.

Right now I can say our outcome for each visualisation has been successful to a degree of what our goal was. The sensors were a bit dismal but could still could pick up a certain amount of IR which effected the ice creams temperature and density.

Project 4:Part Six

Over the study week we have been able to tweak our trolley and the equipment so that it is set to a standard for our presentation. I was able to transfer most of the wires connected to the arduino board to underneath the interior surface and then into an ice cream container. The handlebars also have a more satisfying feel now that they are equipped with padded comfort.

Supa working on the program

When we tested once the arduino program was working we found that the vibrations of the trolley moving affected the jar containing the ice creams position causing it to fall over and default our test. The video camera and car battery also moved around which affected the quality of our recording. We began a quick brainstorm into what could keep them from moving without them becoming permanently stuck. The best solution was to use velcro that was not only cheap to buy but adaptable to all areas of surface.

Velcro!

http://www.mustknowhow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/6888dim-480x360mode-exact.jpg

To give the viewers an understanding at what is happening from the IR camera we wanted to show other versions of the city and let them contrast between them. We put in an environmental camera, this is filmed by one of us and is focusing on the operator and where they are directing around the city. We also have a MAX program displaying the data of the IR into a graph, this allows us to see where the most IR light is coming from.

Project 4 : Part Five

There is a few changes made to the interior part of our equipment. For a more relevant and meaningful use of time based visualisation we have changed the ice to ice cream as it relates the use of using an ice cream trolley and can be conceptualised as a source of energy. 
We have found a source of heat using a high powered lamp light to heat up the ice cream giving us a chance to use our original idea and keep with a varying element. Unfortunately the only way to keep the lamp high powered is using a car battery which is too powerful for the transistor connecting to the arduino board. So we are looking at possible ways to create our own dimmer switch or find one within the city to be able to change the amount of power sent to the lamp from the car battery. 

The umbrella size compared to the trolley

Since the presentation was coming up in a day we wanted to prepare for our presentation and show our work in a contextual manner. It did not look as if we were to have time for a test run recorded before Friday and instead will just record a visionary piece of ice cream melting from the lamp to give the audience an understanding of what will happen when we are to do proper testing.

Custom made dimmer switch

On the day of presenting we were able to connect the entire circuit together and display it with only minor visual aspects of the equipment missing in front of everyone. It still could not work from the sensors yet but as of the night before we were able to create a dimmer switch possible of working with the arduino and car battery. Now all we need to do is connect the sensors and insert them into the places on the trolley as well as make the interior parts more appealing to look at.

Project 4: Part Four

The fabricating Lee has done of the wood has gone to plan over the weekend. We now have a fully functional trolley with an exterior paint job. We are now facing the problems of finding a heat source strong enough to melt the ice that can also change value using an arduino board. Out of the research conducted a good source of creating a portable varying heat was from some wire wrapped around something connected to two AA batteries. After creating our own version and having an extensive amount of testing we were still unsuccessful with a right amount of heat to melt the ice.

The painting and cuts of wood done in the weekend

While Supa still worked on getting LDR sensors working under the colour filters and creating calculations from the arduino, Lee, Ben and I worked on other possible ideas to turn our time based visualisation to change its melting point up and down. There was suggestions of using steam to melt the ice but this I felt was not going to give a clear indication on a quality and accuracy in results. I also did not like changing our concept idea this far along in development.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0uk2F-xLls

This distracted us from presenting the trolley into a more aesthetic look. While we were able to construct wheels and an umbrella with holder, it still did not withhold value inside the trolley that looked very dull and messy. After trying for two days of testing without any sight of result or progression we decided that if we could not come up with a heat source possible of changing heat temperature then we would delve into one of the other concepts like the use of boiling water to create steam onto the ice.

Project 4: Part Three

We began our fabricating on the Wednesday of the fabrication week. We had to readjust the measurements of the original sketch that we handed in as it was over 20 meters of tubular steel. Not only would that have been to heavy but it was 8 times the amount we have been given. After making some sketches and working out some calculations we were able to cut it down to just under 8 meters by shrinking it to under half the size as well as removing some of the less important support pieces. This was still twice the amount but we were fortunate enough to trade with another group for our flat steel.

Redesigning the cart

We wanted to start welding as soon as possible in case their was another group wanting to use it, so we spent all of Wednesday and Thursday welding. By then we had a complete frame for our trolley that was stable and light enough to move around. With the welding we practiced on a few scrap pieces of tubular steel and to see who was the better welder out of me and Lee. Since Lee could spot weld better than I could he did all the first welds to fit the steel into place while I held it in place. This was useful because if we had made a mistake with a weld it would not be hard to remove the steel and redo it. Once the trolley was formed we were able to quickly go over all welds to finish them off and make them stronger.

Lee spot welding

The wood for the exterior of the trolley has had more problems. We had measured all sides of the frame of the trolley after it was put together and with these measurements we were able to conceive proportional sizes for the wood, unfortunately when the tutor we were with set up saw he set the leveler on an angle causing for 3 of our cuts to be off by at least 10mm. This was not a big issue because we planned for an overlap of the thickness of the wood which meant the pieces could still fit, they just would not be edge to edge cover. We have then chosen the best use to getting the wood reshaped, painted and drilled on is from Lee's house outside of 3D lab hours for the weekend. This will allow for it to be ready for next week where we can begin testing the equipment.

Using magnets to square the steel

Project 4: Part Two

We wanted to test out some of the techniques to see how well they would work with our idea. We got some interesting results. The infrared camera hack did not show the heat source that we wanted but rather picks up just the infrared light. We researched if it is possible to make a thermographic camera within budget but only found one that took a 60 second thermographic image for static objects. Instead we will continue with the infrared and produce data out of the infrared light in the city. It still produces something not seen everyday as well as fits in with our budget and part of our concept for seeing how much energy is being used around us. Another thing that we have had to change was using ice as a lens. It was a good concept but we could not make it clear enough to use with the IR. We also could give the same effect by having another camera focused on an ice cube that will be melting from a variable element.

The inside of our webcam. Hacked for IR

Our team has been productive over the second week, Lee and I have both been researching about materials as well as giving detailed reason behind what we are trying to show and what we will use to make the equipment. The trolley has been redesigned as a steel frame that will be covered with MDF wood as the exterior visualisation and base for holding the interior equipment. This is for a lighter and more efficient way to create it. The programming seems to be going well but instead of collaborating data from the camera itself we will use the arduino board that can detect the IR from light sensors with IR film layered over. This will allow the arduino board to detect the IR as well as change the heat value for the element. The SolidWorks sketches that Ben made look to be understandable as to the way we will make it for our equipment. I will find out if he needs any clarification on anything.

Project 4: Part One

We have been given a new program and a new project. It is definitely the biggest one so far production wise. It is also the last one before the end of semester and it has become clear which students have what skills and motivation that are useful for a successful team. The  Solidworks program is a very adaptable tool and will help in visualising for my project what is needed to create our equipment, it has not been the easiest one for me to learn in the two days of teaching but is something that will become a good skill to pickup for any future projects as well.

Changing what the camera focuses on

For my team I was fortunate to be placed with as a fabricator. This gives me an opportune time to enhance (or start) my welding and metal skills. I know a little from my mechanical engineering class a few years ago but nothing more than demonstrations. No one else from my team has had any welding experience either so this will be new territory for all of us. We will get the chance to learn and practice on welding a few days before we start to create the equipment.

 

Making clear ice cubes

My group have begun coming up with some ideas onto what equipment we want to create, we did this by getting a better picture and understanding into what is not seen by going into the city center square and looking around at possible choices and outcomes. Out of these ideas, we found that a big focus was singling out a specific feature using the camera and somehow displaying a result as physical evidence from that specific feature. From here, there was a big concept of using infrared to display heat signatures and then output it to an ice cube or ice lens that was melting from an element that is controlled using a program. This program will control the element by how much heat was being displayed on the infrared camera.

http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/vending.html 

The problem with this was that we still needed to create equipment to carry around the ice, camera, element and laptop. With in mind of this relating to ice as well as projecting energy and heat from the environment into the ice we thought an ice cream trolley would work because of the physical labour of moving the trolley around and the contents inside the trolley to be considered cold and emotionless.