by Meghna Sharma
This project, mixed signals?, is inspired by non-verbal communication methods within any relationships between beings. With humans, many point to body language - especially posture, body angle, eye/eyebrow expressions, and hands. With this project, I sought to mimic some of these forms of communication to create an emotive yet funny design that users can interact and connect with.
Mixed Signals? consists of a ‘housed’ ultrasonic distance sensor to gauge distance of user, 3 RGB LED lights to signal emotion via light color/pattern/frequency, and an actuation system (servo motor, a crank, and a rocker) to move mixed signals closer or farther to the user depending on how its feeling with its interaction.
When the user is 30+ cm away, Mixed Signals? is flashing neutral white lights.
Upon being 15-30cm away, it maps the distance to change the flash speed and green light intensity, drawing the friend to come closer and expressing more excitement.
Upon being 10-15cm away, it begins to randomly express dots of pinks and purples, conveying more excitement and ‘giddy-ness’.
Upon being 5-10cm away, it starts to change the brightness across the 3 LEDs in a red color, almost like a pulse. This is supposed to draw the user in to the final distance and show its affinity for the user.
Finally, when touching (1-5cm away), it starts doing waves of pink and red. But then, it moves away. Confusing! It was showing signals of excitement but then moves away when you get the closest.
But then, when you get offended and move back to 20+cm away, it comes back to you, the final display of mixed signals.
Iteration 1
Initially, I was inspired to make a sound-reactive light system that could accompany songs and music sets. After digging into the need for expensive amplifiers, microphones, sounds vacuums, and relays, I added an ‘already have’ material constraint to my project being the first one in the semester. I then pivoted to what else light could react to: people!
My first iteration was inspired by the Sistine Chapel, where a pointing finger body would have a distance sensor underneath it and 5 LEDs to play reactive light shows above it, covered by film or some softening material.
Iteration 2
After counting the pin capacity of my Elegoo board, I downsized my LED count to 3.
I also was inspired by our kit’s preexisting servo motor to have this hand move forward and backward, as hands conventionally do upon greeting (a key nonverbal communication method). I envisioned two servo motors driving a crank linkage that sends a rocker linkage forward and backward with the device.
I still wanted to house the ultrasonic distance sensor to be a component people naturally would interact with, without my instruction, but wanted to stick with my supplies and ideated a friendly cardboard box housing instead.
Final Iteration
