Basically my idea was to create a 3D LED cube. My cube would use a motion detector to pick up movment which would then later trigger my LED's and make them light up. Not only would they light up but I planned to make my LED's light up in a pacific order. For example if you move you hand from right to left across the motion detector the LED's will light up from right to left and vice-versa. While doing this project I have learn't quite a few new skills. I have learn't how to solder to a high stander. My skills of coding has increased not by much but more then what I started. But one of the made skills I have learnt it how to design taking into account human computer interface. From now on I will away's take HCI into consideration when ever i'm designing something. All of these skill could be useful in the future. For example if I ever need to code or soldering something I will have an idea of what to do and wont be completely clueless. Also if I ever need to design something I will have my knowledge of HCI so I will take that into consideration while designing my product or what ever it is I am doing. Meaning I would come out with a much higher standard of outcome. There are both positives and negatives / things that have been successful and unsuccessful about my project. The main success was the new skill's I learnt which I can then use in later life. There was quite a big negative obstacle I encountered while creating my cube. To sum it up in one sentence it would be. Lack of coding knowledge. My lack of coding knowledge meant I wasn't able to complete the project I originally planned to do. This was because when I got to the final stage of my project after producing my cube and wiring it I needed to code my arduino. I thought this would be a simple task if I just followed a few basic tutorials and changed the coding slightly to suit my situation. I was very wrong my version of the arduino is a brand new model and the coding is different to the coding of almost every tutorial I looked at. This basically meant I could get my LED cube to light up but I couldn't get it to do anything apart from turn on and off. Although this meant I couldn't make my cube do much I still feel it was a useful project and would do it again. Saying that if I was to do it again I think I would stand a much better chance of completing my original idea / plan. This is simply because my coding skills have improved since then. If I was to point out the weakness and address the situation. I would simply practice more coding, weakness being my coding. But like I said before my coding has improved. I could do that or I could maby not set the standards of work so high. My project was a very challenging task and I didn't necessarily need to make it so hard for my self.
Here is my step by step guide how I made my 3D LED cube.
I started of by going out and buying all the materials I needed to create my cube.
Once I had everything I needed to get started. I started to construct a jig to hold my LED's in place so when I soldering the LED's didn't move around. I did this by drilling 9 holes into a bit of scrap wood which are 25mm apart from each other. This is so when I fold the LED prongs over they would only just overlap each other. So it looked like this:
After creating the jig it was time to start creating my cube. I put the LED's inside of the jig hole's to hold them in place. I then bent the negative prongs down so there touching each other. Once I had created the 3 layers of LED's I needed to solder them together. I did this by putting all the positive prongs up right and then soldering them together.
After creating the cube it was time to get on with the wiring. I started by soldering the cube to the piece of perf board. I then started soldering the resistors next to each of the LED's so it had one resistor for 1 LED meaning I had a total of 9 resistors for the LED's. I then added the three NPN transistors and a resistor next to each of them. Here is an image of what I have created. I was able to get the LED cube to light up but that's about it. When I linked up the arduino I couldn't get the coding to work properly. The arduino I was using was a newer version meaning it was very hard to find tutorials I could use for the coding and the old coding didn't work a lot of the time.
unit-57 idea proposal is to basically create something something using LED's and program it using an Arduino. I started of by looking at examples of images created by using LED's but I found although they are quite visually appealing there not quite interesting enough.
I wanted to create something that's more of a physical object as apposed to a 2D image.
So I started looking into 3D LED visuals. The first thing I saw I immediately fell in love with and I wanted to try and recreate. When I first saw the 3D LED cube's I knew it was going to be hard to recreate but not impossible. After a bit of research I found there were loads of basic tutorials which I could follow and although it would be time consuming it was pretty strait forward.
Another thing I found with the 3D LED cubes is that your not quite so limited as to what you can do. For example you can create 3D images as apposed to just the basic 2D images. You can also create
3D Videos with right coding, a little help from an Arduino and the right set of mind.
Here are two examples. The first being a video clip of a 2D LED video and the second being a 3D LED video.
As you can see there is a big difference between the two and I find the 3D a lot more visually appealing. Which is why im choosing to do a 3D cube and not just another 2D image.
I then decided to make my 3D LED cube editable by webcam. Meaning if I was to swipe my hand across the webcam the colour would change and mimic the hand movement. This would be the hardest part but once again not impossible. There are a fair few tutorials I might be able to follow.
After deciding want I wanted to make I got right to work on planning my LED cube. I started off by drawing up a very basic sketch of my cube. This sketch I would then use to refer back to when creating my cube.
What is human-computer interfaces otherwise known as HCI? Human-computer interfaces is the study of how people interact with there computers and to what extent are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings. A huge number of companies and institutions now study HCI. Usability is considered to be a huge buying point but some buyers will still say that the computer system developers don't take this into consideration a lot of the time. How ever computer system developers might argue that computers are extremely complex products to design and make and that the demand for the services that computers can provide has always out driven the demand for ease-of-use. Taking this into consideration HCI is becoming more noticed by the computer design developers and the HCI research is being used more often.
Two devices that are often studied are the mouse and keyboard used mainly for the PC.
People are always studying these devices and looking for new alternatives to use. One of the main alternative being used now a days is touch screen. The main reason for people choosing touch screen over a mouse and keyboard is once again use ability and looks which is one of the reasons for why HCI is so important.
Another topic under going a lot of research are video game controllers. For example there was a huge debate on whether the PS3 or Xbox360 controller was better and which was better for FPS (First person shooter) games. But in the end it really just came down to preference and what your used too.
Now a days you can buy or make your own modified controllers to suit you.
One of the most popular choices for a modded controller and seen all the time in competitive tournaments because of the advantages it gives you is the SCUF controller.
There are many things that make the SCUF controller a favourite when it comes to picking a controller. Here is a list of modifications and add-ons added to the SCUF that you don't get on an ordinary controller.
Back Paddles
– Available ONLY at Scuf Gaming, these are 2 paddles on the back of
the controller that can mimic any 2 of the face buttons! This enables
you to utilise 50% more of your hand in an ergonomic and natural way.
Get the advantage - Master Claw Technique without breaking your fingers
Adjustable Hair Triggers
– Another ONLY at Scuf Gaming design feature, weapon fire becomes far
more responsive, with each shot requiring just a tap. Every weapon
becomes more deadly and the triggers can be fully adjusted to suit
every type of player and game.
Trigger Stops(XBOX)
– Designed to prevent any unnecessary trigger movement after the shot/
aim has been initiated. Trigger stops save those precious split
seconds and are another must have feature for hard-core shooter gamers.
Hyper Sensitive Triggers (PS3)
– Almost every Game requires you to depress the triggers a considerable
amount before you actually initiate that movement. The SCUF PS allows
you to initiate a reaction immediately which reduces your reaction time
considerably. Even if you have quicker reactions than your opponents,
you will be hindered by hardware limitations. Our system means that your
quickness becomes your ally. Your skill will win or lose you battles,
and not your controller.
The Domed Sticks – Custom select either concave or domed shaped right and left sticks to add precision to your game play.
SCUF Grip
– Optional military grade anti-slip Grip Paint applied to the
underside of the SCUF controller. The Grip is particularly useful if
your hands get hot in game play!
Rotating D-PAD
– Available with some SCUF Controllers, we offer the option of the
Microsoft Rotating D-Pad. This Dpad rotated when you turn it so you can
have 2 different setting. We offer this option on The Radioactive Zombie
(Wired and Wireless
As you can see there are a lot of things that would make you want to choose a SCUF over a normal controller. Below shows two pictures of a modified SCUF controller
Another great example of human-computer interface's are what you can do with the LED's.
You can connect LED's up to each other to create objects and even create images if the lights are the right colour and shape. Here are two examples of whats capable with LED's and a creative mind.
Some people have been known to create or buy these LED works of art in there house's to use them as lights, ornaments and other house hold objects. As you can see above if done well they can be very effect and unlike the normal house hold ornaments.
Another example of how human-computer interface's are used is speech recognition. Speech recognition is used in a lot of devices now a days. You can use speech recognition to open apps on your mobile, turn on and off lights, write the text on google, emails and even word documents. You can even program your games so you can control your characters through speech. Ie. If you told your character to jump they would jump, move left they would move left and so on.
Some people might not always be able to use surton types of human-computer interface so its important to have alternatives. For example if someones blind they might need to use speech recognition to turn there music or write there work for them on word. Saying that you are now able to buy keyboards with braille on them so that blind people can type and write work without using speech recognition. Dr M Robinson says: "Speech recognition allows to use computer more quickly and effectively then before."
I don't agree with Dr M Robinson when she says it allows you to work "more quickly and effectively" for surten factors like clicking the mouse. As shown in the youtube video above it takes her 3 or 4 commands to click on an application where as I can just double click my mouse. Its much quicker for me but I can see how it would be quicker for people that are unable to function a mouse or keyboard.
One thing that I think could be quicker for everyone and not just disabled people is the speech to text function where you simply speak and it types it for you. This could be good for slow typers. Another brilliant thing is now "The program's are already built into Windows7". So no downloading and no hassle in order to get the program, you don't even need the Internet in order to get and use the program. All you have to do in learn to speech commands and that's normally down to common sense apart from the more obscure commands but that's only a matter of time
Along side speech recognition used to control things there is also motion detection. The way something is controlled by the users motion. The most popular motion detection product is the Kinect. The Kinect was created by Microsoft for the Xbox360. The reason for why the Kinect is so popular compared to offer motion detection products like the Wii is because the motion detection is so accurate. Even the smallest of movements can be picked up. But.. Not only does the Kinect have motion detection it also has speech recognition making it the ultimate HCI product. If your looking for a good example of how important HCI is when making a product there is no need to look any fervor. By the Kinect combining these to features its able to create the ultimate gaming experience for the players. Some players even clame they have lost weight after playing the sport's and more athletic games and others have said ''It feels like im actually there''.
One of the most common examples of HCI is in a mouse. A mouse has so many short cuts within it that are used to make using your computer quicker and more easily. The mouse is most commonly controlled used a mouse-ball or a laser. These will pick up the movement of your mouse and send it to your computer which will then make your cursor move on screen. This allows you to navigate around your computer quickly and easily. Another great feature on the mouse. Is the mouse wheel. Most mouses now a days have a mouse wheel. This is most commonly used for scrolling up and down quickly. You can also use it with in video games for changing weapons and throwing grenades ( scroll up, next weapon, scroll down, previous weapon and press in to throw a grenade). Some of the more advanced mouses come with side buttons. These are commonly used to get back and forward through webpages. But you can very often set these buttons to do anything. If your mouse comes with a mouse editor or mouse drivers you can install them and change the function of these side button's to do almost anything. The most commonly pressed button on your computer is the Close program or window button (X in the corner of the screen) So why not just change the side buttons to close the program or window. These are all features that the mouse designer has to thing about when deciding HCI.
