Category: Spring 2024 – Aaron (Section 001)

CONCEPT:

For this assignment, I created an object detector using my shoes as the trigger by using the ultrasonic sensor for detection. When my shoes are within a specific range (within 20 cm), the red LED lights up, indicating that the object is close. As for the switch, it’s really simple,—an off and on switch to turn on the blue LED.

The area I’m most proud of:

Setting up the ultrasonic sensor to accurately detect when my shoes were within range wasn’t hard after all, but I didn’t realize I had to set like an accurate range because at first I set it high and it wouldn’t detect the objects accurately; it would just light up. I thought there was an error in the code or the wiring itself, but when I changed the threshold to a small number, meaning the objects had to be closer, it was more accurate. So the light lit up when my shoes were in the right spot.

Reflection:

Honestly, I received a lot of help from Amna, as at first I tried using the LDR, but I couldn’t get it right even watching YouTube videos. I still didn’t figure out where I went wrong, so hopefully I get to understand that more. Hence why I changed and used the Ultrasonic; as Amna understood it, she explained it to me, and I gave it my own twist.

https://github.com/nouraalhosani/Intro-to-IM/blob/c4c8dde35515a6d5f9771a0c6b308841baaeb59b/Sensor.ino

The video: (I forgot to record the switch but I promise it works!)

set up

Making Interactive Art: Set the stage then shut up and listen

I think the author makes a very important distinction between traditional art pieces and interactive art pieces by bringing up the importance of user interpretation within interactive pieces. When it comes to art, we would often want the viewers and users to have the same takeaways as we did when creating the project, however, the thing that sets interactive works apart is its ability to allow interpretation from people experiencing the piece instead of just being viewers of a story that is being told solely from the perspective of the artist. The essence of interactive works may be lost when we try to force 1 singular interpretation for it.

Physical Computing’s Greatest Hits (and misses)

The Article introduces many different hardware for physical computing which was very interesting to read about.  Each piece of hardware offered a different type of interaction between human and computers. For example, floor pads implemented buttons that you step on, much like arcade games like Dance Dance Revolution. The project Things to yell at is also very interesting to me. In general projects that is reactive and implements sounds are all fascinating to me, you hear things everyday, and its interesting to see how that is visualized.

Concept:

For this assignment, we were asked to control one LED in an analog manner and another in a digital manner. I chose to use a button switch to control one LED and a potentiometer for the other. For the digital component, I attached a button switch to my wallet’s card-ejection button so that whenever I try to access my credit card, a red LED lights up as a gentle warning to consider my spending. For the analog component, I connected a potentiometer to a blinking LED, allowing the speed of the LED’s blinking to be adjusted by turning the potentiometer. This setup demonstrates both analog and digital LED control in a creative, practical application.

Highlight:

A key highlight of this project is my approach to keeping the analog and digital circuits distinct from each other. By treating them as separate circuits, I chose to use the Arduino’s 5V and 3.3V power outputs individually powering the digital circuit with 5V and the analog circuit with 3.3V. Additionally, I set up each circuit on separate breadboards, which makes it easy to distinguish between the two and ensures a clear, organized layout. This setup not only reinforces the conceptual differences between analog and digital control but also simplifies troubleshooting and testing.

For the coding aspect of this project, I organized the code by designating separate blocks for the analog and digital controls, clearly separated by comments. This structure makes the code easier to navigate and understand, as each section is dedicated to controlling one LED independently.

In the blinking LED project, I utilized the map function, as we covered in class, to control the blinking speed with the potentiometer. By mapping the potentiometer’s analog input range (0–1023) to a delay range (e.g., 50–1000 milliseconds), I was able to adjust the blink rate based on the potentiometer’s position.

int led = 11;

void setup() {
 Serial.begin(9600);

 pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(A2, INPUT);

}

void loop() {
//controlling led with a potentiometer
    int sensorValue = analogRead(A1);
    Serial.println(sensorValue);

    // Map the potentiometer value (0–1023) to a delay time (e.g., 50–1000 ms)
    int blinkDelay = map(sensorValue, 0, 1023, 50, 1000);

    // Blink the LED at a speed controlled by the potentiometer
    digitalWrite(led, HIGH); 
    delay(blinkDelay);        
    digitalWrite(led, LOW);    
    delay(blinkDelay);         

//Controlling Led with a Button
int buttonState = digitalRead(A2);
if (buttonState == LOW) {
digitalWrite(13, LOW);
} else {
digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
}

}

Demonstration:

Digital Circuit

Analog Circuit

Concept:

The inspiration for this project came from a common issue in my home: my siblings often leave kitchen drawers and cabinet doors open after grabbing snacks. This habit leads to my cat sneaking into these spaces, where she can hide for hours. To solve this, I came up with the idea of creating a simple sensor-based system that alerts my siblings when they forget to close a drawer or cabinet. By using a light sensor, this system can detect when a drawer or door is left open and activate a notification, such as an LED, to remind them to close it. This project combines basic electronics with a practical problem-solving approach to keep both the kitchen organized and my cat safe.

Highlight:

The highlight of this project was developing a functional switch system that alerts users when a drawer is left open. I began by connecting a light sensor to a 10k resistor in a voltage divider circuit, which allowed me to monitor light changes accurately. I added a red LED and a green LED, each with its own 330-ohm resistor, connected to digital pins 10 and 11.

void setup() {
  // initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second:
  Serial.begin(9600);
  
  // Set pin modes for LEDs
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT); // Red LED
  pinMode(11, OUTPUT); // Green LED
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  // read the input on analog pin A2:
  int sensorValue = analogRead(A2);
  
  // print out the value you read:
  Serial.println(sensorValue);
  delay(1);  // delay in between reads for stability

  if (sensorValue > 600) {
    // Turn on red LED and turn off green LED
    digitalWrite(10, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(11, LOW);
  } else {
    // Turn on green LED and turn off red LED
    digitalWrite(10, LOW);
    digitalWrite(11, HIGH);
  }
}

Then, using code adapted from Week 9 lecture slides, I programmed the LEDs to respond to light levels: the red LED illuminates when the sensor detects that a drawer is open, and the green LED lights up when the drawer is closed. Finally, I mounted the light sensor inside the drawer and tested the setup. As designed, the red LED serves as an alert when the drawer is open, while the green LED confirms it is securely closed. This project successfully provided a practical solution to alerting users to close drawers, helping prevent pets from accessing open spaces.

Demonstration:

The utilitarian Design vs Aesthetics:

Norman,“Emotion & Design: Attractive things work better”
Her Code Got Humans on the Moon

In reflecting on Don Norman’s “Emotion & Design: Attractive Things Work Better” and the article “Her Code Got Humans on the Moon”, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the role of user-centered design, particularly in high-stakes environments. Norman’s insights on emotional engagement in design highlight how well-designed, intuitive products improve user experience, functionality, and even safety. This principle aligns with Margaret Hamilton’s story in the article, where her recommendation to include a warning note in the Apollo software was initially dismissed but could have prevented a critical error that later occurred.

Both Norman and Hamilton emphasize that design must go beyond the technical requirements and account for human unpredictability. In high-stress situations—such as a lunar landing or, more broadly, any critical application—users may act differently than designers anticipate. Hamilton’s experience reflects Norman’s point about designing not only for ideal circumstances but also for scenarios where things go wrong. This reinforces the importance of creating safeguards in design to prevent errors, support users under pressure, and mitigate risks, demonstrating that effective design is as much about empathy and foresight as it is about functionality.

In reflecting on how design impacts safety and usability, an example that comes to mind is the design of fire extinguishers. While essential in emergencies, many fire extinguishers are not immediately intuitive to use, especially in high-stress situations. The sequence—pull the pin, aim the nozzle, squeeze the handle, and sweep—may seem simple, but in a crisis, it can be easy to forget steps or become disoriented, particularly for those who haven’t received training.

These readings about Don Norman’s design insights and Margaret Hamilton’s crucial contribution to Apollo’s software development have two different but related effects on me. Resilience and creative thinking are crucial for overcoming both technological and cultural obstacles, as demonstrated by Hamilton’s voyage through the unexplored field of software engineering. Hamilton was not simply coding when she took on programming problems that would have jeopardized the mission; she was also breaking new ground under extreme pressure, proving that effective software design necessitates flexibility and foresight. Her story of having to model every system before takeoff emphasizes how crucial thorough testing is, particularly in high-stakes scenarios. This strengthens my conviction that strong design principles and a proactive approach to mistake handling are essential in any technical endeavor.

The way that Norman explores emotive design, especially his assertion that “attractive things work better,” offers an alternative viewpoint. His focus on how aesthetics affect usability shows that well-designed products enhance the user experience by adding emotional appeal in addition to functionality. The success of design frequently rests in its adaptability and alignment with user context, as demonstrated by his collection of teapots, each of which has a distinct function depending on the occasion and mood. His defense of balanced design principles—where functionality, aesthetics, and usability all coexist peacefully—particularly strikes me as thought-provoking. I find myself wondering how I can apply this balance to my own work so that beauty doesn’t come at the expense of functionality or vice versa.

The combination of Norman’s holistic design approach and Hamilton’s technological rigor serves as a reminder to me that when developing any interactive system, we should give equal weight to emotional resonance and functionality. I want to apply this combined emphasis on accuracy and user empathy to my own work, not just in this course, but in general.