Arduino system

2019

The project introduces the relationship between humans and the exterior environment, to human and interior environment, to human and its needs, to human and its state. The output of the project stands in creating a correlation between humans and space. A correlation that results in better mental and physical health and more pleasant and interactive architecture for the user or viewer. 

The project seeks to create a relationship between the user and the interior spaces of the building. The idea is to create a space that works for you, for your needs, and for any physical limitations. For example, different people have different heights, so not all of them need a window that is 35 inches in height from the ground. A place that works for people based on their needs. A door that opens when you approach it, at the right level of your height. A wall that creates an opening, a window, right at your eye level. The space moves while you move. It is an interactive architecture that responds to people's movements and their respective conditions. The project tends to satisfy the user on different levels. The project extends to designing private spaces, inside the interior, based on the user mood, humor, and needs. For example, if a person wants to read a book in their own personal space without being interrupted or watched, they can make space work for them. The column comes down and surrounds the person. The person is in control of the space. They can angle it, lower it, directed to a certain view, or merely putting it all the way down. The column is an element that comes down when you need it and goes up when you leave the place. The column size depends on how many people want to use the space and for what reasons. The columns can be used as meeting space, interviews, conference room, lighting fixture, etc. The place can be programmed before the user gets into a certain location. The place can be designed through a smartphone before the event happens, or it can be designed while you are already inside the building.

The collected data of the project is the height of the person, the movement of the person, the physical location of the person, the sun location and the manual digital input. After analyzing all the above, the project applies solution based on adaptive systems mechanisms. The door opens and closes, by using a variety of bobbins sizes to archive a parametric distributions, called complex pulley system. A rotations that makes possible a curtain to open and close. The pulley system can be placed on top of the ceiling or underneath the floor. The mechanism that makes possible the column to extend and contract is the same pullies system, but the relief point comes from the quality of the fabric, flexible and elastic. The column element has the capacity to change lights based on the strip of LED surrounding the top part of them. The private space can be adjusted in terms of configuration and lights.

The project follows a group of application until its function. The motion sensor senses the person approach, which sent the signal to the Arduino system. The Arduino is connected to the Breadboard that works as a storage and to the power supply. The Arduino system and the Breadboard work together in order to send the command to the servos to start rotating. While the dowel rotates the curtain lifts up, pulled by threads attached to the pulley system.

In conclusion, the project is an interactive architecture that seeks to create more comfortable living spaces for the users. The methods applied to the project involve computers, humans, applications, systems, coding, the exterior and interior environments, as well as the applications of Internet of Things.

Date: Spring 2019

Location: Pullman, WA

Project Partners: Janelle Dixon, Terrance Steelman, Hojun Kotsia, & Melina Wiitanen

Photo Credit: Janelle Dixon, Terrance Steelman, Hojun Kotsia, & Melina Wiitanen