Making Toys

Updates from February, 2009 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Yury Gitman 2:56 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Prototype 3 

  New iteration of the the time passing LED prototypes. Definitely getting very close to a finished product this time around. Doubled the amount of LEDs, used white spray paint as a diffuser (MUCH better now 🙂 ), and adding some circular masking elements. I can now see what the final iteration will be and I think it will be cool.

  http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3299828&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1
  Time Passing LEDs v0.3 from Steve Varga on Vimeo.

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  Yury Gitman 2:41 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  LED Passage of Time – Prototype 3 

  On this prototype a majority of my time was assembling the little structure that supports all of the leds over the arduino. I had to figure out how to allow all of the lights to shine on the outer shell, without casting shadows and still have access to the arduino. I built a small platform that supports all of the leds and places them over the arduino while, facing them to the middle height of the outer shell. The yellow led in the center is a 360 white led and gives great diffusion. The inside of the container is diffused using white spraypaint and works well in hiding the guts. I think that combining this iteration with my last one will be my next step.

  

  http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3299695&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=ff9933&fullscreen=1
  LED Passage of Time — Prototype 3 from Nick Hardeman on Vimeo.

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  Yury Gitman 2:21 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  :::Fun with switches::: 

  
  
  Fun with switches link

  Where to buy your witches:

  • Sparkfun is great for mini switches
  • For a nice variety of switches go to All Electronics
  • Heavy duty switches can be found in K&M Parts
  • Newark also has a large selection of switches

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  Yury Gitman 2:16 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Library Research 

  My library research yielded several results of time based media.

  The first example I found was featured in the book "Type in Motion 2" by Matt Woolman.

  The featured project is entitled "Industorious Clock" and is by Yugo Nakamura. This site can be still viewed online at http://www.yugop.com/ver3/stuff/03/fla.html, despite being created in 2001. I think the fact that this site is still relevant and impressive in a time where projects quickly becoming outdated looking speaks to the quality of the project. As you can see by viewing the site, the time is drawn by hand in video format, and then quickly erased. As the time moves towards greater increments (seconds to minute to hours etc) the motion becomes almost beat-like, creating a hand drawn animation of time.

  "Circular Breathing" is an installation work by Gary Hill created in 1994. The book "Seeing Time", a group of excerpts from the Pamela and Richard Kramlich Collection, describes the works functionality as such:
  "In Circular Breathing, sound is a constant presence that unites a series of fleeting images inside a visual and aural circuit. Five large black-and-white images appear sequentially, from left to right, across a wall of the gallery. As each successive image appears, its speed, and the speed of the sound, is "shared" with the previous ones, until all five images reach an almost photographic stillness, ground to a halt and blurred by the heavily slowed-down sound. As the last image slides off to the right, the sounds resumes its original speed, until it is replaced by another, full-speed sound and a sharp image, both emerging from the left. "

  The video speed and motion reflects the breathing patterns of a human being, and the immersive video slowly begins to engulf the viewer as their own circadian rythms begin to sync with their environment. I think this use of the bodies built in timing as a means of expressing the passage of time is a great and really creative.

  Here's a video of it I found online:
  http://www.sfmoma.org/multimedia/videos/219

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  Yury Gitman 2:15 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Student Presentation #2 – Cecelia & Kirsten 

  (Press pause to see each slide individually)

  Download StudentPresentation2_Cecelia_Kirsten

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  Yury Gitman 12:51 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Passage of Time / Ira Goldberg 

  After a very long night of work and burned fingers I finally finished  this new iteration.
  I've tried to create a group of sheep (3) and make them blink on count. It turned out much more complicated then I thought it might be. The problem was the arduino board, I really wanted to hide it. Originally I just wanted to have separate 3 sheep. But the arduino board is still there, maybe if there is a way to make it wireless…
  Eventually at 6:00am when it seemed to be finished, that is how my arduino board looked like:

  
  
  I had so many wires and resistors, and they all got so messy, It was almost impossible to deal with.

  So I decided to start over. I minimized the number of pins that I use on the arduino board by using a lot of serials connections. This is the final board:

  

  And this is how my Counting Sheep Prototype looks for now:

  
  
  

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  Yury Gitman 12:34 pm on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Telegraph – 2/13/09 class paper 

  What were the specific technical issues referring to wire and resistance, that presented the early telegraph to be wired directly, coast to coast. What solution finally worked? Illustrate how that works, allowing coast to coast telegraph communication.

  The longer the wires, the more resistance they have. More resistance – less current flows. The usage of thicker wires or higher voltage lowers the resistance but it still was limited to a couple hundred of miles.
  The solution was a relay station; that uses electromagnet as a switch, which, activates by current and resends the message further (by an amplified current).

  

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  Yury Gitman 11:15 am on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Code class paper 

  What were the specific technical issues (refering to wire + resistance) that prevented the early telegraph to be wired directly coast to coast?

  What solution finally worked?

  Illustrate how that works, allowing coast to coast telegraph communication.

  
  

  The thicker and long the wire, the less resistance it has. This is why wires can't be extended indefinitely.

  When the telegraph was created, the solution found for a long distance communication was having human relays, that stayed all day in a box in the middle of nowhere receiving and sending back messages to be delivered. At a certain point, they discovered that a human being wasn't necessary for the message to go through, because a single piece of wood attached to both the sounder and the keys was a good mecanism to type the message. 

  The key is composed by wires and electromagnet for the current to go through. People finally discovered that the electromagnet emitting current could be used to trigger a switch everytime it was on.

  
  

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  Yury Gitman 11:02 am on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Time pieces 

  1. Online projects

  John Cage: 4'33'' for piano (1952)

  Musique piece that lasts for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The piece is silent. Time sets the rhythm, and is t the major component of the music.

  Peter Fischli and David Weiss: "The way things go" (1987)

  A beautifully orchestrated chain reaction with common objects. Each elements gives life to the next one.

  2. Projects from books

  Marepe: "Veja Meu Bern" (2007)

  
  

  Displacement is an important element of this piece. Created to last only two days at Tate Modern's turbine hall, it illustrates the ambiance of a brazilian funfair.

  Cai Guo-Qiang: "Head on" (2006)

  
  

  

  
  

  "My installations have consistently pursued a temporal fluidity, in contrast to the stylistic freedom I allow myself. However, my works in essence contain these characteristics: a participatory nature and a flow of time".

  Cai Guo-Qiang
  

  3. Toy Fair

  Fascinations

  
  

  Although I really don't like its black box design, I enjoyed the system on this clock displaying time and messages in the air. Using persistence of vision, the clock appeared magical.

  Shailie

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  This design doesn't include technology, but it is a smart way for girls to develop their creativity, power of decision and their taste.

  The cute little dress form comes with a plain white dress, and then girls pick up fabrics and accessories to create their princess dress.

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• 

  Yury Gitman 10:08 am on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  Time pieces 

  1. Online projects

  John Cage: 4'33'' for piano (1952)

  Musique piece that lasts for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The piece is silent. Time sets the rhythm, and is t the major component of the music.

  Peter Fischli and David Weiss: "The way things go" (1987)

  A beautifully orchestrated chain reaction with common objects. Each elements gives life to the next one.

  2. Projects from books

  Marepe: "Veja Meu Bern" (2007)

  
  

  Displacement is an important element of this piece. Created to last only two days at Tate Modern's turbine hall, it illustrates the ambiance of a brazilian funfair.

  Cai Guo-Qiang: "Head on" (2006)

  
  

  

  
  

  "My installations have consistently pursued a temporal fluidity, in contrast to the stylistic freedom I allow myself. However, my works in essence contain these characteristics: a participatory nature and a flow of time".

  Cai Guo-Qiang
  

  3. Toy Fair

  Fascinations

  
  

  Although I really don't like its black box design, I enjoyed the system on this clock displaying time and messages in the air. Using persistence of vision, the clock appeared magical.

  Shailie

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  This design doesn't include technology, but it is a smart way for girls to develop their creativity, power of decision and their taste.

  The cute little dress form comes with a plain white dress, and then girls pick up fabrics and accessories to create their princess dress.

  Rate this:
   
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  Yury Gitman 12:35 am on February 20, 2009 Permalink | Reply  

  another eye/ear-candy piece }o.0{ 

  1000s of LEDS, smooth sounds and great visuals! enjoy.
  

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