13. Applications and implications¶
This week our task was to “propose a final project that integrates the range of units covered, answering:
- What will it do?
- Who’s done what beforehand?
- What materials and components will be required?
- where will they come from?
- How much will it cost?
- What parts and systems will be made?
- What processes will be used?
- What tasks need to be completed?
- What questions need to be answered?
- What is the schedule?
- How will it be evaluated?”
Each question in answered in turn as follows.
1. What will it do?¶
The project I am working on is a kinetic art installation. It will have molded rain drops connected with motors through a string and the motors will raise and lower them forming different animations. This can be installed at various places like bars, pubs, hotels etc as an artwork.
2. Who’s done what beforehand?¶
I saw this in a youtube video. I was very fascinated with that and decided to make one. This is installed at Singapore’s Changi Airport.
The installation consists of two separate segments, installed several meters apart. Each segment consists of 608 copper-plated aluminum raindrops, each weighing 180 grams (6.3 oz) and is suspended by a thin wire. Computer-controlled motors attached to the wires can move each raindrop up and down independently, thereby allowing the raindrops to form elaborate moving shapes. The installation is programmed to arrange the raindrops such that they create the contour of flight-related objects such as an airplane, kite or hot air balloon during a 15-minute loop.
Kinetic Rain was created over a period of two years by artists, animators and programmers from the German design firm Art+Com. Its cost has not been made public. According to Art+Com, the sculpture “aims to be a source of identity for its location, and provides a moment for passengers to contemplate and reflect”.
3. What materials and components will be required? Where will they come from?¶
The following is the list of components specified in the miniature version:
Electronics
-
Stepper motors(Nema17)
-
Controller board(Arduino)
- Custom PCBs
- Components
- Stepper drivers(DRV8825)
- DC-Dc converter(MP2307)
- Male pin headers
- female pin headers
- power connectors
- connectors for limit switches and communications b/w baords
- Push buttons etc
- Power supply
- DC fans
- Limit switches
Hardware
- Metal pipes
- Plywood
- Mdf
- Screws
Others - Plastic rain drops - Bobbin - Nylon thread - Paints
- PCBs will be made in the lab.
- Rain drops will be molded.
- Bobbin will be 3D printed.
- Strcture will be made using power tools and CNC and laser.
4. how much will it cost?¶
The following is an estimated parts list with costs: - Motors(36)- Rs 25,200 - Drivers(36)- Rs 5400 - Fans(6)- Rs 1200 - Power supplies(4)- Rs 2800 - Arduino Mega(4)- Rs 2400 - connectors and wires- Rs 5000 - Dc-Dc converters(4)- Rs 600 - Plywood, metal pipes, MDF- Rs 8000 - Raindrops, Bobbins, strings, Paints- 10000
Total cost of the project would be around Rs 60000
5. what parts and systems will be made?¶
I need to make the following parts:
4Modules each will consist of 9 motors with Arduino and Custom made PCBs
Frame and structure- Metal pipes and Plywood
Molds for Raindrops and Bobbins
6. what processes will be used?¶
Moulding and casting (For raindrops)
3D printing(For bobbins)
Laser cutting (for structure and designing)
CNC (for Structure)
Welding(For structure)
Electronics design (designing boards)
Embedded programming (programing board)
Networking and communications(For communications b/w all boards)
Application and interface design (for designing an application and user interface)
7. what tasks need to be completed?¶
7.1 what questions need to be answered?
What specific set of components do I need for my electronics board?
How do I program the boards for various animations?
How do I program my application to change the animations?
How do the drops know their origin?
How the boards will communicate to each other?
Can I add any sensor in this?
7.2 what is the schedule?
I plan for my project to be ready for demonstration by Monday, June 17th. The following tasks are scheduled:
May 31-June 3: Designing the PCBs
June 3rd-5th: Making raindrops and bobbins
June 5th-7th: Making one module and testing if its working fine or not. Testing and debugging.
June 8th-10th: Designing the structure
June 11-12th: Making other 3 modules.
June 12-13th: Connecting all the components together, do all the wirings.
June 13-14th: Programming, Testing and debuggins
June 16th: Create videoa and daigrams, uplaod to website
7.3 how will it be evaluated?
I plan to evaluate my Project according to the following criteria:
Do the drops are creating animations while moving up and down?
Can I change the animations remotely?
Do the motors hold the raindrops at their positions when not moving?
Do the drops stop when reaching at the top? Are limit switche working the way we planned?
Does it reset when powered up?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.