update

Just a quick update because the stuff is all packed up to be set up tomorrow because i had work today and could not get to the Queen in time to set up tonight.  Anywho, I've got a red and blue dye pot (using kool-aid because i know it works, it smells fruitily delicious, and it dyes very dark) and the motors for those set up.  The crank unfortunately will have to be hand-cranked because I could not get that motor working.  I fried a board trying to work out how to use the power supply so I didn't exactly want to risk it with the other board (on loan from Catherine).  So I will include instructions to make sure people know to play with the project.  I don't see it as a total loss though since so many people in class wanted to crank it and seemed to oddly enjoy doing so, I think it will actually add a level of interaction.  And I'm all about interaction.  I will put pictures up tomorrow, very sorry Phil.

Here's a photo of it all set up at the Queen theatre.

Knitting machine has arrived and is in great working order!

Now I've got to make a trip to the Hobby Lobby and pick up some vessels for my dye.  Also get the motors working with the crank.

knitting machine ordered

I've ordered my knitting machine.  It's a plastic mattel one from 1974.  This sounds terrible, but generally, the older ones are a bit more durable, plus it was only 15 dollars, including shipping, so you can't beat that.  Especially when my other options were closer to 500.

It should be here sometime this week.  I still need to order the stepper motors and go explore home depot/hobby lobby for the setup.

final project schedule

Here is a tentative schedule for my final project

Checkpoints:

April 2nd - have knitting machine ordered and hopefully delivered, along with other parts (motors, etc)

April 9th -  have motor turning the knitting machine and knitting succesfully

April 16th -  have motors that move dye pots set up and working, connected to buttons
 
April 23rd - have everything done!!!

concept for final project

final project

Okay, so knitting machines (even non computerized ones) are a-okay for this project.  I did some googling, and ebay turned up with a few around 100 bucks.  I might be able to find a non-functioning (i.e. motor or computer parts are broken) one for less if I'm lucky.  Either way this cost isn't TOO prohibitive for me.  I also found this video of another wind powered one.





This shows how it works much better than the other one.  I still need to think of exactly how it will be powered, but I do know that I want it interactive.  Perhaps I'll just have it powered by the number of people who walk by (every person is a row) or something like that.  I need to brainstorm really bad for this, but my other class has kind of taken over my life :(.

Motors!

For this project we have to have use two motors.  Last week I was really inspired (I guess inspired sounds a little hokey, maybe amused?  Intrigued?  Interested?) by Laura's project (the evil hallway).  I thought it sounded like a lot of fun to go down, actually.  So, for this project I'm taking the idea of an environment that doesn't like you and translating it to a blonde's worst enemy.  Stairs.  Specifically, stairs that trip you as you're going up.  Finally!!  Everyone will understand what it's like to be me!!

*Ahem*

So yea, there will be a motor connected to each step in a staircase that slides it up and down randomly.  In addition, there will be a motor attached to the handrail that moves it and makes it wiggle.