Cat in the box! / Phigets Servo-motor controller

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My little cat! Created out of recycled cardboard, with a mishmash of different scotch tapes. As in outer side of the cardboard has graphics printed against it, I decided to invert it, thereby cutting the box up and attaching them together to create my very own box.

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Strings pull the lid close, and the small piece of cardboard pushes the lid up. The cat itself was a makeshift shape of a cat.

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As seen. In total, I used 2 servo motors – one to control the cat, the other to control the lid. Perhaps, with better crafting skills, I would be able to cut the number of servo motors down to one. To do this however, I require a larger box – currently, the box is palm-sized – and more ‘attachments’ to attach the cat to the handle/gear that pushes the lid open. To simplify things, I decided to do without it.

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Peekaboo! The cat comes out a few milliseconds, after the lid opens.

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Attaching the cat box to MaxMsp via a cable.

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The inner workings of the cat box – one servo motors is raised in the air, the other attached to the ground.

When one speaks to the box, the lid opens – but no cat in sight! For this is sure some shy cat. Hence, speak louder, but what you say does not matter. The cat will appear for a short while, then disappear, if the threshold volume has been reached. Otherwise, only the lid will open.

 

See it in action:

In hindsight, I would have included an additional feedback – where the cat would mew back at the user, via an added soundtrack into the max patch. Pertaining to the documentation, I would have also put in human interactions (which I forgot to record earlier) – perhaps, of the user drumming the lid of the box, or attempt to catch the cat.

 

Patch used:
Finalised Patch Cat in the box

Idea Development (Final Project)

Just putting it here for recording purposes! Will work further on the project idea.

Idea:
Labyrinth
My idea comprises of a physical maze, where a projected image of the user running will be projected on the physical labyrinth itself. The aim of this game is to catch the doll in question, which will physically be present, and mobile via the use of motors, in the labyrinth using sensor-automated responses. Upon reaching the end goal of catching the doll, the doll will stop moving.

Project mapping will be conducted on the doll in addition to the user’s running figure, to give the doll a living feel (as we project her face, and her various emotions) in an attempt to increase feedback given to the user. The longer the user takes to catch the doll, the more the doll’s face will morph unrecognisable.

The doll’s facial features will be inspired by the Japanese wooden doll.

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Projection mapping of the user will comprise of a stored footage of a human stick figure (the avatar). In order to trigger movement of the user’s avatar, the user has to stand on 4 square boxes, similar to the dance sectors of arcade dance games.

Feedback:
– find a reason why the doll moves
– Reason why you want to mix physical & projection together
– Maybe buy remote control call put doll on it (easier to do than Programme it)
– Control the maze will be an issue
– Maybe the maze will be projected
– Sphero ball to replace the doll. SDK. SPRK edition, figure out how to access the code
– Feedback when touching walls etc