Week 4

This week, our group of artists, architects, and engineers came together to build a pretty intuitive model. The focus of our model was a surface made up of a small mesh pattern who would open up and become more permeable with based on the intensity of sunlight. After a few nights of consideration and multiple ideas and mach-ups we had come to design of a three-serv0 hexagonal design that intended to be cellular and repeatable. The intention of the legs were to be twisted upwards in order to stretch the material and permitting sunlight to enter in order to power/store energy. The final model came out quite clean looking and well coded. We had tried a multitude of fabrics and materials and found that the legs could not stretch some or could not cause the desired effect with others, but the spandex seemed to have quite a bit of stretch while still remaining taut.

Nearly halfway through the week we were faced with the problem of how the code would work and if we had wanted to plot the sun position or if we wanted to use a real-time input. Our group opted for the input with the LDRs feeling that the weather might have quite a bit to do with how our surface would react and this may do a better job of harnessing sunlight.

The project relates directly to last week's heliotropic model. We were able to get this guy working using the standard code and 4 LDRs along with two pivoting servos. The group worked diligently during the hour we had for class but we had an incredibly difficult time honing in on the code and finding a suitable way to run these motors. The initial design had us using the LDRs as stationary elements, this method was later switched in favor of an easier and more concise set up in which the ldrs would be placed on the moving armature.