Status Quo

Now that our team has a clearer idea of our project, we have sub-divided our members into two smaller groups in an effort to make more progress. One group is focusing on primarily on the programming aspect of the project. The other sub-group is working on the mechanism and initial prototype.

The prototype subgroup consists of myself, Michael, Josiah and Brieana. We have simplified our objectives for the first prototype to mainly address the general construction of the support structure that houses our servos, wires, and LEDs, and the "flaps"or "blinds" that will be controlling the amount of light allowed to enter our desired space. We will be utilizing the CNC routers to route out our components from plywood. Once assembled we will link up with the programming group to hook up are sensor arrays and test the system.

Thoughts on progress

I think that the guest Eugene Shteyn's visit was a positive one for everyone in the class. As we all realized, it helped flesh out the central problems and issues with our projects. In my group specifically our group began to question the very basic elements of our idea. The subject of providing shade was questioned, along with other issues like installation logistics and mechanics. Some of these issues, like the mechanical aspect of our project, were inevitably going to be addressed in the main stretch of our project. Nonetheless, I think normal issues like these, coupled with the rest seamed to scare many teamates away from the planned trajectory ouf our project.

Since the last class we have refocused our efforts on a somewhat simpler task and idea. I think there is something to be said for taking a smaller task and executing it extremely well. I am slightly worried however, at the general lack of enthusiasim that seems to be plaguing everyone as of late...

Intentions

Today, our group will meet to reassess our progress and direction. Part of this will consist of reviewing each others personal goals and intentions with the final project. Here are mine:

Regardless of the subject manner, I would like to participate in a group project that displays a successful interdisciplinary approach. While this may seem obvious, I simply would like the see the skills, knowledge, and interests of each discipline incorporated in to one seamless final product. In terms of applying my skills and interests in industrial design, I would like to do the following:

-Produce a project in which the selection and utilization of materials is appropriate for the given constraints. These materials will ideally be sustainable in terms of their production, use, and potential reuse...

-Produce a project that has examined and optimized the proper manufacturing processes for the given product...

-Produce a project that has considered the formal qualities of the end product and to align them with the intentions and constraints of the project. ...To consider and analyze the semantics of the design...

to be continued....

New Smartsurface

Researchers at MIT are developing a new smart surface. They have figured out a way to fabricate a surface that can be both hydrophobic and hydrophilic. By simply reversing a weak electric field that is applied to the surface they can alter the surfaces reaction to water.

Check it out

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2003/smartsurface.html

Hobermans Sphere

Chuck Hoberman filed a patent for his transformable geometrical designs in 1990. Soon after, kids everywhere where playing with his expanding and contracting colorful spheres. They are radial truss structures that are stable in two different positions. They are basically all around awesome.

My current team had the idea to adopt his radial truss structures to aid us in acheiving our goals of utilizing sunlight with a binary, aperature-like surface, in which one aperature receives light, while the other blocks it. To be able to utulize his gemotry, we took mesaurements and reverse engeneered it into Digital Project, then laser-cut the components. In the process of observing and recreating, we disposed of one of the parts in his sphere, and created a geomterical system that works the same way, by using only one repeated part (plus an axle). The result is pretty neat, and really fun to play with...

Effortless Solar Tracking

This article details the research of a student research project out of MIT that explored solar tracking without the use of electricity. There inspiration stemmed from heliotropic plants that track the sun by responding to differences in temperature. They used temperature sensitive materials to produce a solar tracking device that reacts to the location of heat for the sun's rays...
It requires no energy at all...

Heres the link...

A good example of whats possible with collaborative thinking from students...

Solar Thoughts...

Here is an example of solar power generation using mirrors to magnify the intensity of light hitting a given amount of solar cells...

http://www.solarfeeds.com/ecofriend/4867-eco-tech-cleveland-researchers-develop-portable-1500-watt-solar-power-plant.html

The interesting thing is the disadvantage of the mirrored surfaces, which have to be cleaned often to maintain their efficiency. So whereas they do not require as much as much investment in expensive solar cells, they have increased maintenance costs...