Develop the taxonomy further in order to describe and relate tangible UI experiences

As I read through the paper, the UI that popped up on my mind is Wii U. Since I have not personally interacted with many tangible UIs, it’s hard to recall and relate to examples when I try to apply the framework provided in the paper. However, I really like the simple, two-axes taxonomy provided in the paper to help us better classify, understand, and observe the field of Tangible UIs. The Will U offers an interactive gaming experiences where the controller/joystick can acts as multiple objects when paired up with sensors that detect the movement of the users and the position of the controller. The controller can act as tennis racket or table tennis paddled or baseball bat. To apply the metaphor, the controller X can become multiple Xs in different settings. Also, the controller can perform actions that simulate Xing in real world. Will U offers both verb and noun metaphors. To apply embodiment, Wii U qualifies as a distant embodiment since it’s similar to the example given in the paper where a controller interacts with television. The framework is a useful starting point to start analyzing the interaction provided by tangible UIs, however, it doesn’t cover the nature of the interaction in depth such as the input intensity or different types of output responses. It focuses more on the relationship between the user and the UI and lacks analysis on the experience itself. If I were to modify the taxonomy, I would probably work on coming up with ways to categorize or relate different types of input/output that can fit into the metaphor/embodiment framework.

Lab 2 – Tree, LED, and Arduino

For this assignment, I used a miniature tree as the diffuser. I place all three LEDs onto the miniature tree while using leaves as background. I’ve taken the cross-fading code and added some personal flavor to it. By allowing the user to control the blue color while alternating the speed of fading through out the loops. There are a total of three different fading stages with varying speed. The outcome is not as ideal as some other types of diffuser that will actually allow you to see the fading and the mixing of colors. But I wanted to see how the LED lights would look on a miniature tree and see if it can resemble a christmas tree.

Components:

  • Arduino Uno
  • Breadboard
  • 3 LEDs (rgb)
  • 3 220Ω Resistors
  • jumper wires
  • USB cable
  • laptop

 

Code:

/*
* Code for cross-fading 3 LEDs, red, green and blue, or one tri-color LED, using PWM
* The program cross-fades slowly from red to green, green to blue, and blue to red
* The debugging code assumes Arduino 0004, as it uses the new Serial.begin()-style functions
* Clay Shirky
*/

char b_input[100];
int b_value = 0;

// Output
int redPin = 11; // Red LED, connected to digital pin 11
int greenPin = 9; // Green LED, connected to digital pin 9
int bluePin = 10; // Blue LED, connected to digital pin 10

// Program variables
int redVal = 255; // Variables to store the values to send to the pins
int greenVal = 255; // Initial values are Red full, Green and Blue off
int blueVal = 120;

int i = 0; // Loop counter
int wait = 50; // 50ms (.05 second) delay; shorten for faster fades
int DEBUG = 1; // DEBUG counter; if set to 1, will write values back via serial

void setup()
{
pinMode(redPin, OUTPUT); // sets the pins as output
pinMode(greenPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(bluePin, OUTPUT); // If we want to see the pin values for debugging...
Serial.begin(9600); // ...set up the serial ouput on 0004 style
Serial.println("just continue to send me b");

}

// Main program
void loop()
{
i += 20; // Increment counter
if (i < 255) // First phase of fades { greenVal += 1; // Green up redVal = 1; // Red low blueVal += 1; // Blue up } else if (i < 509) // Second phase of fades { greenVal -= 5; // Green down redVal += 5; // red up blueVal -= 5; // Blue up } else if (i < 763) // Third phase of fades { greenVal = 10; // Green low redVal -= 10; // Red down blueVal += 10; // Blue up } else // Re-set the counter, and start the fades again { i = 1; } memset(b_input, 0, 100); readSerialString(b_input); if(b_input[0] == 'b'){ b_value = b_value + 1; Serial.println(b_value); } if (b_value == 13) { b_value = 0; } analogWrite(redPin, redVal); // Write current values to LED pins analogWrite(greenPin, greenVal); analogWrite(bluePin, blueVal + b_value*20); // if (DEBUG) { // If we want to read the output // DEBUG += 1; // Increment the DEBUG counter // if (DEBUG > 10) // Print every 10 loops
// {
// DEBUG = 1; // Reset the counter
//
// Serial.print(i); // Serial commands in 0004 style
// Serial.print("\t"); // Print a tab
// Serial.print("R:"); // Indicate that output is red value
// Serial.print(redVal); // Print red value
// Serial.print("\t"); // Print a tab
// Serial.print("G:"); // Repeat for green and blue...
// Serial.print(greenVal);
// Serial.print("\t");
// Serial.print("B:");
// Serial.println(blueVal); // println, to end with a carriage return
// }
// }
delay(wait); // Pause for 'wait' milliseconds before resuming the loop
}

void readSerialString (char *strArray) {
int i = 0;
if(!Serial.available()) {
return;
}
while (Serial.available()) {
strArray[i] = Serial.read();
//Serial.print(strArray);
i++;
}
}

Video:

Tree & LED

The Shift Towards Natural Body Movement

McCullough’s argument that computers are made for the mind and not for the hands is accurate enough to apply to most of computing devices today. However, increasing awareness and improvement have also happened in the past 10 years to make computers more adaptable and friendly to different parts of human organs. Let’s take iPhone as an example, Steve Jobs’s insistence that iPhone should be used easily with our fingers is a huge step forward to force software designers to develop their applications according to how users physically interact with them. Old palmtop computers are considered as failures because human are not used to holding a pen when they interact with computers. So the claim that computers are made just for the mind should be considered as rather outdated since physical interaction with computer is quite different now thanks to touchscreen technology.
On the other hand, there has also been movement of shifting the focus of making computers just for the mind in the past decade as well. Take google glass, virtual reality, and self-driving cars as example. These technologies are created so our hands can do less labor. The interaction is shifted away from the hands to the voice or to other bodily movement. Even though these movements have yet to be widely adopted, the focus of computers right now is leaning towards being a tool for human’s most natural movement. For example, if a task can be completed the most easily with our mouth, then the designer should strive forward to design the interaction with the mouth. Hands are definitely very subtle and sensitive, but the affordance of hands should also be considered because not all tasks should rely on hands. It’s interesting to note the creation of iPad pro has actually bring back the pen just because our hands aren’t precise enough for certain art creation process. So McCullough’s point of view on the relationship of hands are art is also being constantly challenged as technology develops. 

Lab1 – LED Lights & Arduino

Description
I used Arduino with three LED lights. I have used the red, the blue and the green LED lights. I have placed the blue and red on the left side of the breadboard and placed the green on the right side of the breadboard. To achieve this, I have used two grounds and two different pins (pin 13 and pin 0). The blue and red lights will turn on for one second and turn off for .5 second, then the green LED will turn on for 2 seconds and turn off for .5 seconds. The loop will restart after green LED turns off. I have uploaded the code to ensure the timing is right. Use the black wires for grounds and the orange wires for the rest of the pins. I have also used three resistors, each LED light uses one.
Components
  • 1 Arduino
  • 3  LED (Red, Blue, Green)
  • 3 Resistor (220Ω)
  • 1 Breadboard
  • 2 black wires for ground
  • 5 orange wires for the inputs

Code

int pin = 13;
int pin0 = 0;
void setup() {
  // setting up the two pins
  pinMode(pin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(pin0, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
  // light up for 1 sec
  digitalWrite(pin, HIGH); //0 VOLTS OR 5
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(pin, LOW);
  // turn off for .5 sec
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(pin0, HIGH); //0 VOLTS OR 5
  // light up for 2 sec
  delay(2000);
  digitalWrite(pin0, LOW);
  // turn off for .5 sec
  delay(500);
}
Photo
Both Red and Blue lights turning on

Both Red and Blue lights turning on

Green LED lights on

Green LED lights on

All lights off

All lights off