Continuing from the previous post
After encountering some problems with how loud the air pump is, I was torn between finding a new fan or a new solution. I came across this work by Chinese artist, Wang Yuyang.
It is really cool and I realised that maybe I don’t need actual air to imitate breathing. I just need a push-pull mechanism. This will eliminate the unpredictability of the pumps and fans and especially their motor noise. I looked into Yuyang’s work and found that the objects are made of silicone with a small motor pushing up and down to imitate breathing. I later then showed James my air pump and this possible new solution.
James suggested I could try something called a Solenoid which, to my understanding, is a spring mechanism piece that can create linear motion. It can also be connected to my current Arduino.
I went to the creative tech lab to ask Elle whether they have a solenoid or not but she suggested that it will be to aggressive for the effect that I’m trying to create as it is a coil with spring motion. Elle recommended me to create something called a cam and follower instead. One MA Interactive Design student who was doing a similar thing for her opening-closing kettle was kind enough to show me what it is.
It is something I’ve seen in Alice’s work for her automata pieces before. So instead of just using the solenoid to strongly push something upwards, I could build this and then attach a rotating motor to it. The follower (the long piece up top) will then goes up and down as the cam rotates.
I immediately sketched a possible solution for my piece.
My plan is to build all of these with laser cutting in the 3D workshop. The top part will have a hole to allow a smooth/ half ball foam piece to push out the pile of comics. The purpose of the foam piece is to make the mechanism more smooth and not just a piece of wood poking paper.
Here are some of the rotating motors from the lab:
Edmund, another technician in the lab tested my work with the first one which is probably the strongest. My next step is to make the model to test out my cam and follower.
After several adjustments in the 3d workshop IT WORKS!
I tried rotating it with my own hands first before trying out with the motor and the follower moves in linear motion as I wanted. This might really be the solution I needed.
More soon.
td @ ual 