Creative Tech: 1
Profressor: Philip van Allen
Profressor: Philip van Allen
Coding, Circuits, and Prototyping
Fall 2020
Materials used: Circuit Playground Express, Adafruit Cricket, Servo Motor, Cate & Levi Fleece Puppet
Software: Adafruit MakeCode
Code Language: CircuitPython
Description: This puppet uses motion sensors in order to output sound, as well as a specific color to indicate a positive or negative response. The puppet is designed so that the puppeteer can influence wanted output responses from the puppet, similar to how a Ventriloquist creates an illusion with voice.
Function: The Circuit Playground Express (CPX) starts in a “booting up” phase as the LED lights blink from blue to white four times before one LED blinks red signaling that the puppet is ready for interaction.
As the puppeteer tilts the puppet to the right the LEDs on the right side of the CPX turn red and outputs a negative sound. When the puppet is tilted to the left the LEDs on the left side of the CPX turn blue and outputs a “Magic Wand” sound. Then as the puppet is tilted up it outputs a Power Up sound and the LEDs towards the top turn purple.
Finally if the puppet is turned down the LEDs towards the bottom turn Green and outputs a “Power Down” Sound. The Cricket is used to listen for a touch input that signals a servo motor to move the antenna randomly between 10-80°.
Function: The Circuit Playground Express (CPX) starts in a “booting up” phase as the LED lights blink from blue to white four times before one LED blinks red signaling that the puppet is ready for interaction.
As the puppeteer tilts the puppet to the right the LEDs on the right side of the CPX turn red and outputs a negative sound. When the puppet is tilted to the left the LEDs on the left side of the CPX turn blue and outputs a “Magic Wand” sound. Then as the puppet is tilted up it outputs a Power Up sound and the LEDs towards the top turn purple.
Finally if the puppet is turned down the LEDs towards the bottom turn Green and outputs a “Power Down” Sound. The Cricket is used to listen for a touch input that signals a servo motor to move the antenna randomly between 10-80°.
Project Brief: I was tasked to design a simple system with one sensor (e.g. knob, light, proximity) and one or more actuators (LED, audio, motor). This system should react to a user interacting with the sensor by responding with some behavior that seems to be emotional or moody.