Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tap Faucet
This is a interesting concept, even though it doesn't serve much purposes. It's just a tap with water follows your hands wherever you move. It's a good experiment but not good enough to be published to the publics.
Draw It
I'm not sure whether it exist, but it's a very good presentation and believing. Anyway, i like this concept alot, what happen is that you can control the lamp by drawuing timeline on the device, like how he demonstrate, when the line stop it stop lighting up and when u hit the timeline where it commands the light to not light up then it won't like up. It's a pretty smart device that can control electronics like lights, and if this actually can work i believe it can work on any device like fan.
I like this concept because it uses human's intelligence to control the device, and imagine all our switch in our house can be controlled by just one device, wouldn't that be great? And you no need to have too many switch in your house and worry about short - circuit.
Yahoo! Exercise
B.
Part I - Preparing and conducting an Interview
1. Identify Objectives of your study
The objective of this interview is to improve on the existing problems users faced when using Yahoo! site.
2. Select the type of Interview (Unstructured, Structured and Semi-structured)
Semi-Structured.
3. Write the Questions for your Interview
1. How often do you use it? ________
2. How much time u spend on yahoo? ________
3. What do you think of the search engine, is it easy to search ? Y/N
4. Are you happy with the current functions they are providing? Y/N
5. Which sections can be improved? _________
6. Do you think they should add more functions? if so, what? ________
4. Conduct your interview with a “potential” user
Jackson Tan
Student from NYP Business
1. once per 3 months(I use Google for search engine)
2. 2 minutes
3. I don't like it when they store the history of the search
4. No
5. Remove the history of search section, and have more flash games.
6. No, just need to improve the current site.
5. Note down your findings
Google seems to be a better search engine than Yahoo, but Yahoo provides more services. It depends on the user, what he or she use it for.
Part II – Preparing a Survey
1. Identify Objectives of your study
Objective of the survey is to improve further on the existing website.
2. Select a response format (close-ended or open-ended questions)
Close-ended
3. Write the Questions for your Survey
1. Do you have a yahoo account?
2. Do you use yahoo ?
3. What do you use yahoo for?
4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
5. Is the interface easy to understand?
6. Which function do you use the most?
4. Select your Distribution Method and say why?
Online survey, since Yahoo is a website, so mojority of the users are internet savvy. It is also more convenient for them so we can get more responses.
5. Design your survey form (Sketch out if your are doing a Web Survey)
Please circle your choices.
1. Do you have a yahoo account? Y/N
2. Do you use yahoo ? Y/N
3. What do you use yahoo for?
Use the search engine/ Read the news/ Check mail / Others (Please Specify) ________
4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
Facebook, Flickr, Friendster / Messenger / Others (Please Specify) ________
5. Is the interface easy to understand? Y/N
6. Which function do you use the most?
Mail/ Search Engine / Others (Please Specify) _______
Part III – Survey Analysis
1. For each of the following datasets, calculate the median, mean and standard
deviation of the mean:
a. 2, 2, 2, 2
Median: 2
Mean: 2
Standard Deviation: 0
b. 0.67, 1.03, -0.38, -0.75, 0.79, -0.13, 1.57, -1.78, -0.58, -1.43
Median: -0.255
Mean:-0.099
Standard Deviation: √10.77429 = 3.282421
c. 4.7, 11, 0.42, 0.18, 6.2, 0.74, 38, 0.016, 0.26, 0.037
Median: 6.155
Mean: 0.58
Standard Deviation: √124.748 = 11.169
Part I - Preparing and conducting an Interview
1. Identify Objectives of your study
The objective of this interview is to improve on the existing problems users faced when using Yahoo! site.
2. Select the type of Interview (Unstructured, Structured and Semi-structured)
Semi-Structured.
3. Write the Questions for your Interview
1. How often do you use it? ________
2. How much time u spend on yahoo? ________
3. What do you think of the search engine, is it easy to search ? Y/N
4. Are you happy with the current functions they are providing? Y/N
5. Which sections can be improved? _________
6. Do you think they should add more functions? if so, what? ________
4. Conduct your interview with a “potential” user
Jackson Tan
Student from NYP Business
1. once per 3 months(I use Google for search engine)
2. 2 minutes
3. I don't like it when they store the history of the search
4. No
5. Remove the history of search section, and have more flash games.
6. No, just need to improve the current site.
5. Note down your findings
Google seems to be a better search engine than Yahoo, but Yahoo provides more services. It depends on the user, what he or she use it for.
Part II – Preparing a Survey
1. Identify Objectives of your study
Objective of the survey is to improve further on the existing website.
2. Select a response format (close-ended or open-ended questions)
Close-ended
3. Write the Questions for your Survey
1. Do you have a yahoo account?
2. Do you use yahoo ?
3. What do you use yahoo for?
4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
5. Is the interface easy to understand?
6. Which function do you use the most?
4. Select your Distribution Method and say why?
Online survey, since Yahoo is a website, so mojority of the users are internet savvy. It is also more convenient for them so we can get more responses.
5. Design your survey form (Sketch out if your are doing a Web Survey)
Please circle your choices.
1. Do you have a yahoo account? Y/N
2. Do you use yahoo ? Y/N
3. What do you use yahoo for?
Use the search engine/ Read the news/ Check mail / Others (Please Specify) ________
4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
Facebook, Flickr, Friendster / Messenger / Others (Please Specify) ________
5. Is the interface easy to understand? Y/N
6. Which function do you use the most?
Mail/ Search Engine / Others (Please Specify) _______
Part III – Survey Analysis
1. For each of the following datasets, calculate the median, mean and standard
deviation of the mean:
a. 2, 2, 2, 2
Median: 2
Mean: 2
Standard Deviation: 0
b. 0.67, 1.03, -0.38, -0.75, 0.79, -0.13, 1.57, -1.78, -0.58, -1.43
Median: -0.255
Mean:-0.099
Standard Deviation: √10.77429 = 3.282421
c. 4.7, 11, 0.42, 0.18, 6.2, 0.74, 38, 0.016, 0.26, 0.037
Median: 6.155
Mean: 0.58
Standard Deviation: √124.748 = 11.169
Car Park 2.0
We are also planning on adding features to our idea, at first we decided on allowing the users to play a game, by taking a pamphlet containing a riddle to where they parked their car. For example, what is big, strong, is a cat and lives in Africa?
The answer would be Lion. ( the answer would be behind the pamphlet for those who do not wish to solve the riddle) However we realised this could be dangerous as kids might run around trying to solve the riddle.
We came up with other ideas such as using a stamp to allow the users to stamp the icon and information of where they parked (in invisible ink) on their hands. They would then shine the stamp under light to see the icon and information. This would be interesting and new for the users. They also would not have to carry around a pamphlet nor write on anything to help them to remember.
The answer would be Lion. ( the answer would be behind the pamphlet for those who do not wish to solve the riddle) However we realised this could be dangerous as kids might run around trying to solve the riddle.
We came up with other ideas such as using a stamp to allow the users to stamp the icon and information of where they parked (in invisible ink) on their hands. They would then shine the stamp under light to see the icon and information. This would be interesting and new for the users. They also would not have to carry around a pamphlet nor write on anything to help them to remember.
Car Park 2.0
Final Sketch - Details and Rationale of Concept
Car park 2.0
After doing research, we found out the main problems people face in car parks are finding parking lots, as well as finding their cars. Our concept is built to tackle these problems in a creative and fun way. We chose a car park, Suntec City Mall’s car park to improve. What we wanted to do was to create a solution that was interesting, fun and easy to understand.
We came up with this solution, to divide the car park into sections (continents), and then further divide the sections by the use of animals, animals that are distinctive with the continent they live on.
This way, the user would be able to remember which continent they parked at, to know which general direction to head, and even more specifically to the distinctive animal of that continent. This would better enable them to remember where they parked their car.
It could also be fun and educational for children as they would be able to learn which animal comes from which continent, it could be a fun activity for the whole family.
This is what a section might look like, this is the continent of Africa, and it is separated into the Rhino, Lion and Gazelle sections.
On each pillar the animals will face in the direction of the lift lobby to indicate where it is.
This is to better enable the user to find the nearest lift lobby.
The parking lots will also be numbered in an easier way to remember, for example, the lion section would be labelled L, for lion. The pillars will indicate the continent, animal, as well as the parking lot numbers in that area.
This would allow the user to remember the parking lot number as well as find it a lot easier as it would not just be a bunch of numbers, but something that makes sense.
On the walls there will also be indications as to where the next section is, for example the lion is chasing the llama, indicating which direction to head if you wanted to find the South America section.
This would make it an easy yet fun and interesting way for the user to find out which section is where.
Car park 2.0
After doing research, we found out the main problems people face in car parks are finding parking lots, as well as finding their cars. Our concept is built to tackle these problems in a creative and fun way. We chose a car park, Suntec City Mall’s car park to improve. What we wanted to do was to create a solution that was interesting, fun and easy to understand.
We came up with this solution, to divide the car park into sections (continents), and then further divide the sections by the use of animals, animals that are distinctive with the continent they live on.
This way, the user would be able to remember which continent they parked at, to know which general direction to head, and even more specifically to the distinctive animal of that continent. This would better enable them to remember where they parked their car.
It could also be fun and educational for children as they would be able to learn which animal comes from which continent, it could be a fun activity for the whole family.
This is what a section might look like, this is the continent of Africa, and it is separated into the Rhino, Lion and Gazelle sections.
On each pillar the animals will face in the direction of the lift lobby to indicate where it is.
This is to better enable the user to find the nearest lift lobby.
The parking lots will also be numbered in an easier way to remember, for example, the lion section would be labelled L, for lion. The pillars will indicate the continent, animal, as well as the parking lot numbers in that area.
This would allow the user to remember the parking lot number as well as find it a lot easier as it would not just be a bunch of numbers, but something that makes sense.
On the walls there will also be indications as to where the next section is, for example the lion is chasing the llama, indicating which direction to head if you wanted to find the South America section.
This would make it an easy yet fun and interesting way for the user to find out which section is where.
Car Park 2.0
Rough ideas
Different sections have different themes, or the whole car park is one big recognizable theme, For instance, ‘The Universe’. Hence they remember which ‘planet’ they parked at.
- To help the user to remember where they parked at.
There are lights to indicate where there are empty parking lots, and the lights are different (e.g. color) in every section.
- To let the user know which part of the car park they are parking at and to help them remember the general area where they parked.
When the car park slot is occupied, these lights will go off.
- The user will be able to gauge which part of the car park has more lots, and in which general direction to head, as that area will be brighter.
There will be a glow when the user presses the remote key.
- When the user is trying to find their car, they press the remote key and the car makes a sound, when this happens, a sound sensor will activate lights where their car is parked, which will produce a glow. This would make it easier for the user to find his/her car.
Different sections have different themes, or the whole car park is one big recognizable theme, For instance, ‘The Universe’. Hence they remember which ‘planet’ they parked at.
- To help the user to remember where they parked at.
There are lights to indicate where there are empty parking lots, and the lights are different (e.g. color) in every section.
- To let the user know which part of the car park they are parking at and to help them remember the general area where they parked.
When the car park slot is occupied, these lights will go off.
- The user will be able to gauge which part of the car park has more lots, and in which general direction to head, as that area will be brighter.
There will be a glow when the user presses the remote key.
- When the user is trying to find their car, they press the remote key and the car makes a sound, when this happens, a sound sensor will activate lights where their car is parked, which will produce a glow. This would make it easier for the user to find his/her car.
Car Park 2.0
Goals:
· Allow users to find their cars and parking lots easily.
· Facilitate the easier use of car park.
Objectives:
· Coming up with a creative solution for the problems of a car park.
· Search for the problems of car parks and improve the situation
Initial Ideas (Sketches)
The Magic Pole turns on when the parking lot is vacant, light shines and flickers when the lot is available. When a car is parked there and the lot is occupied, it stops shining.
The ambience or mood and lighting of the car park changes according to the amount of lots available. Also the atmosphere of the different sections of the car park are different so it is easier for the user to remember where they parked.
· Allow users to find their cars and parking lots easily.
· Facilitate the easier use of car park.
Objectives:
· Coming up with a creative solution for the problems of a car park.
· Search for the problems of car parks and improve the situation
Initial Ideas (Sketches)
The Magic Pole turns on when the parking lot is vacant, light shines and flickers when the lot is available. When a car is parked there and the lot is occupied, it stops shining.
The ambience or mood and lighting of the car park changes according to the amount of lots available. Also the atmosphere of the different sections of the car park are different so it is easier for the user to remember where they parked.
Arduino
The Arduino platform lies somewhere between Technic Lego and the low level geek world of circuit building. It consists of two parts; the hardware and the software, and with these you can build almost anything, from a simple flashing light to a box of tricks that sends you a Twitter message when your houseplants get thirsty.
Our home computers are great at communicating with other computers and (sometimes) with us, but they have no idea what is going on in the world around them. Arduino, on the other hand, is made to be hooked up to sensors which feed it physical information. These can be as simple as pressing a button, or as complex as using ultrasound to detect distance, or in the above example, monitoring the current flowing between two nails in soil: when the soil gets dry, the current drops and the Arduino carries out instructions: In this case it talks to a Zigbee internet-connected radio and posts a Twitter message, but you could just as easily have it talk to a robot which would water the plant for you.
So the Arduino is essentially a simple computer with eyes and ears. Why is it so popular? Because the hardware is cheap, it’s easy to program and there is a huge web community, which means that beginners can find help and download myriad programs for the board.
To start, you need to buy an Arduino. It comes pre-assembled or, for those handy with a soldering iron, in kit form. A fully assembled Diecimila board from the excellent Make costs just $35. The bare-bones, DIY kit is $20 and if you’re feeling fancy, there is a Bluetooth model, which never needs to be hooked up to a computer and can even be controlled by a cellphone.
Now it’s time to have some fun. Download the open-source software from the Arduino site. It runs in Java on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux, and comes pre-loaded with example programs, or “Sketches” . Unless you’re experienced in programming in the Wiring language, on which the Arduino language is based, you’ll want to start with the included examples, which are in the Sketchbook. Then, you simply hook up your Arduino via the USB port. Your code is compiled and sent to the board and it’s ready to go.
Once you get bored of flashing a single, lone LED, you can graduate to the community Playground, where you will find all kinds of advice and code snippets. Here is where you will learn to make the drum machine in the video below, or hook up your new toy to your computer to control it, via Flash or a handful of other software with which the Arduino will happily talk. Off you go! Build a cat feeder or a hack your coffee machine to wake you up with a hot cup of java. Me? I’m off to Ebay to bid on an old DeLorean and a Flux Capacitor.
Source from http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/04/just-what-is-an/
Our home computers are great at communicating with other computers and (sometimes) with us, but they have no idea what is going on in the world around them. Arduino, on the other hand, is made to be hooked up to sensors which feed it physical information. These can be as simple as pressing a button, or as complex as using ultrasound to detect distance, or in the above example, monitoring the current flowing between two nails in soil: when the soil gets dry, the current drops and the Arduino carries out instructions: In this case it talks to a Zigbee internet-connected radio and posts a Twitter message, but you could just as easily have it talk to a robot which would water the plant for you.
So the Arduino is essentially a simple computer with eyes and ears. Why is it so popular? Because the hardware is cheap, it’s easy to program and there is a huge web community, which means that beginners can find help and download myriad programs for the board.
To start, you need to buy an Arduino. It comes pre-assembled or, for those handy with a soldering iron, in kit form. A fully assembled Diecimila board from the excellent Make costs just $35. The bare-bones, DIY kit is $20 and if you’re feeling fancy, there is a Bluetooth model, which never needs to be hooked up to a computer and can even be controlled by a cellphone.
Now it’s time to have some fun. Download the open-source software from the Arduino site. It runs in Java on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux, and comes pre-loaded with example programs, or “Sketches” . Unless you’re experienced in programming in the Wiring language, on which the Arduino language is based, you’ll want to start with the included examples, which are in the Sketchbook. Then, you simply hook up your Arduino via the USB port. Your code is compiled and sent to the board and it’s ready to go.
Once you get bored of flashing a single, lone LED, you can graduate to the community Playground, where you will find all kinds of advice and code snippets. Here is where you will learn to make the drum machine in the video below, or hook up your new toy to your computer to control it, via Flash or a handful of other software with which the Arduino will happily talk. Off you go! Build a cat feeder or a hack your coffee machine to wake you up with a hot cup of java. Me? I’m off to Ebay to bid on an old DeLorean and a Flux Capacitor.
Source from http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/04/just-what-is-an/
Arduino
So this is a tutorial to teach you how to use potentiometer and servos to combine with arduino, and using some simple codes on arduino, you are able to make the servo rotate in any direction you want. I didn't use arduino on my fyp, but from what i've learnt from my classmates like eugene, diyanah and terry, what they did was using arduino and it's program to do what they want for their concept like terry he uses it as a touch sensor, how he did it was giving informations to the pins and it will transfer to Processing on the computer and finally onto MaxMSP to get the effects he wants. Same goes to diyanah but what she did was using tilt switch and when she lies down the mercury in the tube will go to the direction to switch off the power and when she wokes up it will tilt to the approprate direction and turn on the power to activate the functions she has created in her arduino.
Minority Report OS
http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/14/oblongs-g-speak-the-minority-report-os-brought-to-life/
I saw this article on ucdwiki which was posted by YOU! YES YOU! To be honest i'm really amazed by what they've done, it's simply amazing. This project really made a big step to a more digital world. Which i think there's good and bad, but that's only what i think and the rest can decide.
The good thing is they are able to create such a smart computer interface which are going to be a good use to a lot of designer in the future like us the interactive design students, 3D animators and many more. Wouldn't it be great if you are able to experience designing a web interface or do codings for it by using both your hands? Or even creating a 3D figures, that's going to be really fun for us and really interactive because it's something new and have an experience as if your touching it and create a closer feeling to your work. Isn't that great? So, i will take my hats off for that
The bad part is, we don't need it now, like what you said, people are still not able to accept this as it's too expensive and people are still used to what they are doing now. But i strongly believe in the future people are definitely going to accept it. After all, we are living in a world which is changing all the time, and eventually we are going to step into an evolution of technology if more of this kind of technology is introduced to people. And when that happens our daily lifestyle are going to change rapidly and we will highly rely on technologies and forget our natural instinct of doing things, infact new instincts will be created, but is it a good thing? For me personally is not, if we rely so much on this kind of technology we will get lazy, because too much of anything is not good, and after all we are just human beings, we follow our desire.
I saw this article on ucdwiki which was posted by YOU! YES YOU! To be honest i'm really amazed by what they've done, it's simply amazing. This project really made a big step to a more digital world. Which i think there's good and bad, but that's only what i think and the rest can decide.
The good thing is they are able to create such a smart computer interface which are going to be a good use to a lot of designer in the future like us the interactive design students, 3D animators and many more. Wouldn't it be great if you are able to experience designing a web interface or do codings for it by using both your hands? Or even creating a 3D figures, that's going to be really fun for us and really interactive because it's something new and have an experience as if your touching it and create a closer feeling to your work. Isn't that great? So, i will take my hats off for that
The bad part is, we don't need it now, like what you said, people are still not able to accept this as it's too expensive and people are still used to what they are doing now. But i strongly believe in the future people are definitely going to accept it. After all, we are living in a world which is changing all the time, and eventually we are going to step into an evolution of technology if more of this kind of technology is introduced to people. And when that happens our daily lifestyle are going to change rapidly and we will highly rely on technologies and forget our natural instinct of doing things, infact new instincts will be created, but is it a good thing? For me personally is not, if we rely so much on this kind of technology we will get lazy, because too much of anything is not good, and after all we are just human beings, we follow our desire.
Spoon Instrument
This is another interesting one, by using the frequency of the sounds to create different force for the spoon to hit the box and create a more interesting piece of music, i know i have post quite a few interactive things regarding sound. That's because personally i think that sound is always around us where ever we go, and also something we neglect all the time, infact all the things around us are able to create nice music like water.
Omfalos
This is another interactive sound sculpture that is displayed in the park, personally i felt that all these sculpture didn't make the place better but it also stir up people's interest and create conversations. So i think it's not just simply a sculpture that create sound but a sculpture that the artist had put alot of efforts and thoughts to it, also it will not let people lose their natural ability to communicate but creates more communications.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
music of the water
Personally i really really love this project, because they simply use concept of the instrument organs and combining it with water to create such beautiful sound, HOW COOL IS THAT?! Displaying this at the park will be great you won't just put a smile on people's faces, You also create a very peaceful environment by using the music of natures and the sound it makes sound great and make people feel good.
This sculpture seems to have such a deep meaning you would like to ask the artist why did he or she created this. It's so poetic, and it's good to display this on places of our daily mundane lifestyles, it changes people's life and put some taste to it.
The singing tree
I think this is a pretty good one, because the place where they put this sculpture is actually a place where people died long time ago, and it's creating sound that sound like ghost weeping, which is kind of scary and creates the right mood.
compared to my later posts music of the water and omfalos which creates beautiful sounds and make the park more interesting and beautiful, this is another kind of mood that will attract audience too, especially people who likes this kind of eerie moments.
ice cool....
See what i mean, even our food and drinks are becoming INTERACTIVE! But this i can accept, because we are using refrigerators to chill our stuff, and everyone knows that refrigerators are harmful to the earth. And i don't know how they do that, maybe they use some mechanism or added something into the waters to make it chilled fast, so, right here i'm going to propose an idea on how to make food to chill our food instantly without using refrigerators, and still able to keep raw food unspoil.
awesome + sexy led
As i move on to search on all these interactive stuffs, i can feel the evolution of the world. Technology can be access so easily nowadays, and there are so many different kind of new gadgets, like every single thing in our daily life are becoming high - tech and interactive. So, my worries is are we going to throw all the old fashion ways of living and move on to the high - tech world? Because it's scary that everywhere we go, the technologies will do it for you.
And it's very scary to see our world to be replace by mechanics and technologies, and gradually we will rely on it too much.
high tech pen.....
When i compare high tech pen and interactive white board, i really think that this pen is much of a better use, because we all know that typing out from the computer shows a better presentation, but when you type a bunch whole lot of text you tend to make some mistakes here and there and this pen are able to help you edit the mistakes straight away using the pen that's really awesome, and a big help for people in the industry.
Freaky interactive toys..... but it's awesome......
i particularly like her toys a lot, because she uses different texture of material to do her sculptures, and the best part is combining it with technology! i mean how often to you see a freaky interactive sculpture? i like her concept a lot, even though not many people will accept it but it's so twisted and interesting that you would want to find out more even you are afraid of it. That's the kind of attraction i as a designer wants to get, very unique and daring, but interesting, like every single toy she does has a deep meaning even though there's no meaning. And her toys give me a very personal feeling, like shirts which are personal to you that's why you will buy it.
If only painting is so easy....
I found this on the net, and found out that they are called the pixelroller, and what they have done is that they created a paint brush that looks like a vacuum cleaner and are able to print the images on to a big sheet of paper, i do not know if that's real or not, but even if the video is fake, i will not say it's impossible to create such a product in the future. And wouldn't it be great if we are able to create product like this? People can save more times on printing especially people who are doing a roadshow they can simply just put a big blank banner and just print the logos or images on it on the day itself! And designer who always use computers to do their illustrations are able to experience hands on to paper itself. So, i won't say this is a useless product, infact i think this is a pretty good idea and very interactive and let people experience the process of the "printing".
Nice Presentation of products of technology
Personally why i post this video is because as a user, i think it's very well done they are able to present these products in such way that i could understand it so well. Picture speaks a thousand words, so i learnt that presentation doesn't need to explain it in words too much but using simple photographs and illustrations will allow the users to understand it better, i know many people knows about this, but not many people are doing it, and this is a very good example of using photographs and illustrations with simple text to present the products. Even though the products are something we encounter in our life but look how they upgrade it, it seems so user - friendly.
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