Module 1 Formstorming

Weekly Activity Template

Sanren Zhou

Project 1

Module 1

Project1 is our step into the world of low-voltage electronics. In this project, we will learn about simple circuits and, through non-stop iteration, find a combination of circuits, art, and human-centered design.

Activity 1

Since I was absent for the first week, I wasn't sure at first how I was going to use the tools, especially the LED stickers. After watching the tutorials, I tried to build out my first circuit and as you can see it is very simple, but it will be my foundation for this project.

After familiarizing myself with how to use the tools to build the circuit, I tried to combine the LED with the drawing. I used yellow LED to simulate the color of the candles. I simply drew a cake with a marker to make it easier to recognize the shape of the candle.

This is the circuit for the cake candle card. I still used the simplest circuit. I taped this circuit to another piece of paper to hold the batteries and the LED light and to hide them. And punched holes in the paper with the picture to ensure the LED could be seen on the front.

On this card, I added simple switching functionality that allows the user to control the LED's off and on by pressing the switch drawn on the paper.

Here is the circuit for this simple switching device. I started by folding the paper in half and building a disconnected circuit. Put a piece of copper tape where the switch would be. This way, when the user presses the switch, this section of copper tape will link the circuit and make the LED light up.

After learning the basic skills of interacting with a circuit, I built this circuit. As you can see, I disconnected two parts of the circuit and had to fold both the top part of the paper and the corner in order to connect the circuit. I think that the more disconnections there are, the more complex it becomes and the more interactive actions the user can do.

While such a circuit improves interactivity and fun, it also presents some difficulties in building. Because it must be ensured that the folded copper tape is positioned just so that it can ride on the circuit breaks, multiple adjustments may be required, and the conductors must be stabilized to avoid poor contact.

On top of the two disconnects, I made a heart card that requires both hands to interact. The user needs to fold the paper and press it in order to make the LED light up.

This is what the heart card looks like when opened. I put a strip of copper tape on each side and left a gap to make sure the LED is not blocked when the paper is folded. If you want to ensure the stability of the electricity being passed through, I found that it's appropriate to leave the copper tape in charge of the switch a little longer to ensure that the circuitry has a contact area with it.

I started exploring other possible conductors. I started by using a pencil lead. However the circuit was not connected. My guesses as to why could be first, the pencil lead was too thin, making its contact surface with the battery and the LED too small to conduct electricity, and second, the pencil lead may have contained other substances that caused it not to conduct electricity.

I next tried to conduct electricity in the form of drawing lines using a pencil. I drew the circuit in pencil and thickened it, however it still failed, I think this may be because the graphite content in the pencil is too small, and it may be easier to succeed with a thicker pencil.

I connected the paper clips together and tried to build the circuit. Being metal, paperclips are certain to conduct electricity, however I failed this time as well. I later found out that the kind of paperclips I bought are wrapped in a layer of plastic on the outside, which is what makes them insulators. But I will keep the idea of using paperclips to build circuits and maybe use them when building the wearable final design.

The picture shows a simple circuit I built using the Makey Makey. In the build, I think the downside of the Makey Makey is that we can't use clips to hold the battery, which doesn't turn on the circuit, we have to put one clip on the battery and another pad on the other side of the battery, which is very unstable. Perhaps the Makey Makey is better suited to regular batteries rather than button batteries.

I searched for other ways to connect circuits and started trying to connect multiple LEDs. this is a parallel connection. The advantage of parallel connection is that even if one part of the circuit is damaged, it will not affect the other parts and can be controlled by adding their own switches at a later stage.

The other parallel connection, which I think is more space efficient and less difficult to build than the first. The shape is also more regular, making it easier to make other designs.

In this circuit, I combined the switch with a parallel connection. By folding the corners of the paper, the user turns the circuit on and can see the LEDs light up at the same time. I assume that this parallel connection will be used often in Final Design.

Copper tape has limitations, as it is sticky on one side and therefore cannot be used for other complex operations. I remembered the paper springs I made as a child, so I decided that making springs out of aluminum foil might lead to interesting results. I used two pieces of aluminum foil of equal length and width and folded them back and forth.

The finished aluminum foil paper spring is shown in the picture. By gluing double sided tape to both ends of it, you can make many interesting designs, such as it can be used as a switch, as a decoration, or a wire.

I stretched and glued aluminum foil springs to paper, I wanted them to be three-dimensional wires to add a 3D effect to my future designs. To ensure good energization, I used copper tape to connect the two springs.

3D circuits are built successfully. I was very surprised & happy with the result. I think maybe I'll make a few more aluminum foil springs and stick them all over the circuit. In many tutorials, adding a 3D effect to a design relies heavily on origami, and this method I found opened up my mind.

I still prefer different experiments that interact with circuits. In this drawing, I will simulate a scenario where we use a plug.

I drew a plug, cut it out, and put copper tape on the back of it, which will act as an switch for the circuit. I folded the end of the copper tape in hopes of simulating the damping sensation of a plug.

Just like the one shown in the GIF. This circuit is turned on by sliding the plug, which simulates the action of plugging in our plugs. The ceiling light comes on when it's switched on, and the copper tape that's been folded over does provide some degree of dampening.

I designed this parallel circuit. My idea was to connect different circuits by turning knobs (conductors) to make different LEDs light up. Such a circuit will add interactivity and utility.

I created a circuit where the user informs others of their mood. Copper tape was applied to the back of the arrow. When the arrow points in different directions, different circuits will turn on and different LEDs will light up. The only shortcoming is that in this device, I have to hold the end of the arrow with one hand, otherwise the circuit may not turn on. So how to keep the circuits open will be an ongoing problem.

Activity 2

One of the most basic hooks. Made of metal, you can see that on the end of the hook the manufacturer has rounded off the end to prevent items from being scratched. Many people like to hang some hooks on their doorways for items such as umbrellas, coats, and keys. This feature can be used to design interactable circuits.

Many people often forget to take umbrellas or bring keys with them before leaving the house, and there are also many people who are not in the habit of placing their belongings in a fixed location. So it occurred to me that gravity could be utilized in combination with hooks. This is the side view of the hook. I want to make a hook that can slide up and down. When the item is hung, the hook drops down and the wire at its bottom will be connected to the circuit and the light will come on. This way, when the user goes out, the lighted LED will remind the user to take the item away.

Front view of the hook. The gray circle represents the battery and the yellow circle represents the LED. A grooved track holds the hook and keeps it sliding vertically. The backplate has a circuit break that turns on when the hook is lowered.

At this point I had the challenge of figuring out how to get the circuit to automatically disconnect again after the item was taken away. My idea was to install a spring at the bottom of the hook. This way, when the item is taken away, the spring will drive the hook back to the top and the circuit will be automatically broken.

This is the tampon dispenser in the women's restroom at our school. What impressed me about this device is the unique shape of its knob. The Z-shaped design of the knob aligns with affordance design, making it easy for first-time users to quickly understand how to rotate it. However, I noticed an issue with this device: it is not transparent, making it difficult to tell whether there are any tampons left inside. I will reflect on this issue and work on designing a solution.

This is my design sketch, where I used dashed lines to represent the internal components that are not visible from the outside. My idea is to place a movable plate inside the dispenser and add a piece of conductor to the plate. Inside the bottom of the dispenser, I would add an open circuit. When the dispenser is empty, the top plate will drop and make contact with the bottom, closing the circuit and triggering an LED light to indicate that the dispenser is empty.

A schematic diagram of the two plates inside the dispenser and the circuit placement. However, in this design, I forgot to include the LED and did not leave space for it. As a result, the final circuit will differ from this diagram. Nonetheless, this diagram illustrates the most basic and essential circuit principle of the design.

Another angle of the dispenser. In this diagram, I used dashed lines to show the internal structure. In this design, I included the LED and more clearly illustrated how the circuit is connected. The conductor on the top plate aligns with the circuit gap at the bottom, ensuring the circuit connection.

The fluttering of a flag is an environment-based interaction. The wind's speed and direction constantly change the state of the flag's movement. Since our kit does not include light, heat, or sound-sensitive components, wind has become the only nature-based interaction I can currently utilize and study.

The first design that came to mind related to wind is a windmill. As shown in the illustration, I plan to use a metal rod to support the windmill and attach a conductor to each blade. This way, when the windmill rotates, the conductors on the blades can connect the circuit, causing the LED to light up. However, I couldn't form a concrete circuit concept in my mind, so I put this design on hold. I need to experiment with real materials to test the feasibility of this design.

I believe the spring in a toaster is also a form of environment-based interaction, as the bread pops up when the heating element reaches a sufficient temperature. However, my simplified toaster would still be more of a mechanized, object-based interaction. Either way, the spring mechanism in a toaster has inspired me. It resembles a slider and also reminds me of the tuning pointer in old-fashioned radios. Perhaps I could use a similar mechanism to represent different states.

I was reminded of the mood display circuit I experimented with in Activity 1. As someone living with three roommates, it’s especially important to quickly and efficiently let them know my current status. Based on the circuit from Activity 1, I plan to design a status board where I can slide a pointer to light up different statuses. This way, my roommates can easily know whether it’s a good time to approach me or not.

After finishing the first sketch, I realized this circuit differs slightly from the one in Activity 1. In Activity 1, one end of the arrow remained stationary, whereas in this circuit, the pointer must move entirely. As a result, I redesigned the circuit. I arranged the LEDs in parallel and left each circuit's bottom end open. This ensures that, as the pointer with a conductor moves, different LEDs will be connected while the others remain off.

This diagram provides a more detailed view of the back of the pointer and the side of the entire device. I attached a small block to the back of the pointer, allowing it to move horizontally within the track. Additionally, a conductor is attached to the pointer. The side view illustrates the internal structure of the device.

This is the final design draft of the status board. The circuit board section, which is hidden behind the front panel with text, is represented using dashed lines. The dark brown strip indicates the track carved into the front panel for the pointer to slide. One important consideration for this design is that the pointer must be long enough to ensure it can connect each circuit properly.

Our hands are capable of performing many activities, and during winter, wearing gloves is a common habit for many people. Therefore, in my opinion, gloves are an ideal tool for experimenting with clothing-based interactions.

I often have this experience: on winter nights, when the light is dim, I need illumination to find something or read certain texts. Thick coats make the act of retrieving my phone quite inconvenient, and after finding the phone, I still need to remove my gloves to use the touchscreen and turn on the flashlight. So why not turn our hands into tools that help us illuminate the dark?

You rarely see people using fingers other than the index finger to assist with reading or touching objects. When people extend their index finger, they naturally curl the middle, ring, and pinky fingers to touch the lower part of the palm. Based on this, I added a piece of conductive material to the middle finger and placed an open circuit on the palm. When the index finger is extended, the other three fingers curl, closing the circuit, and the LED lights up, providing illumination. Of course, you can also use this glove to play a finger-gun game—when you make a finger-gun gesture, the light on the index finger will turn on. I believe this design has great potential for future studies in wearable circuit interactions.

Wearing a headband is also a clothing-based interaction. People naturally use headbands to hold back their bangs and push their hair back. Beyond functionality, headbands also serve as decorative items, with variations in color, width, and materials. There are even headbands adorned with festive decorations. Undoubtedly, headbands have become one of the most practical accessories.

My initial idea is shown in the diagram. This headband device consists of two parts: the headband itself and an elastic conductor. LED lights are attached in series on the outer surface of the headband. When the user wears the headband, the elastic conductor is pressed against the open circuit on top of the head, completing the circuit. When the user removes the headband, the conductor returns to its original position, breaking the circuit.

This diagram shows the effect when the headband is worn. As seen, the conductor is pressed against the open circuit on top of the head, completing the circuit. The right side of the diagram displays the inner circle of the headband. After designing this device, I attempted to use steel wire as the conductor but found that, since both ends of the wire were fixed, it was difficult for the wire to bend upward for deformation. Therefore, alternative materials may need to be explored.

In one experiment, I adjusted the position of the fixed steel wire by moving it upward. This change prevented the steel wire from being overly taut, allowing it to be pressed onto the circuit. I still need to further test whether the circuit can be successfully connected and whether the elastic conductor will immediately detach from the circuit after removing the headband, ensuring the circuit's reset for the next use.

Buttoning is a classic example of clothing-based interaction. The image shows a button from my down jacket. Other types of buttons include snap buttons, toggle buttons, and duffle buttons, among others. The material and shape of buttons can also be designed and varied in many creative ways.

It's not just kids; adults occasionally misalign buttons too, and what’s even more frustrating is that we often only notice it when we reach the last button. To address this, I thought of using different colored LED lights to help match buttons with their corresponding buttonholes. In this design, I treat each pair of buttons and buttonholes as part of a series circuit and assign them the same color LED. When the correct button is matched with the correct buttonhole, the two LEDs of the same color will light up. As shown in the diagram, this shirt has five buttons, so we would need four sets (8 LEDs total), since the last button cannot be mismatched under the guidance of the LEDs.

As shown in the diagram, although the circuit would still be completed, the mismatch of colors between the button and buttonhole would alert the user to correct it in time. However, this design introduces a problem: once the button is fastened, the circuit remains active, and the LEDs stay lit. This not only wastes energy but may also create awkward situations. Therefore, I will continue to explore other solutions to ensure that the LEDs turn off after providing guidance, without affecting the appearance of the clothing.

Project 1

Final Project 1 Design

Wearable Interactive Affordance Based Circuit

Illuminated Glove

On cold winter nights, I occasionally need light to read bus information or find something I’ve dropped. Searching for my phone can be inconvenient, and unlocking it while wearing gloves and a mask is even more challenging. So, I designed an illuminated glove.
Since the index finger is the most commonly used finger, we naturally curl the other fingers when performing actions. This movement became the trigger to complete the circuit. In a relaxed state, the circuit remains open, but when making a fist, the flexible wiring connects the circuit.

Non-Wearable Interactive Affordance Based Circuit

Refill Warning Light

Most tampon boxes on the market are non-transparent, making it difficult to tell if they are empty, which can cause inconvenience and embarrassment to the user.
In my final design, I added a conductive plate inside the machine. When there are tampons inside the machine, the conductive plate will not touch the circuit at the bottom, keeping the circuit disconnected and the light off. However, when the container is empty, the conductive plate falls onto the circuit at the bottom, thus closing the circuit and activating the indicator light, alerting the user that a refill of tampons is needed.
In the final design demo, I used a tissue paper in place of any possible contents.

Powered by w3.css