Module 1 Activity Research

Weekly Activity Template

Sanren Zhou

Project 1

Module 1

Project 1 explores physical interaction through the use of sensors, microcontrollers, and digital prototyping. We experiment with input and output data, using low-fidelity prototypes to build toward a final interactive piece. We choose either an Art path, driven by curiosity and exploration, or a Design path, focused on usability and user testing.(Click the Images for More Details)

Activity 1

After setting up the Arduino 'blink' sketch, I tried plugging the LED directly into the Arduino board, and the LED started blinking. Then I moved on to using a protoboard to build the circuit. I think the biggest challenge at this stage is that I often forget the polarity of the LED, and it’s a bit difficult to tell which wire is connected to GND. That’s why I think using black or another dark color to represent ground can help with memory. I’ll try to keep this trick in mind for the rest of the work. I added a resistor on the protoboard. A resistor has no polarity, but the only thing to pay attention to is placing it in parallel with the wires and the LED leads to ensure the circuit is connected properly. Since the LED is connected in series with the resistor, the resistor limits the current and protects both the LED and the Arduino. However, the difference is not very noticeable, probably because the resistance value is relatively small, so the LED’s brightness did not change much. This picture shows the moment when I was preparing to add another LED. However, as soon as I reached this step, the existing LED started to emit a flickering light. Clearly, this was a malfunction. My guess is: 1. The newly added green wire acted like a resistor, allowing only a tiny current to pass through, which caused the LED not to light properly. 2. The circuit itself should not have been connected, but the metal strips inside the protoboard may have made slight contact, resulting in an intermittent current. This was the most memorable malfunction in Activity 1 and the one that made me think the most. I debug the malfunction in Image 3 by adding a new resistor and LED, and by connecting the wire indicated by the yellow arrow. This formed a slightly more complex series circuit. At this point, both LEDs lit up and started blinking according to the Arduino sketch. I replaced the second resistor and LED with a switch and adjusted the placement of some wires. By using Arduino code for switch control, I successfully controlled the LED with the switch.

Activity 2

First, we connect the computer to the Arduino Sensor Kit and upload this code to the Arduino. We locate the code for controlling the AHT 20 in the library. This way, I can use `analogRead(POT)` later to read the value of the potentiometer. After spending some time downloading and running ProtoPie on our phones, we displayed the interface shown in the picture. The code we just uploaded allows us to control the living room temperature by rotating the rotary potentiometer on the circular section. We can see our program running continuously in ProtoPie. As I turn the rotary knob, the temperature displayed on the phone screen changes accordingly. After that, we tried using Makey Makey to control another project on ProtoPie. Interestingly, we'd gotten so used to Arduino only needing a single wire connection that we almost forgot to connect the earth wire, which is why it didn't work at first. Later, we recognized our mistake in time and added the earth wire. As a result, we could see that Makey Makey was able to control the project on ProtoPie perfectly according to its original design.

Activity 3

This is my first time using TouchDesigner and also my first time connecting it with Arduino. At the beginning of my practice, I couldn’t correctly transfer Arduino data into TouchDesigner because I didn’t adjust the Port parameter in the Serial DAT. The port must match the one used by the Arduino. This is the first thing I learned. After debugging, we were able to use the Arduino knob to control the size of the circle in the TouchDesigner scene. After that, we started learning how to create graphics in TouchDesigner. Our goal was to make a sphere with a smooth surface and gradient colors. During the process, I didn’t fully understand the purpose of the Null operator, so I did some research after class. My summary is that in TouchDesigner, a **Null** is a placeholder node mainly used for: 1. Making the network structure clearer by serving as a “relay station.” 2. Keeping the output stable if the upstream node changes or is deleted, preventing errors downstream. 3. Allowing multiple nodes to reference the same data through one Null, avoiding repeated connections. 4. Reducing unnecessary recalculations. It doesn’t affect the visual output but helps save time in later stages and ensures safer, more efficient creation of complex visuals. In class, we were unable to create the desired visual effect, mainly because we didn’t adjust the parameters at this step. After class, I watched several tutorial videos, and one of them demonstrated how to create a sphere in TouchDesigner, just like our goal. I learned that at this stage, we need to set Output to Channel per Value. This allows the data from Arduino to be converted into numeric values that TouchDesigner can use. After solving the previous issues, I added a **Lookup** operator. It maps the brightness or values of an input image to corresponding colors in the **Ramp** function. With this, I was able to create a sphere that has gradient colors and can be controlled by Arduino.

Research Activity

WGSN Consumer Trend Research

In this activity, we mainly explored how to use WGSN effectively to understand our target users and identify the problems that still need to be solved. (Click the Images for More Details)

My first category is Empathetic AI Companions. WGSN’s forecast shows growing attention to mental health and emotional balance. This inspired us to create an emotionally responsive interaction. My second category is Autonomous Indoor Gardens. 2023 data shows rising spending on gardening, especially among younger consumers, reflecting a stronger emotional connection to nature. Inspired by this, we plan to include natural, plant-like elements in our design to create a calm and relaxing user experience. I also read other articles on WGSN, such as those about UI/UX design connected to emotions. These articles show that modern users increasingly value emotional well-being and personal growth, and they expect AI or interaction design to feel more personalized and emotionally warm. This idea will continue to influence my future research and design.

WGSN Personas Research

As an interaction designer, understanding your users is essential, and WGSN’s articles greatly help us learn about our users and build accurate personas.(Click the Images for More Details)

First, I read about the four types of personas and reflected on their generational impacts, as well as their behaviours, buying priorities, and actions. I found that my design concept aligns more closely with the needs of The Energisers and The New Independents. I continued reading and taking notes on the details from WGSN articles to deepen my understanding of user needs, design trends, and emotional connections in interactive experiences.

HMW Research

Based on the two themes I’m interested in, I continued to explore existing problems and how we might address them through design.(Click the Images for More Details)

In the theme of Empathetic AI Companions, I identified two main problems: 1. Many people struggle to manage stress and maintain emotional balance in fast-paced daily life. 2. Existing emotional support technologies lack personalization and real-time physiological feedback, making them feel like cold, emotionless machines to users. In the theme of Nature-Inspired Interactive Design (from Autonomous Indoor Gardens), the problems are: 1. Urban lifestyles separate people from nature, leading to increased anxiety and fatigue. 2. Digital environments often feel artificial and fail to provide relaxation or emotional comfort. HMW: How might we bring natural or plant-inspired elements into interactive media to create calm, restorative experiences for users? How might we design a multi-sensory environment that reconnects people with nature through sound, color, and movement?

Project Path

Through the above exploration, we gradually found our design paths.(Click the Image for More Details)

Two possible project directions in Empathetic AI companions:1.A wearable device that detects heart rate and emotional signals, translating them into changing visuals and sound patterns to support focus, relaxation, or motivation. 2.A responsive screen system that mirrors users’ emotional state through gentle visual motion and ambient music, promoting mindfulness and emotional balance. Two possible project directions in Nature-Inspired Interactive Design:1.An interactive installation inspired by natural growth or wave movement, reacting to biometric data to create calm, nature-like visuals and sounds. 2.A multi-sensory experience where environmental changes (light, color, vibration, and sound) help users reconnect with nature and relieve stress. Or perhaps, to blend some aspects of the Art Path into the Design Path?

Project 1 Concept

Project 1 Concept

Our concept explores how real-time biometric data—such as heart rate and breathing—can be translated into visual and auditory feedback that reflects users’ physical and emotional states during exercise. Using a wearable device and interactive projection, the system adapts visuals and sounds to match activity intensity, helping users stay aware of their body and emotions. Following a Design Path with artistic elements, our project combines technology, empathy, and aesthetics to create an immersive, emotion-responsive fitness experience.

As shown in the image, we aim to design a wearable device that monitors the user’s heart rate and other physical indicators. Based on these metrics, a projector will display visuals suited to the current activity, while speakers will play matching music or sound effects. Together, they create a more engaging and immersive exercise experience for the user.
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