iSerendipity

Now that we have the mechanical pod moving along the track, we need to figure out the LED lights. Firstly, each pod will be able to light up when it senses pressure. This can be controlled by a switch hooked up to a wireless battery and LED.

Next, in order to convey the idea of pods changing colour according to activity clusters, we first considered each pod carrying 3 LEDs of different colours and activating each one depending on its location on the track. The implementation details started becoming too complicated, especially if the pod needs programmable lights, meaning that the moving elements require wires connected to the BasicStamp board.

Thus, we decided on a simpler solution in which the coloured lights for each section would be statically placed on different locations on the actual track that will switch on whenever it senses a pod travelling over that section.

Colour-changes on each individual pod would have required a more complex pod construction of a non-rotating bottom layer to hit a specific switch location and use a bearing on the top to allow for pod rotation above the track.

 

Our circuitry diagrams:

Low fidelity prototype of our initial café concept. Coloured pods float around within the space. Floor projection is played on the exterior façade as a form of aesthetic visual information about the interior.

 

Track and gears system of pod movement

Initial Idea Exploration

Examining how to apply our working mechanisms from the first exercise: pulley, circular gears, and opening/closing.

 

 

A sociable space of moving circular pods. Ideas of configuration and sociability in the context of an office, workspace, cafe, bar, or speed dating…

 

iSerendipity Café Concept

This ambient café enhances mood, sociability and interactivity among people. Organic-shaped pods float amongst each other through space and glow with colour once a person steps on. Using interactive touch-screen countertops and tables to record and learn individuals’ preferences, pods carrying people with similar recorded preferences will experience more chance encounters – serendipity. Pod lights are time- and context- sensitive: initial activation of a pod stimulates an intense glow that dims over time, and time limit is based according to the present human activity and pod vacancy. The exterior façade displays the harmonious movement and colour intensity of each pod as aesthetic visual information to passersby.

Concept sketches

Overall plan

Pod Seating

Existing Spaces, Forms and Technologies

 We searched for some existing ideas and products to further communicate our concept ideas, and to act as additional sources of inspiration for more detailed planning and implementation.

Source: http://www.core77.com/gallery/MATERIAL%20TRENDS%202006/44.asp?current_image_number=15&album_id=20&context_id=1&current_photo_id=2644

 

Microsoft Surface multi-touch table

Source: www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/endquote/521069794/

 

Sonic Chair pod seating

Source: http://www.bornrich.org/entry/sonic-chair-throws-audiophiles-in-true-acoustic-isolation/

IKEA Round Bed configurable seating

Source: http://ikeanblog.com/media/round-bed.jpg

 
Cafe Interiors

Starbucks
Source: http://leolaksi.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/starbucks-ekamai.jpg

coolbar
Source: http://tabetai.blogspot.com/2004/05/chilling-out-coolbar-on-anzac.html

Choosing to study the motion of opening and closing in biological systems, I found the pine cone a fascinating structure. In cold, wet conditions it forms a tight, closed geometry, yet in dry heat it opens and expands its scales – the movement between these two extremes are slow and subtle.

In constructing my kinetic structure, I encountered difficulty in making the mechanism work to fully extend and contract the scales due to the shape of the pivoting arms. The created motion resembles a soft breathing movement instead.