Interactive Model Description
A network of infrared proximity sensors has been integrated into the four sides of the physical model. These sensors record the distance of gallery visitors to its edges. Information from these sensors is used to actuate the white feather-like “fog harvesting robots” and control the brightness of embedded LEDS. This model is an example of what Future Cities Labs call “live models”. Live models use the interaction of people to explore and simulate the potential effects of environmental forces such as fog, wind and sunlight.
Model Materials: Cast and thermoformed acrylic, custom printed circuit boards, Arduino based microcontrollers, infrared sensors, shape memory alloy motors (Courtesy of Miga Motor Company).

Hedoco offers products created by young Polish designers and engineers. Users can buy them in our online shop or make them themselves, for their own use. To do it, they just need to click to the “do it yourself” section of the site and download the projects or technological specifications free of charge– says Piotr Grabowski, President of Modern Arts Management company and Hedoco brand co-founder.
First products offered by the online shop are fashion accessories - ledBag and Eleven Brothers bags - and Dodecaudion, a high-tech gestural music controller. All three products stand out from others that the market offers.

What is Dodecaudion? It is the effect of collaboration of panGenerator group and the Hedoco brand. In a nutshell, Dodecaudion is a a spatial music controller in the form of a regular dodecahedron. Each face of this device has an ”eye” with integrated infrared sensor which collects information on the presence and distance of the musician’s hands. Therefore, Dodecaudion is a gestural instrument which requires the artist to move his/her hands and the entire body, get the palms closer to the device and take them away, and shape them in various configurations. In this way, Dodecaudion offers novel, extraordinary stage possibilities: while generating sounds, the user moves and at the same time creates a new dimension of music during a performance or concert.

In the future, we are going to experiment with Dodecaudion’s platform software, so that it could really control daily chores, for example in the integrated house management system. We believe the device will soon be calling the tune. Following Hedoco’s motto – “Design. Innovation. You – we aim to discover other applications of Dodecaudion and we already see its great potential – says Piotr Grabowski, President of Modern Arts Management, and Hedoco brand co-owner.

The heart of Dodecaudion is Arduino, an electronic platform integrated with the device, which could be used thanks to the idea of open technologies (Open Source as well as Creative Commons and MIT licences). Arduino collects data from all sensors and transfers them to the computer, so they can be used not only during live concerts, but also in any other way, from sound processing and synthesis to creating visual effects.

The use of open Arduino platform gives artists unlimited access to the instrument’s functions and allows for its reprogramming and customization to answer individual needs. It is the asset of Open Source which allows users to search for new solutions and applications themselves.

The concept, developed by four visionary artists forming panGenerator group, emerged in autumn 2010. Six month later, Modern Arts Management company joined the project and the work accelerated. Financial support of Hedoco brand owners brought results: in July 2011, panGenerator constructed the Dodecaudion’s prototype, and in August the first concert to test the instrument was held.

The Dynamic Performance of Nature is a solar-powered installation designed to sense the animate natural environment of the world and interactively communicate it to the visitors of the Leonardo through an intelligent, dynamic wall. It’s inspired by the concept that sustainability for the 21st century should be crafted to evolve beyond conventional application of green techniques into something alive and integrated with the environment, conditioning the most sophisticated forms of creativity for the preservation of life. This dynamic and interactive installation will invite curious inquisition as well as detached contemplation of the synthesis between light, material, space, and global environmental information.

2011 Core Tutors: Evan Greenberg (AA), Christina Doumpioti (AA), Jason Kelly Johnson (FCL/CCA), Andrew Kudless (Matsys/CCA)
Studio Tutors: Andrew Payne (Harvard/Lift), Ronnie Parsons (Mode/Pratt), Gil Akos (Mode/Pratt)
AA Visiting Tutors: Michael Weinstock (AA), Toni Kotnik (AA/ETH)
Workshop Tutors: Rip DeLeon, Ben Golder, David Shook (SOM), Scott Minneman, Michael Shiloh, Nick Riddle
2011 Guest Lecturers: Thom Faulders (CCA), David Gissen (CCA), Mark Sarkisian and David Shook (SOM), Bill Kreysler

2011 Sponsors: McNeel & Associates (Seattle, WA); SOM (Skidmore Owings and Merrill); Kreysler & Associates Digital Fabrication.
Special Thanks: CCA Fabrication Lab and Workshop Staff and Students; Andrew Sparks

Software Links: Rhino/Grasshopper, Firefly, Arduino, Kangaroo, Karamba

The Sun Cutter Project by Markus Kayser explores the potential of harnessing sunlight directly to produce objects. The machine is a low-tech, low energy version of a laser cutter. It uses pure sunlight,
focused by a ball lens, to repeatedly cut programmed shapes in up to 0.4mm thick plywood as well as paper and card.
The project also explores the merit of analogue mechanized production that draws on the machine technology found in pre-digital machinery and automaton. It uses a cam system, moving an X & Y- board to control the shape of the cut. The cams are set into synchronized motion by a small solar-powered motor driving a timing belt.
Each pair of sunglasses made, even though very similar in shape, is still unique, creating a juxtaposition between the machine-made, repetitive and individual, unique object.

Markus Kayser – Sun Cutter Project from Markus Kayser on Vimeo.

Arduino The Documentary (2010) English HD from gnd on Vimeo.

Transensing is a collection of interactive objects created by Christina Biliouri, the goal of this project is to shift inclusive design from being merely a problem solving process to an emotional approach, this project mainly focuses in the implication blind people has in everyday social transactions ,the handcrafted glasses utilize arduinos + processing, piezo electric transducers, accelerometers and wireless communication ass tools to help blind people interact with their social enviorment.

Transensing intends to raise awareness by introducing objects which provoke and invite people to immerse themselves in a new experience where touch and sound are celebrated. The series of glassware, designed with Dick G. as a lead user, work as communication tools on various levels within social occasions. Above all, it is a demonstration of how design can become a tool to tackle social exclusion.

The series of objects are all to be used in social occasions and they work on different levels.

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“Where am I?” is a set of objects designed to be used by others in order to help the visually impaired understand where you are standing in a conversation. Simply by fiddling with your drink, the glass works as sound signifier.

“In between bubbles” can provide visually impaired people with the ability to keep in touch with their partner in a social occasion. By placing the glass on your ear you can listen to the other person’s drink.

“The Sound of Memories” What if you could capture the sounds of a whole night simply by drinking? This glass works as a time capsule; by turning it upside down you can listen and share the memories with friends.

Glad to see the Firefly initiative is taking a more serious shape today @ale2x72 tweeted about its new version which I have to say looks great they have created a hole bunch of new components also they have moved the project to this this Firefly Experiments website , Something good to share with all of you who are interested in the development of Grasshopper and Arduino.

Description (from the sit)
Firefly is a set of comprehensive software tools dedicated to bridging the gap between Grasshopper (a free plug-in for Rhino), the Arduino micro-controller, the internet and beyond. It allows near real-time data flow between the digital and physical worlds, and will read/write data to/from internet feeds, remote sensors and more. It also includes a Pachube reader.

Firefly Developers:
Andy Payne [LIFT Architects; Harvard GSD - Cambridge, MA]
Jason K Johnson [Future-Cities-Lab; CCA - San Francisco, CA]

Using Grasshopper to Control a Pan / Tilt Servo from Andy Payne on Vimeo.

Among his collection of works I found two I liked the most the first one is called Daily Stack ,  I really need to get one of these organizing my work flow has become a bit difficult with so many distractions and activities to do and this seems to be a fun and effective way to solve this situation.

Daily Stack is a playful tool that helps you become more aware of your daily work-flow and time management. By creating a physical representation of your tasks, Daily Stack speaks subtly to your conscience and helps you manage your time through unobtrusive ambient feedback.
It consists of a base device and a collection of wooden bricks in different shapes and colours. The bricks represent different kinds of tasks and time-intervals. By adding a brick to the base you commit yourself to the task and time span that the selected brick represents. Daily Stack communicates with an desktop widget on your computer that enables you to keep track of your time and tasks in progress. It also enables you to browse through your past and and compare your days in a colourful informative pattern.

Daily Stack from Anders Højmose on Vimeo.

The other project would be Pong that Beat wich is a project made in collaboration with Sebastian Thielke and Jonas Maanson ,it is an interactive Pong table that when you play , the camera register where the ball is when it hits the table, and a new sound is added to that location. While playing the step sequencer is continuously running. In that way you create a beat while playing. If you drop the ball on the floor, you are game over.

PongThatBeat! from Sebastian Thielke on Vimeo.