Major Update

So a few things have changed since the beginning of the week:

Thursday's class really shocked us. Tim went down to the DigiFab Lab and asked about how much it would cost for us to print the form he created... only to find out that it would be $88... for the BOTTOM. The top part would most likely cost the same... so that means ONE complete device would be almost $200. We initally intended to make 3 of these, because in our system there are 3 different "settings" due to the various levels in the library.
We met as a group later that evening for some revisions...
Not only did we decide to make just one as an example of our idea- really three isn't necessary... we can get our point across with one- BUT we also re-designed our form as well. We tried to make it as compact as possible, switching to a flatter, rectangular shape as opposed to a circular, dome shape.
We also ordered some awesome small headlight rings used in cars as our light in the device. We were concerned about the light being more consistently shown versus "dots" of light- which occurred when we tested the higher-intensity LEDs. So that will be fun to play with, hopefully we will use it but if not I know we will figure somthing else out.

YESTERDAY- Tim and I decided a few more things, some pertaining to the form of the housing, and some just kind of for fun.
We went to Lowes to look at some pipes and other things that had to do with interlocking parts, basically looking at how forms can be put together in different ways. We found this really awesome crimped pipe that we are using as the inspiration for how our form will lock together.
example: http://www.lowes.com/pd_181820-42471-940CR-06_0__?productId=3131275&Ntt=crimped+pipe&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dcrimped%2Bpipe

As another component to our project we really want to design a small pamphlet or poster about being quiet in the library to accompany our device. I think this will be a fun addition to what we will produce and also aid in further understanding of why we chose the topic we did for our social tool.

There were also thoughts about turning our presentation into a performance piece... a recreation of a scenario that our device is intended for.

SO many things to think about... and now down to two weeks. So excited :)

Some More Interesting Links

These two are kind of humorous:
http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Immensely-Rude-People

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-People-In-a-Library-to-Be-Quiet

This debate about the libraries is really interesting:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2217584838&topic=10346

And this is just amazingly fun:
http://www.offbeatearth.com/quiet-at-the-library/

Some Awesome Websites

So I've been just looking around at some different topics that relate to this project...

Here are some links:

industrial art
http://industrialartanddesign.com/index.html

what is art?
http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/artartists/artartists.html

art on purpose
http://www.artonpurpose.org/index.cfm

site specific art
http://sofiefr.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/what-is-site-specific-art/

I was also thinking about this project and comparing it to what other things I've studied throughout art school. Sometimes it's difficult to consider what you are doing as art. Even when designing something, such as a website or a business card, it can be hard (for me atleast) to recognize that what I am doing is art. For some reason I tend to think of art as being the thing on the wall or pedestal in an art gallery with a nice spot light above it and a little rope around it. I do know the art movements of the post WWII era, but I suppose this class has helped me to get reacquainted with them a little bit. Yes, art can be, and is obviously, that nicely framed painting or that bronze sculpture but art can also be... useful. It can be touched, and intended for interaction beyond simply sight, it can improve people's lives even on a basic level... not just to be more "cultured" or "intellectual."

It's thoughts like these when I realize that the old argument of "what is art?" can't really be answered... it can be anything really. Maybe that's the answer... art is anything. Anything can be art if that is its intention. Ok, so maybe making sound sensors for a library seems less like art and more like just a solution to a pretty annoying problem but we (my group) is not only trying to solve a problem, we are thinking about design, interaction, interface, circuitry, sensors, LEDs, wiring, color, sound, layers and layers of information... there's the art... in the consideration of the thing, if you don't consider the thing actual art.

Update

Today was an excellent day for our group... talking about project two in further detail. We are continuing with the library device idea. Tim brought in a touch light so that we could decide what exactly our form would look like and how big it would have to be. We are thinking we will have to design our own form for the circuits to go in but Tim has been fantastic at designing with rhino. Our current dilemma is that we might have to make the bottom of the form and use the top plastic dome part of the touch light in order to have a material that will allow light to pass through. If we are allowed to buy our own ABS plastic, and if clear ABS is available, then it shouldn't be a problem and we can just design both parts.

Noah has been really great in trying to see what we can do with the arduino. I think that we will be able to create something that will be extremely usable in real situations.

This week we are focusing on figuring out what exactly we can do with our arduinos and the area that we will need to make the circuits so that we can have exact measurements for our form.

We are also really trying to develop all aspects of our concept, thinking about how this will get people to be conscious about their actions and how it can change the dynamic of the library.

This project has been very challenging (in a good way). I haven't had to consider concept as deeply since foundation classes in freshman year. It has been very mind-opening to not only participate in designing a form but think about the possible "consequences" of each decision (good or bad). I like that this idea is simple, a small way to make potentially positive change. It will be interesting to test it out and see how people actually react to this device in real-life situations.

Decibel Levels

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html


http://www.soundbytes.com/page/SB/CTGY/decibel-levels

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm

Some Cool Things About Color

Thinking about color and what it means...

This will be important when my group decides on LEDs to incorporate into our devices (especially depending on the level that the devices are located in the library)

http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-red.html

http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-yellow.html


http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-orange.html

My current thought is:

Level 1= "loudest" level= yellow LED
Level 2= "less sound allowance"= orange LED
Level 3= "least sound allowance"= red LED

Yellow is a color of awareness, thinking about a stop light it warns drivers to slow down. In this case it will make students aware of their noise level.

Orange is a combination of yellow and red, therefore it makes sense that it would be used in the devices on floor 2 of the library to indicate a greater importance of silence for that environment.

Red could be effectively used on level 3 of the library, the quiet level, because it is greatly associated with the idea of "warning" or "stop" (as with a traffic light or stop sign).

Arduino Lights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K004RhULIIU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqP_F2lPgyM&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhFSg6ESpM0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxVkU6wvdPc&feature=related