Final: The Satellite Spectacular

Where to start, these satellites were a huge challenge of my craft, technical, and artistic abilities.

Rhino and Redesigns 

Firstly I started with redesigning the original satellite schematics, complications with the original design included the weight of the satellite head and this prevented vertical pivoting, which was further hindered via a winch mechanism (poor power transition) that the motor was utilizing a winch, for the second edition I opted for gears instead, for a stronger 1:2 power conversion. This is what these alterations looked like...

Fig 1

fig 2

Designed in Rhino the base or stand also went under some more minor alterations, one more middle strut (fig 1) was added to encourage stability to the overall structure as well as the top of the base was much more intentionally designed being more coherent aesthetically and functionally. The functionality was increased by making frames that the servo motors could slide into as a mount. By doing this the gears were easily mounted to the motor and dowel which pivoted the head. (fig2) 

Then I used the redesigned base for the second satellite, designing a new head. incorporating an antenna what I could mount an LED at a later point. 

Once all the alterations were completed making the model 2d was necessary for the laser cutting this was done through the make 2d function in Rhino.

THEN IT WAS LASER TIME... 

Cut from eight(ish) 12 x 24 inch sheets of MDF the total cutting time was about an hour between switching sheets, calibrating the laser and converting files. Then it was like a puzzle, putting together all the components with a little bit of contact cement or hot glue. 

Arduino and Code

One of the goals of these interactive objects was to implicate the audience. So the first decision was choosing the right sensor. Photocells great for short range or light and dark scenarios, so not ideal for this project as I want to map personal's location. So an ultrasonic is the ideal choice in this scenario as they function at longer distances but can also fluctuate infrequently. So by using help from Dejan's Ultrasonic Tutorial, I had begun to concoct this code to map the motors...

/*

* Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 and Arduino Tutorial

* by Dejan Nedelkovski,

* www.HowToMechatronics.com

*/

#include <Servo.h>

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#ifdef __AVR__

#include <avr/power.h>

#endif

Servo servo1, servo2, servo3, servo4;  // create servo object to control a servo

int val;    // variable to read the value from the analog pin

#define PIN 5

#define NUMPIXELS 1

Adafruit_NeoPixel pixels = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUMPIXELS, PIN, NEO_GRB+NEO_KHZ800); //Initalizing object

float color;

// defines pins numbers

const int trigPin = 7; //Pin for sonic reciever

const int echoPin = 6; //Pin for sonic sender

// defines variables

long duration;

int distance;

void setup() {

  pixels.begin();

servo1.attach(10); 

servo2.attach(11);

servo3.attach(12);

servo4.attach(13);

pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT); // Sets the trigPin as an Output

pinMode(echoPin, INPUT); // Sets the echoPin as an Input

Serial.begin(9600); // Starts the serial communication

}

void loop() {

// Clears the trigPin

digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);

delayMicroseconds(2);

// Sets the trigPin on HIGH state for 10 micro seconds

digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);

delayMicroseconds(10);

digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);

// Reads the echoPin, returns the sound wave travel time in microseconds

duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);

// Calculating the distance

distance= duration*0.034/2;

// Prints the distance on the Serial Monitor

Serial.print("Distance: ");

Serial.println(distance);

  val = map(distance, 0, 110, 0, 180);  // scale it to use it with the servo (value between 0 and 180)

  servo1.write(val);  

  servo2.write(val); 

  servo3.write(val); 

  servo4.write(val); 

  // sets the servo position according to the scaled value

  delay(1500);  

color = map(distance, 0, 110, 0, 255);

for(int i = 0; i<= NUMPIXELS; i++){

  if(int(distance) == i) {

 pixels.setPixelColor(i, pixels.Color(val, 0, 0));

  }else{

     pixels.setPixelColor(i, 0,0,0);

  }

}

pixels.show();

  }

This is the code in action.

Sweet it works! 

Now lets put the two together.

Everything is looking great like everything was going to come together as planned until Nicholas got a hard lesson in voltage regulation...

The Dilemma

This is a servo motor and this diagram beside it is how it works. You see that fancy little green chip at the bottom. Well as some of you may know that chip is the logic and is only regulated for 5V up to 9V. So when Nicholas went to use a 12V ac adapter he managed to fry his entire satellite from a single plug. Burning not 1, not 2! but 4 servo motors in one swift motion.
He let out the blue smoke.


What was learned from this experience? Always do as you did, when you test your stuff, do not stray from the original if it showed functionality.

Conclusion

Here are some photos of the finished product. 

Mixed Messages is an interactive installation that consists of satellites reacting to audiences approaching and distancing themselves. These personified satellites attempt to prevent audiences from eavesdropping on their communication. When this occurs, the LED's on the antennas turn a hostile red, this implied dissatisfaction or anger is amplified by the antennas following participants. Implicating the viewers as onlookers or observers to this institutional communication. These actions are created through ultrasonic sensors processing through real-time microprocessing.