AIRHEAD_SENSEMOD_DPM_BscYr3_WSA

A I R H E A D

AIRHEAD

INFO Module: Design Principles and Methods: SenseMOD Module Leader: Robert Doe Guest Critics: Simon Fenoulhet, Leigh Davies, Paul Granjon Team: Jan Stawiarski, Molly Hughes, Tan Bo Shen, Frank Brandon Group Name: Air Heads

CONTENTS Forgotton Space 3 Input Data 4 Precedents : Another Generosity 5 Initial Concepts 6 Diagram of Working Method 7 Process of Creating Physical System 8 The Cage Prototype Pt 1 9 The Cage Prototype Pt 2 10 Code 11 Arduino Coding Process 12 Program 13 Testing Final Prototype 14 Digital Model 16 Evaluation 19

FORGOTTEN SPACE

The initial phase of the SenseMOD brief required the selection of a forgotten space around Bute Building, home of the Welsh School of Architecture. The aim was to reactivate this space using our responsive design proposal.

Gaston Bachelard suggested that lived-in space can reject, restrain or hide life, however forgotten spaces, such as corners, radiate a sense of immobility and are perceived as negative spaces, which allow us to become the space that therefore come to be living organically.

Our forgotten space lies in plain sight behind and between the columns at the entrance of Bute Building, which is passed everyday by hundreds of students. By inserting a dynamic mass, which responds to the movement of these students in and out of the building, into the forgotten space that exerts a sense of immobility, we believed a striking contrast could be created.

The combination of the classical building’s ornate detailing and a contemporary proposal would also offer an engaging juxtaposition.

As the inflatable design would cover the windows of the library on the second floor when inflated, the light emitted from the building’s interior would illuminate the dynamic mass on the building’s exterior, especially at night, informing onlookers of the nocturnal activity within Bute Building and adding to the design’s visual impact.

INPUT DATA

Architecture is known for its intensive work programme, and with Bute building being the home of the Welsh School of Architecture, we were intrigued to monitor and visually demonstrate the number of people entering and exiting the building on a 24-hour basis.

When researching about the capacity of the building and discussing our concept with the building’s staff members, we discovered that everyday there is a potential for 800 people to circulate in and out of Bute Building; 100 Staff, 200 Public Library users and 500 Undergraduates. However, they were unsure on the building’s more active and inactive periods and were also intrigued to find out.

Through placing a motion sensor at Bute’s entrance, the movement of people in and out of the building could be recorded and displayed physically through the creation of a responsive module. This module would be positioned in the forgotten space behind and between the columns located near Bute’s entrance. The dynamic mass revitalises the immobile space when an interaction between people and sensor occurs.

Our reactive design will therefore indicate the level of activity occurring on the ground floor; however, a responsive module could eventually be created for each floor of Bute, suggesting the capacity of the individual levels throughout the day. Users will be aware of the activity level on each floor before entering, which could influence their movement around Bute.

At the Venice Bienalle 2018 the Nordic countries showcased a pavillion to explore the relationship between built and natural worlds. The LundĂŠn Architecture Company used four Inflatable skins to provoke discussion, thought and observation on small changes in the environment. Inside a single skin there were a further fourteen embryonic bubbles which inflated and deflated depending on environmental parameters. Sensors were integrated into the system and measured these parameters: carbon dioxide, humidity, oxygen etc. When a detection was made a complex of tubes would remove/add substance into the specific bubbles. This small fluctuation between the tangle of balloons engaged visual relationship with the world around it.

We were interested in this responsive material that enabled Lunden architecture to produce a structure which reacts to sensitive changes in thier sensors. With a potential eight hundred people circulating Bute Building in one day, we knew our module required the sensitivity to respond to the movment of a single person. As well as this, the lightweight warping nature gives possibility to filling the space throughout the columns of Bute Building using minimal material. Through analysis of this case study, did we not only find a suitable materiality, but also a strong representation of what complexity we strived to produce.

PRECEDENT: ANOTHER GENEROSITY

INITIAL CONCEPTS

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CONCEPT ONE

Ascending and Descending Initially , we thought altering the height of a balloon in the space between columns in response to people entering and exiting Bute Building could be achieved through combining a pully-system, servo motors and motion sensors. The columns either side of the balloon could also act as anchors where the balloon is secured to, restricting its movement to ‘up and down’, demonstrating the increasing or decreasing number of people entering the building clearly. However, this method would only highlight the space between the columns not behind.

Expansion and Contraction Through inflating and deflating a balloon behind the columns in response to people flow in and out of Bute, the entirety of the forgotten space can be explored in one fluid movement, as initially the area behind the columns would be filled by the inflating mass, which would then distort around the columns due to the increasing pressure, filling the space between.

This concept would require a more complex mechanism as two separate aspects would have to be coded for; inflation and deflation, and both systems would also require different components in order to function. The increased complexity of this concept would provide an outcome that is more representative of the data it’s responding to compared to our initial concept of elevating a balloon in response to the people flow. When more students enter the building it naturally becomes more cramped inside, which is visually demonstrated when the balloon is bursting out from behind its cage of columns.

As people leave Bute more space is created inside, which is exhibited externally when the balloon decreases in mass, as the forgotten space between and behind the columns is freed.

This diagram of our working method demonstrates the basic framework from which we intended to develop our design proposal from. Our input, as discussed before, is dependent upon the interaction of people’s movement with a motion sensor.

When motion is detected a physical output is provided. Using a slot modular system we have split our output into two; inflation and deflation. When motion is detected the balloon inflates and when the detection has ended the balloon will then deflate.

DIAGRAM OF WORKING METHOD

PROCESS OF CREATING PHYSICAL SYSTEM System one In the first stages of prototyping we focused on inflation, with the use of CO2 cannisters to feed the inflation of the balloons.

This system had a number of limitations. Due to the nature of the system it released CO2 in large bursts, held limited amounts and took time to replace each cannister. This was something which was only possible with human aid and, as a result, didn’t function independently. Replacing the cannisters with a continuous source of air, from a component such as an air compressor, would solve the issues discussed. https://media.giphy.com/media/ Q8fSQLinSMfm5wPcCk/giphy.gif The second limitation was that initially the inflation valve was made from a bike-bit that was embedded into a piece of timber. We used the same mechanism but refined the component by designing a 3D-printed tube that could house both deflation and inflation tubing components.

System two If we wanted our system to be responsive to people flow, it was nessecary to embed a motion sensor into the process. Using a PIR sensor would allow the detection of movement, however not direction specific.

Therefore, we altered our design slightly to detect the level of activity at Bute’s entrance rather than the exact entering and exiting of the building.

To activate inflation (Air Compressor) in the second system we positioned two actuators next to the ON/OFF switches. Rather relying on human aid to activate the compressor, the inflation would be triggered by digital means.

System three

After consulting Paul Granjon, we realised we could evolove the system further by replacing actuator A and B, that controlled the compressor, with a relay module.

We replaced the bike valve with a valve extention to activate deflation, as the bike valve was more appropriate for manual interactions ( having to manually twist a knob to realease air), whereas the valve extension had greater opportunities for integration with arduino components, such as servo-motors and linear actuators.

Initially, a regular linear actuator was used to push onto the deflation valve, however after testing we realised the component was too weak to push against the deflation valve and deflate the balloon. We therefore change the component to a linear servo motor that was more powerful.

A 3D-printed platform to house the valve extension to be levelled with the linear servo-motor, and a small 3D-printed adaptor sleeve for the servo-motor (aiding with the pushing of the deflation-valve pin) were also confugured to aid in the system’s running.

When the method of inflation was decided, we started experimenting with the expansion of the balloon in restricted spaces. The first experiment was a simple one of placing cable ties over a flat balloon, and then inflating it. The balloons, trapped under pressure of the cable ties, started taking sculptural shapes, deforming to fit the contraptions they were placed in.

CAGE PROTOTYPE PT 1

Following the initial experiments, we decided to create a box which would help us explore the qualities of an expanding balloon trapped in an enclosed space in a more controlled manner. The box is enclosed from the top, bottom and from the sides, while the front and back are covered with corrugated PVC sheets. Plywood sides provided a solid base for the mechanical components outlined on the previous page, while the corrugated sheets were chosen because they provided transparency, as well as an interesting surface for the balloon to respond to. The circular shape of the corrugation was intended to simulate the behaviour of a balloon wrapping around the Bute’s columns. The bolts on in the front of the box allows the PVC sheet to be attached and detached quickly, as well as easily replaced with different fronts, therefore creating a bus modular system.

Looking at the result and consulting it after the presentation, we realised that the box, although creating a striking visual effect of a balloon trying to escape from a small box, did not translate the idea of a balloon warping around an object.

The corrugation was too delicate, and the balloon quickly filled the space limited by the box walls, therefore not simulating Bute’s columns.

https://media.giphy.com/media/UryNrqZgiSXrXU31Gf/giphy.gif

CAGE PROTOTYPE PT 2

After critique in our December presentation we thought it was necessary to adapt our prototype. The main concern being that prototype Pt 1 was too restrictive to the balloon and wasn’t representative of what we were trying to achieve. This led to an evaluation of what we required of the ‘Cage’.

Firstly, responding to criticism, the Cage needed suitable apertures to reflect our chosen ‘Forgotten Space’ we were trying to inhabit. We were able to combat this through the production of four different plywood filters. Filter one demonstrates four of the six columns of Bute Building. This aimed to be the most representative filter of our project, due to the hope that, through visual demonstration, the inflating balloon will fill the area behind the ‘columns’. The second and third filters aim to explore the balloons ability to expand through a variety of scales and shapes. The fourth aims to achieve a more calculated representation of Bute’s capacity, with each ring representing a quantity of people.

Secondly, we wanted these filters to rely on a Bus modular system which were secure and able to handle the pressure of the expanding balloon. This was achieved in Prototype Pt 2 by using thoughtful design and high-quality fabrication methods.

We utilised our local FabLab at Cardiff Metropolitan University to CNC router five faces of 12mm Plywood. These faces were assembled using the interlocking finger joints and screws for maximum stability when inflation was to take place. Due to the potentials of the CNC router we were also able to engrave a 5mm deep canal for the filters to slide into. This, along with a simple chest lock and 12mm ply, ensured that the filters were able to withstand extreme pressures of the balloon.

Thirdly, we felt it was important to house the supporting system and laptop (holding the code). Keeping this in mind when developing Prototype Pt 2, we came up with a plywood casing, open for editing on one side and transparent on the other for viewing. This encased the microcomputer and its components and prevented any potential damage to the system.

The laptop, compared to being separate in Prototype Pt 1, now has the choice to sit to the side or on top of the unit. This is made possible via four USB ports we have added to the plywood casing.

Finally, as a mark of resolution, the ‘Cage’ Prototype Pt 2 needed to encompass our whole project, linking both the supporting system and visual representation of the expanding balloon.

We feel we have achieved this by housing both elements and producing a clear link of the airtight ‘Y’ element feeding through the centre of the box. As a collective, these design guidelines have helped us to drastically develop our module from Pt 1 to Pt 2.

CODE myservo.attach(4); // declare servo as output Serial.begin(9600); // Serial communication for debugging purposes } void loop(){ val = digitalRead(inputPin); // read input value switch (mode) { case 0: { if (val == HIGH) { // check if the input is HIGH digitalWrite(relay, HIGH); // turn relay ON if (pirState == LOW) { // we have just turned on Serial.println(“Motion detected!”); // We only want to print on the output change, not state pirState = HIGH; mode = 1; } } else { digitalWrite(relay, LOW); // turn relay OFF if (pirState == HIGH){ // we have just turned off Serial.println(“Motion ended!”); // We only want to print on the output change, not state pirState = LOW; mode = 2; } break; case 1: { delay(30000); digitalWrite(relay, LOW); mode = 0; } break; case 2: { for(pos = 0; pos <= 180; pos += 1) // goes from 0 degrees to 180 degrees { // in steps of 1 degree myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable ‘pos’ delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position }

} } } }

delay(30000); } for(pos = 180; pos>=0; pos-=1) // goes from 180 degrees to 0 degrees { myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable ‘pos’ delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position } mode = 0;

STEP1: TESTING THE PIR SENSOR

ARDUINO CODING PROCESS

To test whether the PIR sensor worked, we created a code that would light up an LED every time movement was detected by the PIR sensor.

We then coded in a time delay of 6 seconds which the light would remain turned on for.

We would then aim to swap in a relay module component instead of the LED, which would control the air compressor.

STEP2: BRIDGING PIR SENSOR AND RELAY MODULE (inflation)

VIDEO : https://media.giphy.com/media/QuyqL3xh9a2xH9kpyY/giphy.gif

In order to change the LED component to a relay module, we had to alter the code slightly to specify the link between the PIR and relay componets.

We used the same Digital pin and time delay of 6 seconds, however now when motion was detected by the PIR sensor the green light on the relay would turn on for 6 seconds before switching off. When the relay is connected to the air compressor, this would inflate the balloon for 6 seconds.

S T E P 3: BRIDGING PIR SENSOR AND SERVO-MOTOR (deflation)

VIDEO : https://media.giphy.com/media/cl7l2DquWwI5QHKqvS/giphy.gif

The final step was to code for deflation immediately after inflation had stopped.

This required the coding of a linear servo component thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cog would spin 180 degrees, pushing the linear actuator into the deflation valve for 6 seconds. Afterwhich, the cog would spin another 180 degrees, returning the linear actuator to its initial state.

The entire process is ready to be repeated again if motion is detected by the PIR sensor.

PROGRAMME

PROGRAM

PIR SENSOR motion detection

When the PIR Sensor detects motion it turns the relay module on.

INFLATIONCOMPONENT

void loop(){ val = digitalRead(inputPin); // read input value switch (mode) { case 0: { // check if the input is HIGH if (val == HIGH) { digitalWrite(relay, HIGH); // turn relay ON if (pirState == LOW) {

RELAYMODULE regulates power of air compressor

The relay module is soldered to the air compressor and therefore controls its state. When the relay turns on, the air compressor is

case 1: { delay(30000); digitalWrite(relay, LOW); mode = 0;

AIRCOMPRESSOR pumps the balloon with air

DEFLATIONCOMPONENT

The air compressor’s actions are controlled by the relay. The pipe exiting the air compressor is secured to a 3D printed fork-shape module. It supplies the balloon with air through one side of the

LINEAR-SERVOMOTOR activates decompression valve

The linear servo spins 180 degrees and pushes the attached actuator into the decompression valve, that is secured to the other side of the 3D printed fork-shaped module, for 30 seconds. It state and the process is ready to be repeated once motion is detected by the PIR sensor.

case 2: { for(pos = 0; pos <= 180; pos += 1) // goes from 0 degrees to 180 degrees { // in steps of 1 degree myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable 'pos' delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position } delay(30000); } for(pos = 180; pos>=0; pos-=1) // goes from 180 degrees to 0 degrees { myservo.write(pos); // tell servo to go to position in variable 'pos' delay(15); // waits 15ms for the servo to reach the position } mode = 0; }

ASSEMBLYBOX

containing all individual components The assembly box holds all of the component in a viewing cabinet above the ‘cage’

This graphic depicts the various processes that occur within our intervention. Images do not convey the exact wiring and scale of the individual components but act as a visual representation to aid in understanding the our system.

The PIR sensor detects motion within a space; if motion is detected: The relay module turns on, turning on the air compressor; inflating the balloon for 30 seconds After inflation stops, the servo motor is triggered and permits deflation of the balloon for 30 seconds, returning the balloon to its original state The process is ready to be repeated once more if motion is detected.

TESTING FINAL PROTOTYPE

https://media.giphy.com/media/f3dgyz8lx9Q9IVgI53/giphy.gif

Filter two

Filter three

Filter four

DIGITAL MODEL

The drawing above shows the prototype in its imagined context, positioned behind and protruding through the columns at the front of Bute Building. The render below shows how this system can be applied to the three available floors, illustrating each levels fluctuating capacity.

Night Render

EVALUATION

As a group, we believe through effective collaboration, the production of an interesting concept, the creative approach in transforming this theory into a physical outcome, and the quality of fabrication behind the final product, has been executed to a high standard that we’re very proud of.

SensMOD has taught us many skills which we’ve sought to trial throughout our project, such as the understanding and application of theories by writers such as Gaston Bachelard, the principles of modular architecture, the coding and linking of different components via an Arduino board and their testing through software such as rhino and grasshopper. These all contributed to our understanding behind how interactions with sensors could be displayed physically through the creation of a responsive module.

We’re very pleased with the fabrication of our end product and believe the quality of making has been drastically improved from the initial prototype. However, both the ‘cage’ and balloon could have been scaled up to provide a more accurate representation of our desired outcome. Powering the device from a car also limited the designs portability, therefore restricting its ability to be placed in a range of building entrances to test our concept elsewhere.

This could be solved through linking the air compressor to an alternative battery power source.

The main issue with our proposal was that whilst the balloon was inflating and the deflating, it was unresponsive to the movement of people entering and exiting the building, as the entire process must end before the PIR sensor could detect once more. It did represent our concept of demonstrating the decrease in unoccupied space within Bute building as more people entered, however as the code initiated deflation immediately after inflation had occurred, the balloon was constantly increasing and then decreasing in size in repose to one person’s passing of the sensor. It therefore didn’t represent the accumulation of these people entering the building. To achieve this effect, the balloon would have to continuously increase in size as movement is detected, showing the decrease in space available inside the building, however this could lead to the bursting of the balloon if movement is constantly sensed. This could be overcome by coding for the deflation aspect to only trigger the linear servo to push the deflation valve that’s attached to the balloon after x number of seconds that motion isn’t detected for.

However, the direction of the movement sensed by the PIR sensor is unspecified, therefore the balloon cannot respond specifically to the changing capacity inside of Bute. This could be overcome by stipulating an entrance and exit door at the front of the building and placing a PIR sensor in both. This would provide two readings which the balloon could respond to; inflating when motion is detected in the entrance door by PIR 1 and deflating when motion is sensed in the exit door by PIR 2. Instead of the code initiating the linear servo immediately after the relay has turned off, the servo would spin 180 degrees once motion is detected by PIR 2, pushing the deflation valve connected to the balloon.

We were unable to keep this design project under budget but would like to test the last method discussed on a larger scale if it was increased.