I have been jumping around between various ideas for this project. The three ideas I currently have are a light board companion for the game of SKATE or HORSE, a light battle game, and a weather with lights that move to the rhythm of the wearer’s heartbeat. I do not know exactly where each would lead but I am motivated to figure it out, once I figured out which one to do.
For the light board, I want to make a companion piece to the game of SKATE or HORSE. Recently inspired by carnival and fairground lighting, the piece would be a wood board with light bulbs for each letter in the game. There would be a reset function that will cause the board to do a fancy animation and buttons for when a player gets a letter. Another version of the board would have just one set of lights and buttons for toggling which player’s turn it is as well as for adding a letter. I’m also thinking about having a backlight which will light up in the winning player’s color.
For the light battle game, I am still debating on a light arch or another way to interact with the game. The sketch depicts my idea for a button mashing game where you alternate pressing the two buttons on your side of the board. A player wins when they get to the top of the arch first. There would also be a fancy animation for the winning player. Another idea is a reaction based game with a display for each player. The display would indicate which button to press and who ever pressed it first would gain an led. In this case, a player would win when they light up the tower with their color light.
Lastly, the heartbeat hoodie would be a hoodie lined with led strips that are arranged to reflect the circulatory system with a circular led or heart located on the chest. The wearer would wear a pulse sensor on their finger to measure their pulse and the lights would shift down the led strips in the rhythm of the heartbeat. The lights could also have other pre-programmed patterns that don’t depend on the sensor.
Artists Question: Which project do you think is the most interesting?
I think all your projects are really interesting! I like how they all can be used in some way. I really like your light arch game idea as it can be something that everyone can play and use!
I really find the heartbeat sweater interesting, i think that would be a really awesome and unique project for you to do.
I personally like the heartbeat sweater idea the most, and depending on how technical you want to get you could definitely make a really cool affect with the LEDs pulsing out from the heart for every heart beat. Could also double serve as a wearable lie detector which I think could be pretty fun.
I think the light arch game is a great idea. I’d play it!
For an art project, the light battle game appeals the most to me. However, I also am really interested in the SKATE/HORSE companion board because I think that will be the most applicable after the class and you can use it with friends.
I think the heartbeat hoodie is a great idea and I think EL wire would be perfect for it.