Idea

Idea

Web Cam Periscope!

As a way to introduce myself to MakerBot and 3D printing / modeling, I decided to work on a fun idea I had some months back: a WebCam periscope.

The idea arose when I discovered myself physically rotating my laptop when showing someone my surroundings via Skype.  I thought that if there were a simple attachment that I could snap onto my webcam, I could maintain my computing position (nerdy, yes).

The 3D prototypes you see above were printed with MakerBot's Replicator, using ABS plastic -- the same stuff as LEGO. Missing from these prototypes are the mirrors that make it a functional periscope.  I ordered some mirrored acyrlic from McMasterCarr that should enable me to laser-cut the exact shape necessary.

February 27, 2012
Idea, Makerbot
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Making Minors Majors

A few nights back I was thinking about how wonderful it is that individual notes can be made part of both major and minor chords.  One of my first non-chess metaphors for life, thank you very much.

January 11, 2012
Idea, Music
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Idea for musical performance

As I sit here considering my upcoming performance for the TNO at Kenny's Castaways (4/21), I'm thinking of how to simply and effectively back myself on stage.  That is to say, how can I alone influence a backing track or tone that follows not only the notes I'm playing but also the rhythm?

I've seen shows (well, openers for shows) where the musician strums along to an MP3 playing in the monitor.  It's a cute notion, sort of playing along to your own song.  But what I have in mind is something reliably maleable - it doesn't exist before you begin playing and it dies out after you stop.  It's a bit like reverb but it exists a half second before you play the corresponding note.  And herein lies the mystery: how to have the computer anticipate your sound and rhythm.

Though I've only just begun pondering this, my first thought is to allow a significant delay in the monitor.  This delay would allow the computer (or effects pedal - whatever it may be) to process the sound from the previous second or 2 and slide out it's results a fraction of a second before the musician's input is broadcasted to the speakers.

Yes / No?  Probably no.

 

April 11, 2011
Idea, Music
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Assistive Tech: Ideas and Momentum

In this semester's assistive technology class, my groupmates and I were paired with an Occupational Therapist who deals almost exclusively with stroke patients.  After field research and interaction with some of her patients, our goals were clear:

  1. Create a system or tool allowing therapists (and patients) to monitor their progress.
  2. Make this system or tool more adult-oriented (less like a children's toy).
  3. Develop a working prototype within two months.

One of our initial ideas adapted the traditional peg-board that is often found in OT offices:

After our presentation to the class (and some positive feedback), we decided to dive a bit deeper into the monitoring aspect of the project.  The pegboard catered to the adult-oriented part of the problem but lacked a means for tracking progress.  The next day we found a new direction:

The proposed armband will house an iPod Touch (an iPhone is simply heavier) which reads and records a patient's movement utilizing the device's accelerometer.  The iPod Touch would dump the data online and be available to both the patient and the OT.

Simple, right?

February 22, 2011
accelerometer, Assistive, Idea
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