Water interface
Development of an user interface using water. The system analyses user's movement in the water and reacts with current variations. Completed in two weeks during the 'Experience Prototyping - Hardware Sketching' course, part of the Interaction Design MA.
Timeframe
2 weeks, October 2006
Collaboration
Nick Alexander
This project has 7 images and 3 videos
First test with the homemade pump
We build a water tank, a pump using a cheap power tool, and a Phidget servo with the computer. It is sketchy but it works!
Nick and I working on the electronics
We used light gates to track user's gestures in the water.
Mounting and wiring the light gates
Very sketchy electronics
We build this from scratch in just a few days, with limited supplies. Constraints are good for pushing you to the limits!
First test with the gesture tracker and the tank
Final setup
The two pumps were so noisy so we decided to concealed them far from the project. Flexible tubing runs under two doors, and we can still hear them!
Water channel for aquatic interaction
Concept video shot the first day of the project
We present different interaction ideas we have with the water interface.
Video mov, 640 x 480px , 25.87 MB
Testing of the light gates
Video mov, 640 x 480px , 3.98 MB
Us testing the semi-final version of the project
It works, although the pumps are very slow to engage and create significant water flow.
Video mov, 640 x 480px , 59.58 MB