PRODUCTION UPDATE:  We have begun inserting symbols into frames. The symbols have been cut out of a heavy bond paper, lined with tinfoil to make sure no light gets through the paper. All edges must be glued down to avoid ghosting and preserve the crisp lines of the symbol. To distribute light evenly throughout the frame, we decided that we need diffused LED's, so that the light does not shine in a ray. After doing some research, it was discovered that a much cheaper way is to use a regular LED and rub sand paper around the entire plastic part of the LED. A 400 grit paper works the best, and creates a perfect diffused LED at less price. After meeting with Mark, new ways of saving money on supplies, and time and energy on materials, have been discovered. Instead of using an arduino for every frame, we can just use arduino chips, and not a full arduino, attached to an XBee radio. We also plan on fabricating PCB boards, to save time and headaches. Thanks again to Mark for his help and suggestions. FRAME ILLUMINATION OPTIONS  Above is the first option for a frame icon illumintion. The icon is the only thing illuminated in the frame, leaving lots of white space, and a very intense icon.  Above is another option for illuminating the frame, and is the exact mirror of the first option. Instead of illuminating the image, the area around the icon is illuminated. The matte on the frame needed to be preserved to help evenly distribute light, and hide electronics.  We are currently fabricating a "Matte Black" version of the first option. This involves a matte black paint covering the frame, as well as the glass, except for in the area that the icon appears. The thought is that the black colour will really make the colours of light pop. We are also experimenting with other frame options, and we look forward to showing a aesthetical demonstration to the class. XBEE COMMUNICATION TRIALS  We have begun creating communication between XBEE modules, but have been having some problems getting them up and running. We continue to debug our problems, and how to have some form of wireless communications up and running by Monday. INTERFACE SPONSORSHIP |
