New documentation website: Link Below IDC1

OBJECT IDC1: Independent Design Challenge 1: Solving a Personal Pet Peeve

Prompt: Define a list of three pet peeves. It could be related to your ‘dumb’ technology, or not. You should be able to describe what you would make to solve this pet peeve.

A pet peeve that I have while painting, specifically with acrylic paint, is when the paint on my palette dries out before I can use it because I either waited too long, or poured more paint than I needed. I have another pet peeve about paint, and it’s when I mix colors to create a custom color and then I struggle to make the same color again. The interactive object that I would make to help with these pet peeves would be a paint helper that squeezes out different amounts of paint depending on how much I say I need. Other features I would incorporate into the object would be a paint cover so that the poured paint doesn’t dry out as fast and also a way to show the object a color (such as a swatch on paper) and have it pour the paint to recreate the color.

I am the kind of person that does not like crying in front of others, and although I don’t mind when other people do it, it’s a pet peeve of mine. For example, I will be out in public and if I feel like crying, I will suppress the feeling. I recognize that crying can be good for your mental health, so the object that I would make to solve this pet peeve would be a crying support full-face or half face helmet. The helmet would have technological features built inside that would assist with crying: such as calming lights, music, and some fans (to dry your tears). The object could either be something that can be folded and carried around, or be set up as an interactive public object for anyone to use.

Open cabinets or drawers are a big pet peeve of mine, I always have to close them. Especially when I’m at home with my family, they tend to leave the kitchen cabinets or drawers open all the time. The object I would make to solve this pet peeve would detect an open cabinet/drawer and close it (after making sure that no one is actively grabbing something from the cabinet/drawer). Another option would be for the object to detect an open cabinet/drawer but have an alarm or voice that tells whoever is around to close it. The primary goal is for the cabinets/drawers to be closed when they are not be used.

Idea Chosen: #2 Assistive Crying Helmet

Concept Sketches & Experience

The helmet can easily be picked up and placed on your head, the look/feel is similar to an astronaut helmet where your entire head is covered. I have two options in mind for the activation of the electronics:

The helmet has a power cord that is plugged in, but the lights/music will only turn on when it senses that someone has worn the helmet
The helmet has a battery pack and there are buttons/switches on the outside of the helmet that can turn on the lights and music separately allowing for more customization.

Once the user has the helmet on their head, they will see that the inside of the helmet is pitch black but there are twinkling lights inside, mimicking the night sky. The starry night further relates to the theme of nature+technology and helps to evoke a feeling of vastness and tranquility. Along with the starry night, there will also be sounds inside the helmet. Either instrumental music or nature sounds such as wind, rain or crickets. Another optional element inside the helmet are some mini fans that serve the purpose of cooling you down or drying your tears. The user can then remove the helmet when they no longer feel like crying or they cried and are ready to go back in public.

Electronic components:

Neopixel or Led Lights
Audio: SD card reader connection to Arduino
Motors: Mini fans spinning

Fabrication of the helmet

Potential helmet materials: (Print 3D model, Cardboard, Plaster)
Dandelion fuzz: Brushed Twisted Poly Twine