I´m born into a house with no computer

1. Sensing the difference in light using a Photocell

I started thinking that this idea will produce amazing results. There are so many changes in light through out a day. We "use" so many difference spaces that have very distinct lights. Could be possible to map all that changes? what visualization it will produce? Will be possible to understand the spaces?

I'm thinking of creating a necklace made of conductive thread that has a photocell in the front (kyveli's style) and that is connected to an arduino with a bluetooth. The idea is to have later the bluetooth sending the data to a cellphone that collects the data.

2. Sensing electromagnetic radiation as the " new pollution"

I'm very fascinated by ElectroMagnetic Radiation and how it is possible to turn this data visible or real ( sensed). There are plenty of projects working with EM but it's something that I would like to play with and experiment.
My idea is to create a bracelet that senses through vibration or light ( I think I prefer vibration) the EM radiation that surround us and that "can or not" affect our body. One thing that I noticed in some projects already done is that in order to capture this radiations the devices need to be very close to the "object" / device that is trying to capture them. I would like to explore how can this be improved, if possible!!!

3. Sensing distance - Proxemics

According with Edward T. Hall, proxemics is the study of humankind's "perception and use of space". Is the study of how people interact in relation to their physical environment and each other.
Hall identified four body distances as key points in human spacing behavior:
- intimate (0 to 18 inches) ( 0.5,m)
- personal (1.5 to 4 feet) ( 1.2m)
- social (4 to 10 feet) (3m)
- public (10 feet and beyond).

I'm interested in mapping this distances through time and do some research about proxemics, since I am interested in understanding better how social interactions in public spaces work. Communication is profoundly affected by the choice of space and by how different bodies inhabit that space.

According with Hall theory, the idea of personal space varies and changes with different cultures. I experienced that difference when I moved to New York. I still feel the difference today and even if I changed my behavior somehow it's so natural that sometimes it happens and I feel embarrassed and strange but happy inside to still be and act that way!!

As an example, there is a project developed at ITP - Urban Sonar

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Sensing: Light / ElectronicMagnetic Radiation / Body Distances
How: wearable devices
Power: Arduino Pro Mini + Bluetooth = 3.3V min (cell baterries) or 6V batteries with normal arduino
Store: for these ideas I'm thinking of using a arduino to sense/collect data with a bluetooth that is sending the data to a cellphone that later could be send to a computer or website.

1. Go to http://mobile.processing.org/download/index.php
2. Check if you have the last version of java
3. Download and Install Mobile Processing
4. Download MPowerPlayer ( emulator): not easy to find!! Copy the files to somewhere in our hardrive
5. Open Mobile processing > Preferences and under Mobile tab give the location of MpowerPlayer

Test an example on your phone:

1. Open an example
2. Export as MIDlet > it will open the folder where the files were exported
3. The file that will be sent is the .jar file
4. Pair your phone with your computer using Bluetooth ( skipping some steps here)
5. It will show up a msg in the phone asking u to put a password that your computer will give u ( on the bluetooth setup / mac)
6. Send the file ( also on the bluetooth tab): choose location and device
7. The phone will receive a msg asking u to accept this file: say yes to everything
8. Find your app in the applications "part" of your phone
9. voila!!

Twitter Network:

It's not so easy to define clusters since there are persons that belong to several clusters at the same time and trying to define their proximity to one instead of another had to be a decision. In this network I found 4 big clusters: itp alumni + itp students + algorithm scene ( hard also to name this clusters - maybe " idols") + portugal ( mix communities). Also there were some persons that doesn't fit any cluster.
One important conclusion that I can take from this visualization is that media art organizations/institutes/groups ( most of them based in NY) are not interconnected, so they don't form a strong cluster or in other words, a big community!

links: Graph ML | Applet

Delicious Network:

I don't use del.ici.ous for a long time. Normally i make bookmarks in my computer browser. I think it was good exercise to reminder of such an amazing app delicious is
( even the name changed ?? - not more dotss) and an important resource to discover new things! In this network it's easier to define clusters, maybe because the network is smaller!

links: Graph ML | Applet

Sometimes we think we put them the right way and then we get our fingers burnnnn!!!This way I'll try not to burn fingers anymore!

Bluetooth modules has two interfaces(RX and TX) that allow an asynchronous serial port that can communicate with a microcontroller. It also has a radio that communicates (in this case with your computer) using the bluetooth communication protocol.

How to configure Bluetooth Smirf's with mac's:

1. Connect the Bluetooth to the FTDI or to the arduino through RX and TX ( this way is just easy to give power to the bluetooth

2. On the MAC, go to bluetooth ( normally there is an icon on the top bar) and make sure that work computer is discoverable - that your bluetooth is on
3. Choose "Set up a Bluetooth device" > Any device. It will start searching!
4. Meanwhile ( depending on the kind of bluetooth smirf that u have) click on Passkey Options and choose " Do not use a passkey with this device" or if u have a passkey just entered it
5. Selected the device > Sparkfun-BT ( normally that's the name that appear's)
6. Click continue
7. It will establish the connection btw them. Close window
8. On the same bluetooth icon choose > Open bluetooth preferences
9. Click the Sparkfun-BT > Edit Serial ports in case that you want to rename
the port that you are using
10. Voila!!!

If you are sending data from arduino through Bluetooth to Processing to do something with that data just use the same methods and procedures that when using serial communication btw Arduino and Processing. Just choose the correct port, using the port that you created in the steps before and not the usb port.

links: Graph ML | Applet

links: Graph ML | Applet

I wanted to explore how messages are spread all over a network and visualize how all nodes are connected to each other - like conversations or rumors.There are 2 rules:
1. send msg to every neighbors
2. send msg to only one node that is connected

And then I played with different topologies and also highlighting also the connections, not only the nodes. I'm still working on trying to send several messages simultaneously.

Process: a message is send to nodes
When the msg is sended: user chooses each node is starting to send the msg - mousePressed
Visual Feedback- send msg: the node bumps - like it's emitting something
Visual Feedback- received msg: the node bumps - like it's receiving something

Fully Connected: send a message by clicking in on of the nodes. Each node sends a msg to the all neighbors nodes. Press a to reset!

links: Graph ML | Applet

Distributed Network: send a message by clicking in on of the nodes. Each node sends a msg to the all neighbors nodes. Press a to reset!

Edges also are highlighted when a message is sended:

links: Graph ML | Applet

Delicious Account ( all connections): send a message by clicking in on of the nodes. Each node sends a msg to the all neighbors nodes. Press a to reset!
Amazing how with 4 clicks all persons on the network receive the message

New Rule: each node only can send the msg to one other node
Send a message by clicking in on of the nodes. Each node sends a msg only to the first node it connects. Press a to reset!

links: Graph ML | Applet