Build your own soft actuators , Integrate them in a working project, Document what you did, Include all source files, Create an interactive object; if experienced with coding, focus on fully integrating a microncontoller into a textile circuit
The first prototype consists of an experimentation of the possible visual and movement result of Liza Stark's flip dots, but in a more visual version using the resource of the eyes.
The materials are the same as those specified in the tutorial. In this case I have used black neoprene and 0.1 inch magnetic wire, something thicker than normal, with the intention of giving less turns to the wire.
This prototype has made an experimental process, which consists of using the same wire continuously to be able to handle 6 flip dots with a single controller.
The experiment has worked, and once connected to a battery, the magnets organize by polarity and you can paint them with color to visualize the flip of the magnets.
In this example you can see that you can control the different magnets with a single controller, in this case I have connected a direct battery to the terminals of the wires, and I change the polarity inverting the connectors.
As we observe in the slide, the magnet changes color depending on the polarity of the battery.
Details and programming exemple
void setup() { pinMode(3,OUTPUT); pinMode(2,OUTPUT); // put your setup code here, to run once: } void loop() { digitalWrite(3, LOW); //turn on one direction delay(500); digitalWrite(3, HIGH); //turn off one direction digitalWrite(2,LOW); //turn on other direction delay(500); digitalWrite(2,HIGH); //turn off other direction }
The board with the board works correctly, but it heats up easily, so I think the wire is too thick to use on this board. So I decided to repeat the process but with a thinner wire.
Programing Attiny 44/45
H bridge Board Files\ Components\ Traces\ Interior
Again I have used the Pfaff creative 3.0 embroidery machine, but this time I have learned to embroider in two different colors. Here he prepared the frame with a black cotton cloth.
First of all I embroidered the yellow parts of the eyelashes, to finish with the white color for the eyes. I have noticed that the thread is sometimes hooked, but I am satisfied with the results
We do the same process of using a single wire for the 6 eyes, but this time with a thinner wire and giving 15 turns to each of the eyes.
Now only the magnetic wire is attached to the embroidery, so that with the soft thread a slightly more realistic result of the eyes when they are closed and opened.
The next step is to hold the magnetic beads to the eyes. For this I used the same needle with the same color.
Finally I painted the eyes green, with a special marker, but I think that the marker generates an anti-sliding layer, generates more friction to the flip dots, not rotating at the same time with the same fluidity. Therefore, my next step is to buy a varnish that protects it and makes it easier to move.