Sunday, December 5, 2010

Thursday 10/21 (35 days left)


We were asked to order some toys to play with for next week- we all looked around on the Parallax, Sparkfun, Adafruit, and Jameco websites and compiled a list of sensors and components we wanted. Here's what we got:

3 solenoids
data logging shield for arduino
flex bend sensor
5 tilt ball switches
2 force-sensitive resistors
temperature/humidity sensor
2 electret microphones
arduino protoshield
CMOS camera
3 stepper h-bridges
CO2 gas sensor
ColorPAL color & light sensor

I was most excited about the data logger and the accelerometer. The data logger would allow us to track and analyze data and actuate based on trends as opposed to instantaneous data values should we want to. The accelerometer would allow us to track motion we actuate and further actuate the surface based on that.

Our field trip today was a journey to the botanical gardens. We were given a tour by David Michener that covered the majority of the indoor facility and which gave us largely formal inspiration- the two most intriguing plants we found were the “Swiss Cheese Plant”, so named for the characteristic holes in its leaves that allow light to reach the lower leaves, and the aspen plant, whose leaves are table to bend and twist towards light so as to increase absorption. Here are some pictures:  

Aspen? Mmmmmm, California.

Goes great with ham on rye.

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