For this week's blog i decided to read an article on robotic toys. This article included a study on a robotic toy called Pleo. The amount of input and output between the user and the toy are actually pretty remarkable. In order to be able to take input from the user, Pleo has a large number of sensors. These sensors include eight capacitive touch sensors, two infrared sensors, a small CMOS camera, and four optically interruptible push buttons. This allows there to be different modes of input for Pleo. Pleo can respond to vocal input as well as physical interaction because of all the sensors it has.
Once the Pleo has received input it can decide what it wants to output using the software ran on two ARM7 32-bit processors. Internally, Pleo has 14 motors with customized gears which allow for basic movement such as tail wagging, slow walking, head/mouth movement, and other actions. Pleo also has two speakers that allow for sound output. The output is designed to mimic an actual pet as close as possible. Obviously the toy cannot come close to a real pet but it does provide some intelligent output when given input. The output is also very complex so the user wont get bored of the toy.
Link to my article:
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1810543.1810549&coll=porll&dl=ACM&type=series&idx=SERIES11165&part=series&WantType=Proceedings&title=IDC&CFID=103343842&CFTOKEN=80578998
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Week 2 Blog
For this week's blog i decided to talk about the design of my fan that i have in my room. The overall design of is actually very thoughtful and intuitive but there are still a few issues with the fan. The fan has a clamp so it can be placed on the side of things such as a desk or a pole. This worked out perfectly for me last year when i had my desk at the foot of my bed. This year it does not work out so well because there is nowhere for it to clamp onto where i would want to aim the fan. If the fan had a stand so it could be placed upright on a desk it would make the fan much more usable and desirable.
The one good design that i saw in the fan which made me buy it is that it can be rotated almost 360 degrees and aim in almost any direction. This also turned out to be one of the biggest issues i found with the fan. After about a month of use the internal part that allows the fan to rotate loosened up and barely lets the fan stay in one position so it always falls towards the floor and ends up blowing air at the ground which is not what i need.
Some simple solutions to the problems with the design of this fan could be made. The clamp could be made a little wider which would allow the fan to stand on the clamp so it could be used like a stationary fan as well as a clamped fan. I'm not sure what the internal parts look like that control the rotation of the fan but i would assume they could be made a little stronger so the fan would be able to stay aimed in the direction i want it to without falling towards the floor.
The one good design that i saw in the fan which made me buy it is that it can be rotated almost 360 degrees and aim in almost any direction. This also turned out to be one of the biggest issues i found with the fan. After about a month of use the internal part that allows the fan to rotate loosened up and barely lets the fan stay in one position so it always falls towards the floor and ends up blowing air at the ground which is not what i need.
Some simple solutions to the problems with the design of this fan could be made. The clamp could be made a little wider which would allow the fan to stand on the clamp so it could be used like a stationary fan as well as a clamped fan. I'm not sure what the internal parts look like that control the rotation of the fan but i would assume they could be made a little stronger so the fan would be able to stay aimed in the direction i want it to without falling towards the floor.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week 1 Blog
For this week's blog i decided to use my Altec speakers and bass that i have in my room. There is one major design flaw that i have found to be very annoying while using the sound system over the last year. The power button is all the way in the back of the bass which i always have on the floor usually under a desk. This means that every time i want to turn the whole system on i have to crawl under the desk and reach behind the bass. I would choose to leave it on all the time instead of having this annoyance but when it is left on for too long a loud static noise begins to come out of the speakers while it is not in use. Even turning the volume all the way down to the lowest it can go does not stop the noise.
I have a couple solutions to this problem though. One solution would be to move the power button onto one of the speakers which i always have conveniently placed on my desk. This way i could turn off the system without even having to get up. I feel this would make the sound system a lot more desirable and usable. Another solution would be to have the system shut off when the volume knob is turned down as low as it can go. When the volume knob is currently turned to its lowest setting there is still some noise heard so it is not completely a "0" volume. I know some other volume knobs actually make a clicking feedback motion and have the power light turn off when turned all the way down and the volume gets completely shut off which would make the design of my speakers a lot better.
I have a couple solutions to this problem though. One solution would be to move the power button onto one of the speakers which i always have conveniently placed on my desk. This way i could turn off the system without even having to get up. I feel this would make the sound system a lot more desirable and usable. Another solution would be to have the system shut off when the volume knob is turned down as low as it can go. When the volume knob is currently turned to its lowest setting there is still some noise heard so it is not completely a "0" volume. I know some other volume knobs actually make a clicking feedback motion and have the power light turn off when turned all the way down and the volume gets completely shut off which would make the design of my speakers a lot better.
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