Nurturing Life
Having abandoned the project outlined in my previous work proposal, I am proposing a new project which provides a strong platform for me to learn more about Arduino and strengthen my knowledge about programming.
I am very interested in the prospect of using the combination of sensors and microcontrollers to be able to create interactive applications and works using the analog, biometric data from humans. It is such a great escape from the confines of traditional user interfaces which have long been restricting and unintuitive.
I am proposing to create a work which highlights the strong comparisons to real life and artificial life. In particular, I have been inspired by the work of John Conway who, in 1970, created a set of rules for a cellular automation program he calls the ‘Game of Life’.
There will only be one work produced for this assignment, as it is serving more as a proof of concept rather than a final work.
The primary field of research my work falls into is ‘Cellular Automata’. Since the creation of Conway’s ‘Game of Life’, there have been many new sets of rules tested with the same basic concept of Conway’s game, however each rule set sparks wildly new patterns and rules of life.
In order to read the pulse of the user, I will be using a JeeNode sensor designed and manufactured by ‘ModernDevice’. It is a small board which consists of multiple LEDs, using both the visible spectrum and infared, and also features a light sensor. The combination and arrangement of these components on the board allow the device to be used as both a proximity sensor and a pulse sensor.
I will be using the Arduino compatible JeeNode microprocessor to read the data outputted from the pulse sensor, and will then send serial signals through to my laptop for further manipulation.