Fernando Gregório

For my final Physical Computing assignment, I’ve created gloves that generate different light, sound and animation effects according to the gestures of the performer that embodies the Fire Bird to tell their story. For more details about the storytelling part of the project, click here.

Find below my Arduino Code:

//The Fire Bird

//This code was created during Fall 2019 at ITP NYU by Fernando Gregório


//p5.js code: https://editor.p5js.org/fernandogregor-io/sketches/2wKt5wr64
//Main sources used to create the code:
//For the Serial Communication with the Arduino IMU:
//https://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/labs/lab-serial-imu-output-to-p5-js/
//For the Sound Frequency Modulation 
//https://p5js.org/examples/sound-frequency-modulation.html
//For the LED's: Maxwell da Silva (link github)
//Coding assistance: Maxwell da Silva


#include <Arduino_LSM6DS3.h>
#include <MadgwickAHRS.h>

// initialize a Madgwick filter:
Madgwick filter;
// sensor's sample rate is fixed at 104 Hz:
const float sensorRate = 104.00;

// values for orientation:
float roll = 0.0;
float pitch = 0.0;
float heading = 0.0;



// A basic everyday NeoPixel strip test program.

// NEOPIXEL BEST PRACTICES for most reliable operation:
// - Add 1000 uF CAPACITOR between NeoPixel strip's + and - connections.
// - MINIMIZE WIRING LENGTH between microcontroller board and first pixel.
// - NeoPixel strip's DATA-IN should pass through a 300-500 OHM RESISTOR.
// - AVOID connecting NeoPixels on a LIVE CIRCUIT. If you must, ALWAYS
//   connect GROUND (-) first, then +, then data.
// - When using a 3.3V microcontroller with a 5V-powered NeoPixel strip,
//   a LOGIC-LEVEL CONVERTER on the data line is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
// (Skipping these may work OK on your workbench but can fail in the field)
#define TIMECTL_MAXTICKS  4294967295L
#define TIMECTL_INIT      0
long time;
unsigned long flashTimeMark = 0;
unsigned long flashTimeMark2 = 0;
long interval = 2000;
int periode = 2000;
long previousMillis = 0;
int alpha;
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
#ifdef __AVR__
#include <avr/power.h> // Required for 16 MHz Adafruit Trinket
#endif

// Which pin on the Arduino is connected to the NeoPixels?
// On a Trinket or Gemma we suggest changing this to 1:
#define LED_PIN    6

// How many NeoPixels are attached to the Arduino?
#define LED_COUNT 4

// Declare our NeoPixel strip object:
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip(LED_COUNT, LED_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
// Argument 1 = Number of pixels in NeoPixel strip
// Argument 2 = Arduino pin number (most are valid)
// Argument 3 = Pixel type flags, add together as needed:
//   NEO_KHZ800  800 KHz bitstream (most NeoPixel products w/WS2812 LEDs)
//   NEO_KHZ400  400 KHz (classic 'v1' (not v2) FLORA pixels, WS2811 drivers)
//   NEO_GRB     Pixels are wired for GRB bitstream (most NeoPixel products)
//   NEO_RGB     Pixels are wired for RGB bitstream (v1 FLORA pixels, not v2)
//   NEO_RGBW    Pixels are wired for RGBW bitstream (NeoPixel RGBW products)


// setup() function -- runs once at startup --------------------------------
const int indexSwitch = 2; //define the normally opened switch activated by the index finger in the PIN 2
const int thumbSwitch = 3; //define the normally opened switch activated by the thumb finger in the PIN 3






void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);

 pinMode(indexSwitch, INPUT); //define the PIN as an INPUT
  pinMode(thumbSwitch, INPUT); //define the PIN as an INPUT

  // These lines are specifically to support the Adafruit Trinket 5V 16 MHz.
  // Any other board, you can remove this part (but no harm leaving it):
#if defined(__AVR_ATtiny85__) && (F_CPU == 16000000)
  clock_prescale_set(clock_div_1);
#endif
  // END of Trinket-specific code.

  strip.begin();           // INITIALIZE NeoPixel strip object (REQUIRED)
  strip.show();            // Turn OFF all pixels ASAP
  strip.setBrightness(20); // Set BRIGHTNESS to about 1/5 (max = 255)


  
//  // attempt to start the IMU:
  if (!IMU.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Failed to initialize IMU");
    // stop here if you can't access the IMU:
    while (true);
  }
  // start the filter to run at the sample rate:
  filter.begin(sensorRate);
}


void loop() {
  // values for acceleration & rotation:
  float xAcc, yAcc, zAcc;
  float xGyro, yGyro, zGyro;

  // check if the IMU is ready to read:
  if (IMU.accelerationAvailable() &&
      IMU.gyroscopeAvailable()) {
    // read accelerometer & gyrometer:
    IMU.readAcceleration(xAcc, yAcc, zAcc);
    IMU.readGyroscope(xGyro, yGyro, zGyro);

    // update the filter, which computes orientation:
    filter.updateIMU(xGyro, yGyro, zGyro, xAcc, yAcc, zAcc);

    // print the heading, pitch and roll
    roll = filter.getRoll();
    pitch = filter.getPitch();
    heading = filter.getYaw();
  }

  // if you get a byte in the serial port,
  // send the latest heading, pitch, and roll:
  if (Serial.available()) {
    char input = Serial.read();   
    Serial.print(heading);
    Serial.print(",");
    Serial.print(pitch);
    Serial.print(",");
    Serial.print(roll);
    Serial.print(",");
  
    if (digitalRead(indexSwitch) == HIGH && digitalRead(thumbSwitch) == HIGH) { //if both switches are pressed
      fire();
      Serial.print(4); //write the number 4 in the serial monitor
  
    } else if (digitalRead(indexSwitch) == HIGH) { //if the index finger button is pressed
      tree();
     Serial.print(2); //write the number two in the serial monitor
  
    } else if (digitalRead(thumbSwitch) == HIGH) {
      bird();
      Serial.print(3); //write the number 3 in the serial monitor
    } else {
      blink();//CHANGE FOR RAINBOW EFFECT;
      Serial.print(0); //write zero in the serial monitor
    }
    Serial.println();
  }
  //delay(10);
}

void blink(){
  uint32_t white = strip.Color(255, 255, 255);
  strip.fill(white);
  strip.show(); 
  
}

void tree() {
 uint32_t green = strip.Color(0, 200, 0);
  strip.fill(green);
  strip.show(); 

}

void bird() {

  uint32_t blue = strip.Color(0, 0, 200);
  strip.fill(blue);
  strip.show(); 
  }



void fire() {
 uint32_t blue = strip.Color(200, 0, 0);
  strip.fill(blue);
  strip.show(); 
  }

  
void setPixelColorByRange(int start, int _end, int r, int g, int b) {
  while (start < _end) {
    if (waitTime(&flashTimeMark, 3)) {
      strip.setPixelColor(start, strip.Color(r, g, b));
      
      start++;
    }
  }
  strip.show();
}




void fadePixels(int time, int r, int g, int b) {
  alpha = 128 + 127 * cos(2 * PI / periode * time);
  tintPixels(r, g, b, alpha);
}

void tintPixels(int r, int g, int b, int a) {
  strip.setBrightness(a);
  for (uint16_t i = 0; i < strip.numPixels(); i++) {
    uint32_t c = strip.Color(r, g, b);
    strip.setPixelColor(i, c);
  }
  strip.show();
}

float linearTween (float t, float b, float c, float d) {
  return c * t / d + b;
}

float easeInOutSine (float t, float b, float c, float d) {
  return -c / 2 * (cos(M_PI * t / d) - 1) + b;
}

float easeInBounce (float t, float b, float c, float d) {
  return c - easeOutBounce (d - t, 0, c, d) + b;
}

float easeOutBounce (float t, float b, float c, float d) {
  if ((t /= d) < (1 / 2.75)) {
    return c * (7.5625 * t * t) + b;
  } else if (t < (2 / 2.75)) {
    return c * (7.5625 * (t -= (1.5 / 2.75)) * t + .75) + b;
  } else if (t < (2.5 / 2.75)) {
    return c * (7.5625 * (t -= (2.25 / 2.75)) * t + .9375) + b;
  } else {
    return c * (7.5625 * (t -= (2.625 / 2.75)) * t + .984375) + b;
  }
}

float easeInOutBounce (float t, float b, float c, float d) {
  if (t < d / 2) {
    return easeInBounce (t * 2, 0, c, d) * .5 + b;
  }
  return easeOutBounce (t * 2 - d, 0, c, d) * .5 + c * .5 + b;
}

int waitTime(unsigned long *timeMark, unsigned long timeInterval) {
  unsigned long timeCurrent;
  unsigned long timeElapsed;
  int result = false;
  timeCurrent = millis();
  if (timeCurrent < *timeMark) {
    timeElapsed = (TIMECTL_MAXTICKS - *timeMark) + timeCurrent;
  } else {
    timeElapsed = timeCurrent - *timeMark;
  }
  if (timeElapsed >= timeInterval) {
    *timeMark = timeCurrent;
    result = true;
  }
  return (result);
}

For more details about the code and the serial communication, click here.

User Interaction

After showing the project to different people who could try the glove, I understood that it has an interesting potential to be a cross-media narrative evolving performance and game.

The connections of the LED’s all broke during the Winter Show, which indicates the need for rethinking how to include light interactive in the gloves.