Lab 1 project: No-tech puppeteering
The past two weeks have been filled with fun experiments, creative ideas and loads of discussions to find ways to move an object 1mm, 10mm or 100 mm. Below I have listed three projects I have done as a part of CanHaptics lab assignment .
Project 1: Measuring Tape Action
Materials used: Measuring tape, chair/stool, books , brick, marker, phone, cover, coin, orange (or Glue stick and threads)
Action: roll, drop, retraction, jump, spin ( for glue-stick)
Building process: This was the first experiment I had in mind for the assignment. So, I tried to use most of the stuff I could find in my reading table. The setup for this experiment was created in an aim to get the most out of the retractable measuring tape.
Challenges faced:
- At first I tried to tie the measuring tape in the chair using a rubber band but there was too much backward force during the retraction. So I added a brick to absorb the force.
- In my first tries the dominos (of books and highlighter) did not fall in the right order. So I had to carefully apply the right amount of force while rolling the orange to make the dominos fall in the right order.
- The initial starting force in this experiment was also tried with a rubber-band and a pencil. But each time the rubber band unrolled really quick so it was difficult to control the motion. That’s why, a woolen string was chosen as it was longer, had less elasticity and was easier to control. Also a heavier mass (i.e. glue stick) was chosen instead of a pencil for more stability .
How did it work ?
In this experiment, energy stored within the retractable measuring tape was used to jolt a coin in a disposable spoon. The brick was used to support the measuring tape and avoid the backward force in the measuring tape. In the final step the distance travelled by spoon is about 90–100mm while the coin travelled about 300–400 mm as shown in the video. The ending jump of the coin was the reaction due to sudden halt (inertia of motion).
Project 2: Frog Kick
Materials used: Normal A4 Paper, Ping-Pong ball
Action: Jump and Roll
Building process:
For this experiment normal A4 papers available in the room were used to create origami. Different shapes and paper formation was created using YouTube videos and blogs [link1, link2, link3].
Challenges faced:
It was difficult to create a functional origami with normal A4 sheets. For example, at first Rabbit origami was created using A4 sheets (at least 10 samples created) but it was difficult to make the rabbit hop in the right direction. The reason for A4 sheets not working for Rabbit origami is because it required multiple folds and complexity (this problem can be solved by using proper origami papers or finding right paper with a hardness between a A4 sheet and a newspaper, I didn't do that because I wanted to use materials I had in my room). So instead of a rabbit, a simple origami shape like Frog was chosen to reduce the number of folds.
How did it work ?
Basically, in the back of a frog a paper “spring” is created with multiple paper folds. As a finger pushes down on the back of the frog the spring depresses and the potential energy is stored. Afterwards, the release of the finger lets the frog leap in the air and change the potential energy into kinetic energy. This kinetic force was directed towards a ball to cause motion. In this experiment, the ball rolled about 1–5mm while the frog made a leap of about 60 mm.
Project 3: Two Spatula fulcrum
Materials used: Normal A4 Paper, Ping-Pong ball
Action: Slide, roll, drop, jump
Building process:
The idea for this project came last week when I mistakenly fell my plate and Dining Table Mat on the floor. I wanted to recreate the same thing minus the broken plate. So for this experiment, my main idea was to use some kind of fulcrum to release the Dining table Mat from the table ( which is placed at the edge of the table). Then afterwards I just added a few other objects that I could find in my kitchen and room.
Challenges faced:
I tried to make the Dining Table Mat move several times and the best I could do is shown in the video below.
The main challenge was the roughness of the table mat surface. So most of the time it used to just hang at the edge without any motion. It was difficult to find an equilibrium position and find the right spoon or spatula (i.e. with the right weight) to hold it from falling from the edge.
For the final version, the challenge was to drop the coin in the glass cup. During this process I had to take multiple videos, as the coin kept on falling outside the cup.
It was also difficult to find the right height for the water bottle to drop. The thread was rolled two-three times on one of the table legs to change the direction of the thread, which allowed me to capture the video easily. Also it provided some friction to control the force and delay the action.
How did it work ?
In this experiment the potential energy is stored in the paper by keeping it at the edge of a table which is balanced by a spatula fulcrum. When the thread was released, gravity allowed the bottle to fall from its height into the spatula. This made the other end of the spatula jolt and release the potential energy stored in the paper. As the coin is placed on top of the paper, this motion caused the coin to fall as well. In this experiment the coin drops about 90–100mm. Also the glass is filled with some plastics to avoid maximum drop inside the glass.
Ending Note
The most crucial thing that I have learned from these experiments is that it’s not always easy to replicate what you have in your mind or things you find online. You always need to use your own blend of DIY skill, instincts and your experience to make the things work.
Anyways Hope you enjoyed reading and watching videos of these experiments !! Please feel free to share your own ideas and creative experiments in the comment.
