In Week 8, I mainly integrated the project files from last week, so that two sensors can be connected to the same breadboard, and the values ​​​​of the two sensors are concentrated in the same Arduino project and the same part of the Max patch (see Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Figure 1: Arduino Project Combining Light Sensor and Ultrasonic Sensor.

Figure 2: Max Patch that Combines Data Sent by Light Sensor and Ultrasonic Sensor.

In this way, during the testing phase and the final installation operation phase, the values ​​of different sensors can be more clearly assigned to different parameters that need to be controlled. At the same time, it can ensure whether the sensors are working properly and errors can be eliminated relatively quickly (see Video 1).

Video 1: A Video Showing the Light Sensor and Ultrasonic Sensor Connected on the Same Breadboard and Sending Data to the Max Together.

However, another problem discovered this week is that the pattern in the visual part in the Max patch cannot be displayed normally in the Mesh. Patterns that should keep beating will get stuck. This is the main tougher issue that needs to be addressed before next week.

This week I mainly discussed with Joe and Leo the problem of equipment delay that I encountered last week and solved it. Currently, the signal received by the sensor can be sent to Max through Arduino normally. In addition to solving technical problems, this week I also focused on thinking about what sensors to use to control which parameters, and the conditions that trigger entry to the next layer.

After testing the temperature and humidity sensor, light sensor and ultrasonic sensor, it can be seen that the value of the temperature and humidity sensor changes relatively slowly, so it can be used to control some changes in the environment. For example, the more people enter the room, the higher the temperature and humidity will be, thereby changing the ambient sound level or other interesting parameters. The light sensor and ultrasonic sensor change values ​​relatively quickly and are suitable for controlling some parameters that require significant changes. Therefore, changes in sound effects, music and visual patterns are mainly controlled by these two sensors (see Video 1 and Video 2).

Video 1: A Video Showing the Value in the Max Patch Controlled by Light Sensor.

Video 2: A Video Showing the Value in the Max Patch Controlled by Ultrasonic Sensor.

In addition to this, I also briefly designed a placement diagram for the final installation. This will be improved as appropriate in subsequent rehearsals (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: A diagram showing a brief arrangement of the installation.

The main work I am doing this week is the second subsection of the Interaction Part, which is the connection between Arduino and Max. By communicating with Leo and searching for relevant information on the Internet, I compiled a main patch for sending data from Arduino to Max (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: A Screenshot of Max Patch that Runs the Operation of Sending Data from Arduino to Max.

After the port in the serial object corresponds to the connected USB, it means that the serial object has received the data sent from Arduino, so the “print raw” object will cause the value to be printed out in the console according to the delay time interval set in Arduino, and the corresponding data groups will also be displayed in the following three message objects.

I tried to send the Arduino data of the ultrasonic sensor directly to the Max patch in the visual part made by Ruojing to change some parameters (see Video 1).

Video 1: A Video Showing the Ultrasonic Sensor Arduino Project Sending Data to the Visual Max Patch.

It ran successfully, but at the beginning I found that when the delay value was too small, that is, when the time interval between the two data generation was too short, Max could not work properly, and there was a very large lag. However, after increasing the delay value, although it can run normally, the data changes too slowly and is not suitable for the actual operation of our final installation. So the bigger problem I am currently encountering is how to balance and coordinate the actual operating rate of the equipment and the required operating rate of the installation. This is also what I will mainly need to work on over the next few weeks.

Presence makes me think of the fact that although people physically exist in the real world, there is often a piece of their own “virtual world” in everyone’s heart, where there is a scene completely different from the real world, like the ideal country of presence that contains everyone’s consciousness. So the “presence” of the difference or the link between the real world and the virtual world is something that I want the participants to experience in an immersive way.

The following is an outline of a feasible theme that I have temporarily summarized according to our ideas we put forward in class. On top of that I added a few details, some illustrations and examples.

• Software：Unity
• Technology：VR <We can try to do VR with unity first, and if the implementation is not suitable in the future, we can change to lighting>
• Theme：Feel the presence/coexistence of the real world/negative emotions(stress, anxiety, depression…)and the virtual world/positive emotions(unpredictable, unknown, intrigued…).
• Form

• Content

Real World：There are many doors in a narrow corridor, and when the player opens the doors, the corresponding pictures begin to show the real world (anxiety at work, irritability at school, panic at family arguments…).

Virtual World：After the player comes out of the corridor is an unknown only white environment, from time to time there may be some magical phenomena, such as a piano that no one is playing makes a beautiful piano sound.

• Sound

Real World：realistic, immersive 

Virtual World：large reverb and delay, electronic