This project is to create a visualization of data under the theme of struggle. We were to make a scene that responds to data in a 13in x 13in x 13in box. This partner project, between an electronics and sculpture student, illustrates the struggle of gun violence by showing a hand reaching for a gun.
DataThe data used in my project is from Chicago Data portal(https://data.cityofchicago.org/resource/gumc-mgzr.json). The data is the list and details of gun related crimes in Chicago. We take the dates of three consecutive incidents and compare them to one another.
VisualizationMy visualization consists of LEDs and a Stepper Motor.
LEDsMy initial design had more LEDs, but as I continued we decided to keep the box dark in order to give it a more serious look. Originally I had planned to have 5 lights spread out around the room, under and behind different objects, but we decided to only have 1 LED behind a window in the center of the back of the box. We felt that this lighting felt harsher and better fit the theme of struggle.
My work with the Stepper Motor was much less nuanced than that of the LEDs. We always knew how it was going to run: if the dates all match the motor turns one way and if they don't it turns the other. All the dates matching would mean a higher concentration of gun violence on that day, this represents a higher level of struggle. When the dates match, the Motor will spin and bring the hand closer to the gun. When the dates are different, the hand will be pulled away from the gun.
Once I finished making the motor accurately react to data I realized that if the same trigger, same dates or different dates, happened too many times back to back my motor would spin off of my linear actuator. To fix this I added a limit to how far the motor could turn in one direction. It cannot turn more than 4 activations worth of rotation in either direction.
Final InstallationThe Stepper motor is under the floor of the box so that it can push and pull the barbie arm on the base of the box. It is hot glued. The PCB board is taped to the back of the box. The LED is fixed behind a piece of construction paper in the window.
To power the photon I have an external power source connected to VUSB and GND(ground).
My LED is connected to 3v3 for power, GND for ground, and D2 for data.
My Stepper motor is connected to the external power supply for power, GND for ground, and D1, 3, 4, and 5 for data.
















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