The goal of this project was to collaborate with a sculptor to create a sculpture that physically changes based on live data. At the very beginning of the project I was paired up with a sculpture student and we were given a theme: "Cultivating Light". Cultivating Light could be interpreted many different ways, and could be considered literally or more abstractly. My partner and I immediately decided that we wanted light to be a key piece of our sculpture, but we needed to figure out what API we would use for live data. The data needed to affect the sculpture in some way, but also be relevant to the theme. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that we should utilize an API that can give us the air quality index(AQI) for the Chicago area. Our reasoning was that with more particulate matter in the air, the air would be harder to see through/breathe, and therefore light would not be travelling as easily. I started the project by filing down the information that I would pull from the API. I just wanted to retrieve the AQI at the current moment. By formatting the web-hook, I was able to pull only the air quality data. The next step was to have the components of my project react to changes in the data. I decided to use 3 components for the project that would incorporate into the sculpture. The main design of the sculpture includes a large tree overhanging clumps of clouds. A light at the bottom of the sculpture shines up at a rotating rig of reflective material. The goal of this specific aspect was to allow the single light to illuminate the project as a whole. Furthermore, there is a motor, attached to a linear actuator that a cloud has been glued to. In turn, the cloud can move towards and away from the center of the sculpture. If the AQI in Chicago is above 35, then the lights on the sculpture will turn yellow, the cloud will move towards the center, and the upper motor will spin slowly. If the AQI in Chicago is above 35, then the lights on the sculpture will turn yellow, the cloud will move towards the center, and the upper motor will spin slowly. If the AQI in Chicago is below 35, then the lights on the sculpture will turn white, the cloud will move away from the center, and the upper motor will spin faster. The contrast between the two modes reveals the effects of worsening air quality across the globe. The reaction to data was the most rigorous part of the project. I needed to calibrate the stepper motors perfectly, so that they would move smoothly on the linear actuator and also be able to spin the reflective rig. Overall, the project was a success, and I believe I was effectively able to build a moving sculpture that responds to data.
Sam Fogarty-Sculpture that Responds to Data
Using a Particle Photon 2 and collaborating with a sculpture student at my high school to create a sculpture that responds to live data.
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Thanks to Yohan Encarnacion.












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