This project is solving the We Love Data challenge.
Description
Storytelling:
There are so many exoplanets discovered in the last years (around 2700 at the moment). These planets must really feel lonely after all this time without any company of really intelligent people like we are :-) So for this challenge we propose a garment that shows the data of these lovely exoplanets and gives people the possibility to adopt exoplanets. This garment gives people an opportunity to keep the exoplanets company even at this immense distance!
By thinking for a few moments each day of the immense space and its wonders surrounding this tiny earth, human being could become a bit more social and less going to fight each other??? (May be!)
We make a garment made from felt (felted in patches and "mani"-folded) which displays data from the exoplanets. Connecting clothing with space data is not yet really explored in the area of "smart textiles". The purpose is making and showing the connection of human beings with outer space events, data and in this case exoplanets in our universe. You can interact with the garment and change the displayed exoplanets manipulating a felted version of the Kepler Space Telescope. Keeping this telescope differently will give other exoplanets displayed on the garment. If the exoplanets are habitable the LED's in the garment will light up and be happy! The adoption of exoplanets can be made on this page: (currently work in progress address will be filled in later) When you have adopted an exoplanet your name will appear under the planet. If a planet is adopted the garment will show happy LED effects too!
More technical:
This garment as interface is not a screen! Compared to a screen it is of course rather primitive. We can use effects and text at the moment and no images. It will be interactive, there is a possibility of influencing what is shown and how. The vest will react on the data of the exoplanets shown, like mass and orbit radius. Gives this wearable even a gaming possibilities with the interaction? We think it does! But we concentrated on the compassionate feelings around exoplanets first.
Materials:
(hand-) felted vest, made up of patches of felt, manifolded together. A felted Kepler Space Telescope
Electronics:
around 50 LED's, 5 liquid Crystal DIsplays, Attiny2313 (several), ATmega328 (2) (with RF12 transceiver)
Data transfer:
Rasberry Pi (WIFI) as a server, connected to this Raspberry (Python script) is a atmega328 with RF12 module, making a wireless connection to the vest.
Data source: (list of exoplanets)
https://raw.github.com/hannorein/oec_tables/master/comma_separated/open_exoplanet_catalogue.txt later on these links will be added: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/lists/ace/ace_swepam_1m.txt possibly: http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/eit_171/512/latest.jpg
Interaction local:
IR receiver and Wii Remote (bluetooth) At the moment there are two types of interaction: A wii remote hidden in a felted Kepler Space Telescope and a IR remote (for the infinity shape at the front of the vest and the colliding galaxy groups at the shoulders.
Interaction global:
You can adopt a planet using a page on the internet (not available at the moment). It will be connected to a database on the Raspberry Pi. The name connected to the exoplanet will be visible if the Kepler Space Telescope is turned in the right way.
Scripts:
the scripts are divided over the chips. In the Rasberry there is a simple Python script, UART is used to connect tot the Atmega328 with the RF12 transceiver. In the vest the data are sent to the Liuid Crystal Displays using an atmega328 with also a RF12 transceiver.There are scripts to make patterns of LED's, and the Liquid Crystals are displaying text usng the usual libraries.
Project Information
License: Creative Commons BY 3.0Source Code/Project URL: https://github.com/contrechoc/Lovable-Wearable-Data
Resources
Project first sketch - http://myfablab.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/wearable-nasa-challenge/group for links and chats - https://www.facebook.com/groups/263873400416105/
current sun disk - http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/eit_171/512/latest.jpg
current sun values - http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/lists/ace/ace_swepam_1m.txt
list of exoplanets - https://raw.github.com/hannorein/oec_tables/master/comma_separated/open_exoplanet_catalogue.txt
Just before the presentation pictures - http://myfablab.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/lovable-wearable-data/
Adopt an exoplanet webpage - http://www.contrechoc.com/exovest/adopt_exoplanet.php?indication=big
flickr pictures - http://www.contrechoc.com/exovest/exovest_slideshow.php
epub about the exovest project - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/311532