1C – Dream Machine- Claustrophobic Isolation

Group Members: Becca Epstein, Annabelle Lee, Jenna MacCarley, Duncan McIsaac

Roles: Becca Epstein as Designer, Annabelle Lee as Scribe, Jenna MacCarley as Tutor, Duncan McIsaac as Integrator

Introduction

Our Dream Machine approaches this assignment by focusing on the isolation and terror we all experience in nightmares.

Our Dream Machine is a hanging black obelisk that you may enter from below. As you rise into the apparatus, it envelops you and pulses against your face, closing off more space as the tempo becomes more urgent, and eases off as the tempo decreases. Along with this claustrophobic atmosphere, a surreal atmosphere is established by flickering, diffused lights within. Lower frequencies of the music produce warmer color tones while higher frequencies produce cooler color tones. A external observer will see a faint glow produced by the lights.

Video

Technical Notes

Our project is a black wooden box with a clear, pyramid top that hangs from the ceiling. Within the black box are plastic bags inflated by two computer fans and deflated by two additional fans mounted on the side of the box. Color changing LED bulbs are attached inside the bags, to the upper corners of the box. These bulbs are powered by batteries connected to LED drivers and the arduino inside the circuitry box. Their color changes based on a PWM signal from the arduino. The fans are also powered via drivers and batteries and change their speed based on PWM from the arduino. The circuitry is discretely installed on the side of the box.

Photos

Jenna entering the chamber.

Jenna experiencing the environment

The view from below.

The view with the lights off.

Side view of the object hanging

The electrical component box

Circuit