Big Idea:
To use the inherent tropes of origami to create dynamic creatures with differing personalities that spark curiosity. It fits well into the museum’s movement based theme.

Why – To generate curiosity
How – Using origami, movement, sound, and light

Abstraction – Living Origami

Audience:
Targeted specifically at kids, but should interest all ages. Interests not only users who interact with these creatures, but also the bystanders who watch the creatures behave. They will probably remember the specific behavioral patterns exhibited by these creatures and potentially have a stronger personal connection with one.

Inspiration:
Madeline Gannon
https://atonaton.com/mimus

References:
https://vimeo.com/80401217
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aul0SzPVsls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=YQA2QWebvlc
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/562950022156976275/

Proof Of Concept:

Tasks Division:
Alex: Origami
Ophelie: Behavioral Encoding
Harsh: Mechanics

Ignoring:
Intensive Mechanics in favor or Origami

Test:
Behavior of Creature
Know it works through robustness of movement, sound, and light

Proposal Checklist:
Technical Solution:

Using a 2 Degree system with two hobby servos to push and pull the bottom of the origami piece. The servos, mechanics, and Arduino will rest inside a box which controls the origami, and thus is out of sight to the user.The origami piece expands and contracts based on being compressed or not.

Materials: Paper, MDF, Arduino, Speaker, LED’S, Wood Dowels

Sensors: Sonars, Photoresistors
Actuators: Distance and Light
Algorithms: Servo Rotation Degree and Speed based on Sonar Distance input and Photoresistor Light Input. The Speed will be based on the behavioral trope that we’re encoding into the “creature” and the degree will be calibrated according to the tolerance of the origami.

Key Technical Challenges:
Calibration of Degree of Motion
Calibration of Behavior
Execution of Controlled Motion of Origami

Proof Of Concept:
One creature that has been encoded well with behavior and calibrated to respond to the environment

Objectives for On-Site Test:
Ability to plug in fresh origami piece into mechanism based on breakage.
Observation on response to children- and children’s response to response of creature.

Known-Unknowns:
Generalizing the mechanism to work with different kinds of origami
Specific environmental inputs to encode reactions

Budget Outline:
$10 – MDF
$10 – Origami Paper
$10 – Sensors
$20 – Batteries

If costs go over budget, they will be split equally across the members

Wed-23-Oct: Project Proposal Finalized
Sun-29-Oct: One Origami Creature made, preliminary mechanics work & behavioral testing begins
Fri-10-Nov: One Origami Creature robustly deployed, generic mechanism perfected & behavior worked out.
Fri-17-Nov: Feedback incorporated from tests, One Creature corrected, other creatures are being produced.
Mon-27-Nov: Other Creatures finished, behavior calibrated.
Fri-1-Dec: Calibration Finished. Ready for Museum testing.
Mon-4-Dec: Documentation from Museum Curated
Mon-6-Dec: Final Documentation Finished