<aside> ❓ Data Display Device
This is your final. Due in week 14. Work alone or in groups of two or three on this.
The goal with this assignment is to display information from a web API in physical form that is readable, useful, and that works aestehtically in the space which it lives. The technical goal is to strengthen our skills in building devices which read from the internet and communicate those changes in the physical world using HTTP/S REST APIs.
Make a device which reads from a RESTful web API and displays pertinent information in physical form. You may read directly from an existing public RESTful API, or create your own. Your device may also have a physical user interface, or it may be entirely driven by the data it’s receiving. It should also have a web interface for configuring it, however.
Your device must have the following features:
My initial idea is to make a project similar to Tom’s Sunrise/Sunset light. As a student away from family I thought it would be a cool project to make a lamp (that I would want to put in my own home) that turns on and off corresponding to the sun/light back home in New Zealand. I think it would be a nice project that is both practical (I’ve been looking desperately for more lighting in my apartment) and also sentimental too.
It’s probably not the most complex project, but it would be immensely useful. I think it would also be nice to focus on the fabrication for this project and make it feel “finished” first and foremost.
After sharing this project with the class Tom was reminded of a project called “Hometown Sun” by an ITP alum. I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling like I need a little sun from home too, and also it was good to see what their approach was.
Hometown Sun – Spring Show 2020
Lab: Using a Transistor to Control High Current Loads with an Arduino – ITP Physical Computing
Dimming an LED Lamp With an Arduino
Programmable single channel 12V 3A DC LED dimmer
How to make a 12v PWM circuit Arduino using UNO board. - SriTu Hobby
The final bulbs, sockets, and PSUs I decided to use were:
After mostly following the ITP pComp example listed above I was able to create this circuit that allows for a single power supply. I put in two capacitors as per the datasheet. I was very hesitant to put this one together because I simply did not want to fry my board but in the end it was all good and well.