Hardware-To-Screen Communication

Space Oddity

{coding, circuitry, interface design & construction, sensors, collab}

This 2-person project creates a tangible interface for a screen-based interaction to create the sensation of flying a spaceship in space.

The sensors function as controls of the "spaceship", by interacting with them, users see different effects appear on the screen to offer a playful "space exploration" experience.

Process

In Space Oddity's controller interface, there are 4 sensors (a sliding potentiometer, a 2-pin touch sensor, a distance sensor, and a pressure sensor) wired to a microcontroller, which connects to a computer via USB cable that displays on-screen media.

This is a team project completed in collaboration with my teammate, Winter Yan. The process documentation below shows the connection and functionality of all compartments.

Applicable Spaces

By not limiting screen control inputs to conventional mouse clicks or button presses, and using a wide range of sensors that can pick up many unconventional physical inputs instead, this technology could be applied in creating immersive hardware-to-screen interactive experiences.