Light-responsive architecture model

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello everybody,

I am an architecture student and I just found about Arduino a week ago and got hooked since then.It seems that Arduino would offer me the possibility of exploring the design ideas I am looking for at but honestly I don't know where to start as I don't have any experience into coding nor boards.

At the moment I am looking to build a prototype that would react to different light levels but not much besides the fact that it runs through Rhino, Grasshopper and Firefly.

I have been looking at these project as a start and I would like to create a prototype that would respond to different light levels by activating a motor like this Biodynamic Structures course: light-responsive armature - YouTube] and produce a movement similar to this example Architectural dynamic prototype video 2 - YouTube.

If anybody could give me some startup tips I would appreciate your effort guys.

2

What is

Rhino, Grasshopper and Firefly

3

Hello rogerClark,

Well, Rhinoceros(Rhino) is a 3D Modelling Software used in the design industry.
Grasshopper is a is a graphical algorithm editor that can be loaded into Rhino and through scripting can aid the design process.
Firefly can be as well connected to Rhino and Grasshopper and what it does is that it offers you the possibility of connecting to an Arduino board and the sensors can capture and collect live data and translate it into the design process.

Are you familiar to the Arduino platform by any chance or maybe do you have any suggestions about what type of platform I need to buy or sensors?

This is an experiment they have done at the SmartGeometries Conference in Copenhagen in 2014 by using Rhino=>Grasshopper=>Firefly to collect data and use it live SMARTGEOMETRY 2011 - USE THE FORCE - PART 01 - YouTube .Hope this was useful!

Thank you!

4

first, take smaller bites. you have a huge plate in front of you.

get an UNO. it can accept shields (pre-made circuits) to make it much easier to add features.

get some LDR (lights dependent resistors) these are the sensors that will accept the light.

I would offer that you can get servo's that work seemlessly with the Arduino.

having 5 sensors and a 5 motors is not beyond the ability of a simple project.

I would offer that a mega would increase that number without adding a layer of complexity of additional chips and additional programming.

get a proto board and a couple sets of jumpers. one that are all the same length and another that has multiple lenghts. EBAY 301266215602

5

Hello dave-in-nj,

Thank you so much for your advice on this.I will order the parts this week and start building it when they arrive.

Do you think I'll need anything else beside the things you have mentioned in order to build a prototype similar to this one? Biodynamic Structures course: light-responsive armature - YouTube

Also if you look at 00:11 you can see that the girl is touching a sensor with her hand, is it a light sensor or a pressure one I wonder.And do you know if I would be able to attach that as well to the motor?

Thank you