Using a photocell, I can play 2 octaves of the C major scale. The next objective is to try to play a tune.
Servo Motor Lab
Using a potentiometer and the Arduino servo library to control a servo motor.
Typefaces and Expressive Words
If you realize it or not, typefaces are used to convey meaning beyond what is written. Using the same words and only changing the fonts, it is possible to express things like fun, cheap, professional or classic. For this week we were asked to put our name in 6 different typefaces. We were also asked to create several expressive words. Click on the link below to checkout what I came up with.
Couple of web pages using CSS
For homework this week I created a couple of very simple web pages using cascading stylesheets. The pages have photos loosely related to Gabe’s favorite subject mater. The pages also link to each other.
Bad Signage
Signs are an essential visual communication tool that help us navigate through our daily lives. Being in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, you can’t help but to be bombarded with signs everywhere you go. However, most people seldom stop to consider why some signs are better or worse than others. The assignment this week was to find signs around the city that do a poor job communicating their intended message. There are many types of signs, but for this assignment I decided to focus on store signs. Store signs are more visually complex and ofen try to have meaning beyond the written text. I started looking for bad signage in the upper west side, though had little success since the area is rather gentrified and most stores were large brand names. eg. Pottery Barn, Victoria Secret, Best Buy, etc. I then walked through the mid-town area where there are many more small businesses. Needless to say, I found some bad signs. Below are some examples of bad signs I found and my recommendations on how the signs could be improved.
Why this sign is bad?
- Sign doesn’t really make sense when you read it, “A Relax Me”
- It looks like some thought was put into the logo design, but it does not have a clear message
- There are 3 types of fonts.
How can we make it better?
- Have it be in proper English
- If you gonna have logo, try to tie in better.
Why this sign is bad?
- Why is ‘L’ and the ‘N’ separate ???
- Letter alignment is all over the place
- Color palette is dull
- Design behind the big ‘B’ is strange
How can we make it better?
- Don’t separate the ‘L’ and the ‘N’
- Make use of the grid in the lettering
- Have the sign be a little more dynamic
Why this sign is bad?
- Awful colors and design, looks like a kid’s art school project
- Using 3 or more fonts
How can we make it better?
- No need to put the word “Wine” on the wine bottle
- Pick more dynamic colors
- Keep the sign festive, since this is the intended direction, just don’t be gaudy
- Use a decorative font for the store name, use a simple plain font for everything else
Response to “The Machine Stops” by E.M. Forster
I really enjoyed this short story. It touches on many themes used in both old and new science fiction. The theme that seems to come up again and again is that in mankind’s attempt to attain perfection, we screw something up along the way. Think of all the movies where overuse of technology creates a dystopia. Logan’s Run, The Terminator, and The Matrix to name a few.
In this story, the main characters are Vashti and her son Kuno. Vashti is an older women who is content with her existence and conforms to the norms of society, while Kuno believes that their existence is a mere illusion put on by “The Machine”. The Machine is the omnipresent technological force that sees and controls all. Kuno decides to break free from the machine as he believes their is more to living outside of the world he has always known.
What’s really impressive about this story is that it was written in 1909, and it foretells of technology ranging from teleconferencing to information on-demand. If you wish to dive deeper and try to interpret the many ideas in this story, you’ll get different conclusions depending on who you ask. Though what’s certain is that there is some E.M. Forster in most present day technology.
Analoging the Arduino
For this lab I used 2 sensors to light up 2 sets of LEDs. The force sensor controls the green LEDs and the flex sensor controls the red LEDs. The number of LEDs that light up is dependent on how much force or how much bend you apply to the relevant sensor.
Fantasy Device – Magical LED Slippers
Wherever you are in the world, if you are wearing these slippers and click your heals together 3 times while chanting “There’s no place like ITP”, “There’s no place like ITP”, “There’s no place like ITP”, you would be transported back to 721 Broadway, 4th Fl. Slippers would be adorned with LEDs to give it that ITP flair.
Design Analysis – Ebay.com
For class, I was asked to select a website and analyze its success in terms of grid, colors, layout, typography, consistency and usability. I selected Ebay.com. Ebay is the largest and most well known online auction website. It is a silicon valley juggernaut employing over 15,000 people and generates billions in revenue a year. What’s also interesting about Ebay is that its service is vital in supporting “other” businesses all over the world. Many companies use its services to connect to buyers. This makes Ebay more susceptible to criticism as it is used by many people who have a stake in the design and usability of the site. I will discuss Ebay’s visual elements in class.