Thank the gods for Modern Digestion
Modern Digestion is a nod to the intestinal tract and all the microbiota working in miraculous ways to perpetually break down, absorb, or pass the extraordinary collection of natural, synthetic, planned, and unintended items we put down our esophagus. From prehistoric to recently engineered foods, the gut keeps it all moving.
http://www.extrasleepy.com/#/modern-digestion/
The light sequence, composed of 26 programmable LEDs, fades at random intervals, in a random order, through meditative warm and cool tones. This piece can operate plugged into a USB outlet or charged for five or more hours of untethered operation. Programmed with CircuitPython.
Something New: AQI Funnies
AQI Funnies builds off the Internet of Things trend by combining live air quality data (in this case, from zip code 94114) with single-frame comics. Using an e-paper display and the Air Now air quality API, a ghost-like friend presents the viewer with a statement about the rating for the day. The character's mood, background, and messaging change to one of seven different scenes based on the particulate count at the current moment. From great to hazardous, the guiding figure encourages or warns you, with a random adjective, about what you might be exposing your lungs and body to that day.
New Piece: Sidewinder
Sidewinder is an abstracted ode to the discovery of over 80 rattlesnakes living under a single Santa Rosa home. The snakes are now displaced, but the calmly changing light from this sculpture shines in their memory.
The wood CNC is milled using a Bantam Tools mill. The microcontroller is coded with CircuitPython, and the main shape is modeled using Rhino 3D and Fusion 360. This piece is rechargeable and lasts about seven hours per charge. more details
Time to skill up!
Starting this January I'll be teaching metal shop, for the first time, to 9th-grade students. Gotta skill-up. Here's my CNC-plasma / MIG welding warm-up project.
New Piece: King of Fruits
King of Fruits, inspired by the Southeast Asian durian, is a handheld sculpture that illuminates bulging protrusions with a calm and changing array of LED colors. Loved and loathed for its smell and taste, this polarizing fruit is often referred to as the "King of Fruits." This abstraction of the durian maintains the crown-like cap and replaces the odor with a glow. King of Fruits is rechargeable and portable, lasting six or more hours on a recharge.
The wood base is milled with the Bantam Tools desktop mill, and the controller is coded with CircuitPython. The main shape is modeled using Grasshopper and Rhino 3D.
Work at Open Editions Shop!
Creator extraordinaire duo and friends @bradenwe and @laurendicioccio now have an @openeditions store at 788 Valencia Street! They asked me to put some light pieces in the store! Here are some shots alongside some other great works like the twisty-shaped necklaces of @laurendicioccio, a game/bandana by @katgeng, and some bracelets by #barbarakasten. There really are so many delectable items in the store. Please visit!
Jeff Linnell visits Device Invention Class
Jeff Linnell, CEO/founder of https://formant.io/ visited the Device Invention class to discuss his ecosystem for internet-controlled robots, cameras, and more. Students were able to drive the Boston Dynamics robot "Spot" around his studio remotely. Jeff's work ties together design, engineering, and business, with creativity and experimentation. There's so much vision, even on projects that don't have an obvious pathway. It was honestly a little overwhelming to think about the diversity of ambitious projects in which Jeff has participated. Nevertheless, this was a genuine end-of-semester treat! Now, back to controlling our relatively simple Raspberry Pi IoT projects. Gotta start somewhere.
New Piece: Double Up
Double Up is a desktop light sculpture with capacitive touch sense interactivity. The two 3D-printed conduits illuminate with differing coordinated LED strips that can transition or be turned off by touching a CNC-milled aluminum base plate.
The wood base is milled with the Bantam Tools desktop mill, the aluminum with a Tormach, and the controller is an Adafruit QT-Py programmed with CircuitPython.
The light operates via 5v USB-C and saves the chosen color scheme indefinitely, on or off, while plugged in.
Dimensions: 5.25”w x 6.25”h x 3”d
New Piece: Vac Track
Can we get to herd immunity? Which states are making it happen, and who's hesitant? Vac track follows it all with real-time graphs of first and complete vaccinations distributed in all US states, DC, and Puerto Rico.
At the end of the state rundown (state abbreviation followed by graph), a calculated "winner" and "loser" for first and complete vaccinations is displayed. I started this as a short weekend project (it took longer). Let's hope this device becomes obsolete quickly. The insides are a Raspberry Pi Zero, a Pimoroni "Unicorn Hat Mini," and the Covid Act Now API–sitting in a 3D printed stand.
New Piece! Hot Coil
Hot Coil, a palm-size light-emitting sculpture, is rechargeable and portable. Every 15 to 20 minutes a circuitPython controller randomly fades RGB LEDs through a range of warm colors.
The piece can operate plugged to a USB outlet or untethered for about three hours per 15 min recharge.
Materials: CNC-cut & hand finished walnut and acrylic, microcontroller, addressable LEDs, rechargeable battery
Dimensions: 4”w x 4”h x 4”d
Window Installation and Exhibit with Mel Prest @ The Great Highway Gallery in SF
From July 16th - August 16th stop by the Outer Sunset’s gem of a space, the Great Highway Gallery, to see an installation by Mel Prest and I. We’ve been married artists for years, and somehow this our first collaboration! The title: Restructuring in Progress. We also both have several works for sale through the gallery. 25% of all sales during this period will be donated to the Bay Area chapter of Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ).
Upcoming in July: Great Highway Gallery window installation with Mel Prest!
The amazing painter Mel Prest and I are working on a collaborative window installation for the Great Highway Gallery. It will be up in early or mid-July! Here are some teaser process shots:
Tinytown
Tinytown, a palm-size light-emitting sculpture, is rechargeable and portable. A circuitPython controller randomly and continually fades individual RGB LEDs through a range of warm colors.
The piece can operate plugged to a USB outlet or untethered for more than 5 hours per recharge.
Dimensions: 2.5”w x 2.5”h x 2.5”d
See more: http://www.extrasleepy.com/#/tinytown/
Sharing Work on the Bantam Tools Livestream
https://www.bantamtools.com/engineering-from-home/digital-fabrication-virtual-meetup
NEW PIECE: Chonky!
CNC-cut cherry and walnut, 3D-printed lens, Acrylic, Microcontroller, Addressable LEDs, Rechargeable battery
Chonky, a light-emitting sculpture, is symmetrically lumpy, rechargeable, and portable. A translucent 3D-printed lens press sits on atop a gradient of hand-finished wood and orange acrylic. A circuitPython controller changes the RGB LEDs about every 20 minutes.
The piece can operate plugged to a USB outlet or untethered for 4 hours per recharge.
Dimensions: 4.5”w x 4.25”h x 4.5”d
Mohit Bhoite visits Device Invention!
@MohitBhoite, creative and @particle engineer, presents his beautiful sculptures to the Device Invention class. I owe @bantamtools for connecting us through an episode of their podcast, which I love. From podcast to IRL! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-edge/id1448649714?mt=2
