The Sheep Thrills of Programming

George still lives! It is still lent and not yet time to cull the lambs. Besides, I need to figure out the code for my project before I can start thinking about implanting things into George.

As proof of his continued safety, here is a picture I took this morning of George and his mouse friends cuddling on my desk.

The bags of wires at his feet are the phidget I am attempting to use. It is an infrared distance sensor and allows the computer to recognize the relative distance of whatever passes in front of the sensor head. Once I have the code figured out, this device will allow George to recognize when something is nearby and to respond accordingly, probably with a sassy remark. Or perhaps with a creative Sheepspearian quote. This should give the unsuspecting passerby a surprise.

I still need to figure out how I will implant the device into George when I am ready. I was thinking of placing the sensor in his bowtie. It is a fairly obvious looking piece of tech that will be hard to hide but hopefully the bow will be able to make it less obvious.

Baaey for now.

Nicole and George

Sheepish Endeavors: My Interactive Exhibit

Museums are often thought of as haunted, and this is a large draw for many people. The haunted doll is often an object of curiosity and concern for museum workers and visitors alike. I want to validate those concerns by making my own "haunted doll" by placing a bunch of sensors inside a doll to get it to react to different stimuli, such as touch, sound, and being picked up. I am not going to pretend there is any historical value to this project; it is purely an experiment to allow me to test the limits of my technological abilities.

So here is my plan: My first objective is to secure a doll of some kind. As we are nearing St. Patrick’s Day, the stores are obviously full of adorable pink and yellow stuffed animals and chocolate eggs. I found this cutie at the Dollarama for a mere three dollars; he should prove to be a worthy test subject. I probably shouldn't have named him but I did; his name is George.

George the Sacrificial Lamb

If my experiments with George are successful, I may crochet myself a new doll for the final exhibition because I fear that George will be horribly disfigured by my experiments.

Now that I have secured my subject, I will have to cut him open and gut him to stuff some sensors into him (I will sew him back together later). I am going to start with an infrared distance sensor to try to get him to notice when somebody walks by, but I hope to incorporate a volume sensor, an accelerometer, and some touch recognition. I will attempt to use Max7 to accomplish the programming side of the project. If all goes well, I will create a frankensheep that will talk when you interact with it. *Now accepting suggestions for sheep back talk.*