Final

Sophie Goldstein and Myles Lack-Zell
1 / 4

The Pottery Simulator was created so people could make pottery in a physical and exciting manner. The main reason why the game was created was to have fun and create pottery with technology. The Pottery Simulator has many complex layers of technology that complement each other. The basis of all of the technology comes from a computer which runs code in Processing that creates a pot and wheel that you can move. The computer is also connected to a TV screen which is laying flat facing upwards. Laying on top of the TV screen is a homemade hologram projector that is constructed out of four clear plastic trapezoids. The trapezoids are all connected making an upside down pyramid. Looking from one of the sides of the pyramid, there is a reflection from the TV screen on the hologram which makes it look like the pottery is floating. Additionally, a Wii remote is on a tripod facing the TV screen and hologram from behind. This Wii remote is synced to the computer through bluetooth. In addition to the Wii remote, an infrared pen is calibrated to the hologram which, when the button is pushed down, can change the shape of the pottery.

 

Although the infrared pen and Wii remote are in the final iteration of the Pottery Simulator, the Christie Interactivity Kit and a tablet were intended to be used in the original idea. As the tablet screen was not interactive enough, it was quickly ruled out. After the Christie Interactivity Kit fell and broke, the infrared pen and Wii remote became the main opotion for interacting wit the hologram. As shown, the way of interacting with the game was a challenge. Additionally, the code in order to make the pottery change shape was difficult to create. Particularly the movement of the pot on the y-axis of the hologram was challenging to figure out. Lastly, trying to figure out a way to keep the pottery actually on the wheel was a challenge. With all of these problems and solutions, there was always something else to work on or fix. The Pottery Simulator can never be finished as there is endless ways improve this project, but it does demonstrate the idea that we were working towards.