Pipas-Content

About Pipas Lab

Pipas Labs is a technology platform and social program that combines kites, electronics, and mobile phones to connect the world across economic and cultural divides and build capacity in marginalized communities. Tapping into the popular pastime of kite fighting in Brazil, the platform is a global game and the foundation for a workshop program that teaches creative skills and fosters collaborations toward greater civic engagement, creative expression, and technological capability.

Our team developed the prototype of the Pipas platform. As a creative technologist in this team, my main work was software development.

Year : 2017
Project Type: Team Project
My Role: UX Engineer, Creative technologist
My Deliverables: Prototyping, Development, User Test
Team Members: Taeyeon Kim, Fanyun Peng
Project Duration: 03/2017 - 05/2017

Process

We wanted to build an application that can communicate with Arduino on the kites through Bluetooth, and visualize the flying tracks of the kites.

Storyboard

Techniques

It was my first time to use Processing to build an Android application. I was so amazed by the convenience of Processing. It has three mode! (Java, Android and Web!) Luckily, I found a library that perfectly for our project. It is Ketai library that allows you using Processing to create an application. It also allows serial read which means I can add Bluetooth communication on this application. I recommend this libray for designers who want to build a quick functional application.

Prototype 1

Taeyeom finished the hardware part. It is an Arduino with an accelerometer and a SD card that can record the location of each point. The whole interaction process is: 1. Attaching the hardware to the kite and flying the kite. 2. After flying the kite, users push button on the hardware to connect with cellphone through Bluetooth. 3. While connected, push the button for a long time to send the data to the application. 4. When finished sending data, click the button on the screen to see the visualization.

Prototype 2

I add more functions on the application. Users can customize their own images of their track. They can choose the background, color of the tracks. I add the color range bar on the screen for users to customize their own tracks.

Demo

The Pipas platform has been utilized, tested, and developed as part of workshops in Brazil in 2017. Kids explore the hardwares and the application during the workshop.

Pipas