Blissful Joy

Project Overview

For this first assignment in Physical Computing, the class was tasked with creating an art piece that represents a specific emotion.

Additionally, we were challenged to use the Adafruit Circuit microcontroller to design an animated light pattern and to program at least three different modes (on, animate, off) for the controller using a button to switch the inputs.

Ideation & Concept

The main idea for my project actually came from a class exercise. Everyone in the class was paired with another student and we gave each other three emotions to choose from. I was given the option of representing: Mischievousness, Frantic Happiness, or Blissful Joy.

I chose "Blissful Joy" as my emotion. My original concept called for an interactive art piece with a window for light to shine through, envisioning a geodesic sphere container to cast interesting shadows.

The "Why Did I Do This?" Phase

I thought a geodesic sphere would make the final piece more dynamic and visually engaging. I scoured the web to figure out how to design one and created a template to use in the Cricut.

However, things took a turn for the worse. I got very disoriented when putting the sphere together, and ended up with a squished, oval-like shape. There were simply too many pieces to keep track of, and time was running out.

Adjust | Simplify | Forward

With the project due in two days, I had to pivot. The mantra became: Adjust, Simplify, Keep Moving Forward.

I abandoned the complex sphere for a cleaner, geometric box design that still allowed light to play beautifully through internal diffusion. This allowed me to focus on the wiring and the code.

The Code

I used Microsoft MakeCode to develop the light patterns. The block-based environment allowed me to visualize the Circuit Playground's neopixel output and iterate quickly on the "Blissful Joy" color palette.

Final Piece

The main idea stayed the same: I wanted to have a projection of JOY. The final piece is a testament to flexibility—it may not be the geodesic dome I planned, but it successfully captures the emotion through vibrant, controlled light.