Virtual Environments

Robert Williams

Week 8 Journal

1:1 Prototypes

My first partial prototype was of the lower area of my lantern (components 7-10). I used the electronic card cutter to im-prove the accuracy of the cuts since I had been producing prototypes by hand up until this point. This section is where I filled some holes in on one side to make the lantern stronger and wated to test how it functioned as a hand grip.The hand grip worked well allowing me to comfortably hold the section.The Ivory Card that I used for this experiment was successful in taking the shape of the components and was easy enough to work with. However it lacks the stiffness that I think that will be required to support the rest of the lantern above. When I applied pressure to the top components the section started to buckle.

First Prototype

1:1 Prototypes ContinuedSecond Prototype

For this prototype (components 37-40), I tested Mount Board as the construction material. I found it was much stiffer than the Ivory Card and provided more stability for the form. Since the board was thicker I used the laser cutter to outline the shapes. This method was accurate as well, however there were brown burn marks along the cutting lines. A solution to this may be to spray paint it white once built.This section is one of the branches protruding near the top of the lantern. It has a complicated component join that I wanted to test; how it bends inwards towards the copo-nents above it (circled).Because of the Mount Board’s stiffness I found it harder to maniplate into the correct shape and bend the tabs to the right angles. This was also due to having the unrolled sur-faces scored on one side which only facilitates bending in one direction. If I was to use the Mount Board for my final lantern, I would use dashed lines at these bending points so both directions are available.

Wiring and Lighting of Prototypes

I wired the LEDs in series with the 3V batteries and a switch. I used two LEDs to test the lighting capabilities of this section and found that the Ivory Card was slightly transculent and showed the tab connections as shaded areas. I would like to avoid this so as to create flow between the components and not be broken up by the visibility of the tabs.

The direct triangle cuts into the sur-faces are effective in creating de-fined projections which was the de-sired effect.I aslo thought about how much light a particular section is emitting. Since this is a lower section it should not have much lighting. This could also reduce the visibility if the tabs but the possibility still remains in the upper sections.

I used the third LED to light the up-per section prototype. This worked to some extent but lacked the brightness to illuminate each com-ponent and their cuts.The material however is opaque and does not show the joins be-tween the surfaces, unlike the Ivory Card.

When wiring the prototypes I found attaching the LEDs and batteries to the inside of the sections difficult be-cause of the sizes of the openings. From this experience I will attempt to work out the wiring needed for the full lantern beforehand and as I make it I will fit the wiring in, compo-nent by component.

Second Lighting TrialIn this second trial I swapped the LED groups between the proto-types to see if any improvements were made. The upper section now has 2 LEDs and has dramitically improved the presence of the cuts, producing much more defined projections. The lower section has only 1 LED and also improved the lighting ratio, with the lighting more prominent at the top of the section and a small-er amount at the bottom. This emphasises the growth of the form through the softer glow compared to the brightness and definition of the upper section.

The reduced lighting in the lower section also minimised the prominence of the tab connections but they are still visible. A a result from these trials I will use Mount Board to make my final lantern.