Sue Ngo: ITP Coursework

I want to create a live image capturing display using themrochromic fabrics and textiles. My project will use soft circuits, electronically activated textiles and sensors to simulate what is typically a hardware experience. The piece will be designed to instill the feeling of animated life where one least expects to experience it – on the walls.

Initial Sketches:
One form could be strips of fabric that activate and change color when a visitor walks past the piece.

Another form could be a simulated pixel display using textile squares.

For the science fair project assignment, I put together the classic lemon battery. In my work, I am very interested in parasitic energy and finding ways we can move away from traditional forms of energy. A lemon can be made into battery through a simple chemical reaction.

Materials:
+Copper mesh
+Galvanized nail
+Alligator clips
+4 lemons
+LED
+Multimeter

Step One: Roll the lemons to losen the pulp
Step Two: Insert the copper mesh on one end of the lemon and the galvanized nail at the other. Make sure neither are touching.
Step Three: Wire the lemons in series treating the galvanized nail as (-) and the copper mesh as (+)
Step Four: Measure the amperage and the voltage generated with your multimeter
Step Five: Fasten the LED to the lemon battery.

I was able to generate up to 3.5 volts with 5 lemons connected in series and about 0.0001 Amperes creating an average power of average power of 0.00035 watt [V (volts) x I (current) = P (watts)], just enough to light a red LED.