7/10/2021
Phrase I summary
The idea of the project is to create “stickers” (small devices that can hide in the corners of the streets) that create subtle changes to the nearby environment.
One form of the devices can be stickers with customized printed circuits. Each individual sticker can gain power from the environment via piezoelectricity that charges a single-layer Li-Po battery. When the battery is fully charged, the sticker will record a piece of sound and transmit it to the air. If a nearby sticker has enough electricity and it catches the signal, it will try to play the sound. Multiple stickers will be distributed in an area to create sound portals in the community. The graphic design of the stickers is also important as it should indicate the function of the sticker yet merge naturally into the local landscape.
The goal is to invoke awareness on various social issues by breaking the familiar environment and the usual daily routine of the citizens. Related theories including urban interventionism and non-violent direct action will be explored.
22/22/2021
Discussion on technique aspect:
Charging circuit & others
17/12/2021
final meeting pharse 1
20/12/2021
Pharse II proposal
2/2022
Did some test and experiment on harvesting energy from sound
There are not very successful. I also tried built some simple circuit on paper using conductive tape and conductive ink. They don’t work as well as I thought they will as well…
Considering that the time is limited and the testing and experiments didn’t go well, I decide to give up making stickers. Instead, I would make small installations (though bigger than stickers, but still relatively small) using PCB.
8/3/2022
Finalized what PCB modules to use for the installation. Also I realize that to create a big network it require a large amount of the installations. It will be insanely expansive for me to make that many. The solution I figure out is to make this project a open-source one: I should design the installation in a way that it is easy to make and assemble; I would also create a IKEA style menu for the installation, people can download all the documentations and files (laser cut files, source code etc.) on a website and make the installation by themselves and put it into local community. It is a bit like a participatory project. When people start making and placing the installation, a network in the community is naturally found.
The GitHub repo (empty for now…): https://github.com/Real-John-Cheung/Unsounded
12/3/2022
Designed the installation
21/3/2022
Finally get the laser cut session
22/3/2022
Assemble test & prototype
Also start making the 3d models for creating the manual
31/3/2022
finish programming the hardware, code can be found on the GitHub repo
also finish modeling the componets
start editing the IKEA style menu and making the website
the (now WIP) website can be found here: https://real-john-cheung.github.io/Unsounded/
1/4/2022
finish the technical drawings for the manual
7/4/2022
Finished the manual and the component list
Also printed out a serval versions to test the folding
after wasting some paper, finally got the sample manual
14/4/2022
Finish theoretical text
19/4/2022 – 21/4/2022
Produced the finalised manuals and started setting up in the exhibition
22/4/2022
Finish setting up and also finish website:
https://johncheung.art/unsounded
27/4/2022
Oral Presentation
29/4/2022
Updated the website and made new versions of the manuals