Interactive Cubes Workshop
Software + Hardware Hacking, let's dig deep into the Sifteo cubes
What?
An amazing explanation by Micah of sifteo's insane design hacks is on adafruit blog.
But as a quick intro, Sifteo cubes can be seen as the best hackable platform, here is a summary of what they have:
- an accelerometer
- a touch screen (128x128)
- 4 proximity sensors (to recognize other cubes touching their 4 sides)
They are wirelessly connected to a base with:
- an STM32 (cortex M3)
- a mono speaker
- a usb connection to log anything to a computer
The base can communicate with up to 12 cubes (maybe 24 if you ask nicely).
It can be programmed with a simple and intuitive C++ API, check out the SDK.
When?
At least during the noisebridge 30c3: December 26th (to 30th)
...it might lead to a hackathon with Sifteo prizes soon too.
Hack ideas
Here are a few examples of that could be done during these sessions:
- magic light juggle: acceleration change the color/brightness and the cubes disappear in the air
- music & light: implement a BPM counter to blink color screens on the music rythme by listening to the vibrations sensed by accelerometer (like here)
- siftephone in: listen to a smartphone vibrations with Sifteo's accelerometer (like above)
- siftephone out: talk to a smartphone using sound with audio system such as chirp.io (a 1st proof of concept can be found here)
- midi controller: play music using the cubes as midi instruments with Ableton or Renoise (a 1st proof of concept can be found here)
- internet of things: control anything remotely using python to forward Sifteo logs to an email or a server such as heroku or parse.com
- turn up the volume!: follow this awesome instructable!
- UART communication: simple hacks involving microcontrollers can be tried too but the project must be worth it ;p (it's a bit more complicated)
Warning!
If interested, please don't just show up, your participation/preparation is important:
- contact me in advance to bring more cubes
- download the SDK: https://developers.sifteo.com/download
- start to play with the examples in the free simulator in the SDK
Interhacktively yours,
Drix.