-
- Beard Detector The Next Generation
- Talking Newspaper Stand
- Balloon Costumes (Best Wearable Award)
- Watch The Skies!
- Turbidimeter (Best In Show Award)
- SMirror
- LaserSETI
- Field Notes: an interactive citizen science game. (Best Interactive Award)
- Particular Affection (Best Dating App Award)
- Laser Labyrinth
- Data Is Music
- Boomwhackers Hero
- Listening to the Large Hadron Collider: Sounds of CMS (Best Use of Data Award)
- Quantum Physics Board Game
- Pixel Soup (Best Negative Results Award)
- Sound mapper (Best Sensory Award)
- Loony
- Ultrastound (Best Swarm Award)
- Dying Forest Symphony
- Local Climate Impacts
- Water Harp (People’s Choice Award)
- Precious Plastics
- Carbon 0 (Best Design Award)
- magic-chess
- Meowseq (Most Fun Award)
- Data is Music
- Recycled PLA capacitor
- Dirty Microchannel (Best Hardware Award)
- Animals in the air (Most “Mammal-orable” Award)
Beard Detector The Next Generation
Creators: Joshua Gourneau
It has been almost 8 years since the original beard detector was released. It has been remade, this time powered by Machine Learning.
APIs, data and tools used: Python
Azure Cognitive Services
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Talking Newspaper Stand
Creators: Ruby Chen
Marianna Johnson
Emily M
Newspaper stands have fallen into disuse as more and more people depend on digital media for their daily news. However, newspaper stands have traditionally served vital role in building community through sharing local information and promoting local commerce. We aimed to modernize the physical newspaper stand to serve its original purpose.
We created a Talking Newspaper Stand. As a member of the public passes the News Stand, a proximity-activated motor and speaker triggers and begins sharing news stories from local news organizations. The audio continues until the user moves out of the field of vision.
In the future we would like to link to live news updates and news from local groups make the newspaper stand more valuable to the local community.
APIs, data and tools used: Arduino; mp3 player shield, SPFat Util
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://vimeo.com/367606386
Balloon Costumes
Creators: Lily Lew
Kanyavat
Alexander
Blake Au
Quannon Au
There are many things invented to make our lives easier. Linking balloons together is one of them. Our goal was to create a costume using ordinary party balloons that only have one end to tie.
Why? Balloons are fun and they have a unique characteristic for manipulating air.
In designing our hack we wanted to know if regular round balloons could build a costume that would cover the entire body. This would be in comparison to balloons that have two ends which I’ll call linking balloons.
Preliminary research done prior to Science Hack Day indicated that popular balloon costumes involved safety pins or string to make the balloons stay on clothes for costumes such as grapes, berries, skittles, M&Ms.
This reminded me of Christmas lights where the lights are tied in a string and wrapped around or tied up. The balloons could be strung but it needed a frame to support it and give it shape.
The frame had to have many of the characteristics that normal costumes have: easy to make, easy to move in, not too heavy, able to get in and out of, doesn’t fall apart or get damaged, easy to acquire supplies, not too expensive, able to be seen and see out of.
Common inexpensive frames could include cardboard, wire, plastic, clothes…
The following items were purchased:
Party City: 12 inch round balloons in black
A roll of narrow plastic stripes used to string balloons. The plastic was very soft and flexible and had regular intervals of single holes to insert the balloon nozzle into.
Online specialty products: rolls of plastic stripes similar to party city but had a hole to plug in the noozle and then slide to a smaller hole to lock in. The plastic was more rigid and included adhesive dots.
Quick Link Balloons in 6″ and 12″ round white
Various sizes of narrow balloons used for twisting animals (160, 260, 350, 646). Prior knowledge indicated that many balloon dresses are made of 160 and 260 to capture the detail.
Previous acquired products: 9″ and 12″ yellow round balloons, 5″ and 12″ round white balloons, balloon pumps, Assorted tapes (duct, clear packaging, double sided), pipe cleaners, string (yarn was assumed to act the same as string and was not tested), ribbon, safety pins, plastic bags, cardboard, glue gun,
Strategy: 1) Find a way to connect the balloons
2) Find a way to support the connected balloons into a specific shape that can be worn.
3) Wear and move in the costume without damaging the costume.
1) connecting the balloons:
String like material- string, ribbon, plastic in narrow stripes
Adhesive: Tapes, glue gun, glue, adhesive dots
Ties: cable ties, twist ties, safety pins
2) Support for the string of balloons:
Material to make a box, vest, straps that can be worn – Cardboard, straps, duct tape, pipe cleaners
Clothing: Vest, Hoodie, sweatshirt
Only the area above the waist was considered. Previous knowledge indicated that balloons are difficult to move in below the knee.
Linking balloons have a tying end at both sides. This makes it very easy to make a string of balloons in a chain. These chains can then be formed into rings and stacked. The stacked rings are then linked vertically with additional chains. Round, oval or cylindrical shapes are commonly used to make the body and head of a costume.
Science Hack Day Goal:
Make the easiest cheapest costume that covers the entire body = Black balloons to make a Black Sheep. The roundness of the balloon makes the sheep look fluffy.
Try to find a way to make specific shapes using round balloons – Yellow balloons
Compare to balloons that can link together: White QuickLinks
Science Hack Day:
Three categories were tested. 1) Black Sheep to make quick and easy way to cover the entire body. 2) Yellow Pikachu to make a specific shape (because I had lots of yellow in 9″ and 12″) 3) White Lab Rat using QuickLinks
Yellow: 9″ round
Inflated 9″ round Translucent balloons to about 6 inches. The balloons were fastened to the plastic stripes in alternating left, right side of the hole. The ones with a big and small hole would come off. Tied two balloons around a single hole to correct the problem. This secured the balloons from falling off and created noticeable gaps. The adhesive dots were applied to hold the balloons together. Double sided tape was not quite strong enough.
The plastic stripes with single holes seemed to hold better but the stripe were soft. These were strung in a single line since only one balloon nozzle would fit in the hole. Used the adhesive dots to help the balloons stay together.
Tried punching holes in trash bag. Balloons tore through the plastic even when duct tape was applied.
Black: 12″ round
The black sheep design was the simplest as two balloons were inflated to 7″ and tied together to form duplets. These duplets were strung in a straight line. The line would then wrap around a person like lights on a Christmas Tree. The balloons were strung together relatively tight to make it sturdy. This design seems most suitable to costumes that have round elements. The balloons were also under inflated resulting in a thicker membrane that would be more resistant to popping.
White: 12″ QuickLink Horizontal, 6″ Quicklink Vertical
The measurements for the QuickLinks were based on a design found online with a starting approximation of 8 balloons inflated to 8 inches (lengthwise). The row above and below were sized to be smaller to create a tapered effect. The sizing as done by over inflating the balloon and then releasing air until the balloon could fit through a gap between two tables that was measured with a measuring tape.
The three rings were stacked and connected using the 6″ QuickLinks. Due to time constraints and a numbness in the fingers the design on the White only included the Head. The top half was where the facial features would be placed: nose and eyes.
The design for the Lab Rat was based on Pinky Mouse from Pinky and the Brain. The curvature of the nose was made using a shorter length on the upper side to pull the balloons upward. The Eyes were sized unsymmetrically to give a confused expression. White balloons were randomly placed for the upper half for comparison. Long 350 balloons were also substituted for the vertical connections instead of round balloons.
The long balloons seemed to be more versatile in being able to connect in any direction and also longer or shorter than the 6″ quick link. The length also covered the distance of 5 quicklinks.
Yellow: 12″ round
Most of the morning was on testing the 9″ yellow rounds since I had lots of them and also because smaller size balloons are cheaper than bigger ones. The noticeable difference 9″ were translucent (thinner) and 12′ were opaque and much thicker. The 9″ required more balloons to cover the same surface area of the 12″. The 9″ were postulated to be able to create more detail due to the smaller size.
In shuffling, two of the 9″ rounds had already popped. Repair was not easy since the shape collapsed and the scrap was unable to be removed due to the strength of the adhesive dots.
The plastic stripes did not seem to provide any more benefit on time then the string method. The 12″ yellow balloons were inflated to about 7.5 inches and tied in duplets using string and an adhesive would need to be added to hold in together.
When tested at home prior to hack day the 9″ balloons would stick perfectly tight with a low temperature glue gun. However there was a very fine line between a strong hold and the number of balloons that popped.
This was not the case for the 12″, the balloons separated but the old glue remained on one side and was not easy to remove.
Duct tape (not the cheap ones) was the other adhesive that popped the 9″. Duck Tape brand tape was rolled and used to hold the 12″ balloons together. This works because there is a little bit of leeway for the balloon to compress or pull back. The location of the tape is critical. Once the tape is on, it holds on tight so having two people on this task is recommended. The balloons need to be formed in the final shape. I had mistakenly laid them flat and got a flat plane of balloons that would not curve. The balloons were also taped where it was not under strain. In many cases tape was not applied to all sides especially the ones that had three or four contact points.
In conclusion, the linking balloons offer more versatility in the construction of a sturdy structure. In a pinch, the cheapest, fastest and easiest method is to use string and wrap the balloons around the body.
Future testing should include cardboard for the frame and any additional materials you have.
APIs, data and tools used:
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bbdXhqJ7Q1ufpWIPMRkCulHsxX0hHmwa/view?usp=sharing
Watch The Skies!
Creators: Scott Manley
Brett Thomas
Maya Thomas
In Everyday life we are blissfully unaware of the space rocks flying past the Earth, so we present a device which will help mere mortals identify threats to the planet with a helpful physical pointed.
APIs, data and tools used: Python
pyephem https://rhodesmill.org/pyephem/
MPC Asteroid Data https://minorplanetcenter.net//iau/Ephemerides/Soft03.html
Celestrak Satellite Data http://www.celestrak.com/
Arduino
Lego
Code: https://github.com/illectro/watchtheskies
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://imgur.com/a/gHNIiD8
Turbidimeter
Creators: Chloe Bonneau, Gilles de Bordeaux, Virginie de Bordeaux
A water filtration system to turn dirty water into a clean, sanitary, drinkable fluid, using free local supplies.
APIs, data and tools used: Reclaimed plastic bottle, paper or cloth, sand, gravel, charcoal.
Optional electronic meter.
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://github.com/GillesdeB/Turbidimeter
SMirror
Creators: Mark Perlin
Laura Garcia Insa
Steven Jarymiszyn
Nicholas Deitricht
Morris Mwanga
Drew Gold
Timothy LaRose
Light-tracking mirror with close loop feedback.
APIs, data and tools used: Arduino IDE
github.com/drewgold/SMirror
3D printer
Hack Saw
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1CVvHT5PtPl1jISl0cRn7YYHxFlI8iSpI
LaserSETI
Creators: Vlad Bachurin
Eliot Gillum
Ivan Teo
Data analysis, automatically make movies from observing night, other good stuff
APIs, data and tools used: Visual Studio
Jupiter
Python
NumPy
Pandas
Spark
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://youtu.be/JPeX6CgxZgA
Hack URL: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/laser-seti-first-ever-all-sky-all-the-time-search#/
Field Notes: an interactive citizen science game.
Creators: Thomas Stucky
Mika McKinnon
Janet Stemwedel
Natalie Downe
NeedForStorms
“Granny gave me the field notebook she kept when she was little, ‘years ago and a world away.’ When I open it, I am in that world. Now I’m exploring this small planet and trying to classify what I see…”
In this game, players encounter actual images and sound files of animals, plants, galaxies, etc., and provide classifications that contribute to ongoing citizen science projects. As you complete a classification task, the background of the world shifts from gray to vibrant color. If you need help with a classification task, Granny’s field notebook provides helpful tutorials.
APIs, data and tools used: Godot Game Engine, Zooniverse
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://unrulycuriosity.itch.io/science-hack-day-2019
Particular Affection
Creators: Jieying Yang, Jamie Catt, Nathalia Kasman
Sensing if you’ve taken particular liking to someone, and giving them a sign.
APIs, data and tools used: SW:TouchDesigner, Arduino. HW: Pulse and Muscle Sensors. Cr: PulseSensor Library, Particle Sop (TouchDesigner) by In Dae Hwang.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YvCHNrPCu7JzC9bpnx8KL3kR35WwtxVP/view?usp=sharing
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/104yoi1bDiS6JkwQuN_hCOedoDEXAJuJ4?usp=sharing
Laser Labyrinth
Creators: Kennedy McDaniel & Parm Gill
An update to the classic game, with laser, mirrors, and 7 possible end-points.
APIs, data and tools used: Rulers
Craft mirrors
Legos
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Data Is Music
Creators: Evan Boswell
Kate James
Dorien Gunnels
Data contributed by:
Scott Manley
Dan Laurie
Matt Bellis
Ruhan Dong
Programmed an arduino to convert 4-column .CSV numerical data into voltages, which are fed into a modular synthesizer to create a data-driven playable instrument.
APIs, data and tools used: Hardware: Ardunio, eruorack synthesizer (modules: spherical wavetable navigator, tempi, quad DCA, clouds, maths, wasp filter), assorted cables, and portable speaker
Software: Python, numpy, GitHub repository
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Hack URL: https://github.com/0916kj/data-is-music
Boomwhackers Hero
Creators: Matt Bellis
Delaney Corrigan
Samuel Richardson
Spencer Tibbitts
Boomwhackers are hollow, plastic tubes that make different musical sounds depending on their length. We made a Guitar Hero style video game for a few songs, and with 4+ people everyone can take 1-2 boomwhackers and play together to make a song.
APIs, data and tools used: P5js – https://editor.p5js.org/
https://editor.p5js.org/p5/sketches/Simulate:_ParticleSystem
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17JKbBRITVdssWuuLDNBVfjzrRWGSLQQP3wK6eseebsU/edit?usp=sharing
Hack URL: https://editor.p5js.org/stibbs1998/full/5RoBjZJ9G
Listening to the Large Hadron Collider: Sounds of CMS
Creators: Matt Bellis
for the CMS collaboration
Everyone at every Science Hack Day I’ve attended who has inspired me to find new ways to play with my work. 🙂
I took data from the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider and sonified it. Particle types and particle characteristics map on to volume, pitch, etc. The data come from the 2016 run period with a single muon trigger and some selection has been done to cut out low pt jets, muons, and electrons.
APIs, data and tools used: p5.js
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://editor.p5js.org/mattbellis/present/kyxmlCCZf
Hack URL: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vWFURlTRK_4n0weLvuszWvbwlsSbKWu1f4FhLAiGex0/edit?usp=sharing
Quantum Physics Board Game
Creators: Delaney Corrigan
Samuel Richardson
Matt Bellis
We came to the event with a prototype for an education; quantum physics board game but it was not fully functional and instead was quite complicated. We were able to play the game with new individuals and get new perspectives/ideas. We overhauled the original game and created a much more playable version of the game with many of the original ideas in a new and improved form.
APIs, data and tools used:
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RFg0Xxfa2JIJIxnDjwLlHpGJWaPcUL4X5AKjtBWMQcU/edit?usp=sharing
Pixel Soup
Creators: Sheen Kao
Gabriele Venturelli
Allen Calderwood
Using Machine Learning to Re-type Pokemon
APIs, data and tools used: Tensorflow
Maya
???
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://i.imgur.com/ERmU70T.jpg
Sound mapper
Creators: Gordon Kirkwood
Catherine Cardinal
Raymond Wu
Christianna Taylor
We prototyped a mass produceable microphone preamp that we intend to use to make a dense array of microphone to LED converters
APIs, data and tools used: Teensy microcontroller, op-amps, 3d printing, oscilloscope
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Loony
Creators: Matt McGovern
Jake Bicknell
Matt Zaffram
Balloon propelled robot
APIs, data and tools used: Arduino
LED
Blow-up mattress pump
relay
BLDC Motors
Step Motor
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Ultrastound
Creators: Andrew Catino
Jason Tong
Chris Berry
Jack Sivak
Michael Eickenberg
Dan Lurie
In nature, many complex large-scale phenomena emerge from interactions between many simple components [1]. A classic example of this is synchronized flashing of fireflies [2]. Each firefly follows a simple rule for how to change when it flashes based on the flashes it observes from other fireflies. From this simple local rule, a population of fireflies that begins out of synchrony can emergently synchronize their flashing, resulting in an entire area of the forest blinking on and off in unison [3].
Inspired by this phenomenon, we sought to build a web-based system to synchronize devices (phones and laptops) using ultrasound communication.
Devices emit an ultrasound pulse through their speakers at a common fixed interval, but each device begins their pulsing at a random time. Each time a device hears an ultrasound pulse from another device, it advances or delays its own next pulse to try to match the phase of other nearby devices. Through this simple local rule, global synchrony can emerge among multiple devices.
We built two variations on this theme:
1) Each cycle, devices play an audible music clip in addition to the ultrasound pulse. The music begins as unsynchronized chaos but eventually converges into a neighborhood of devices all playing in synchrony.
2) Devices sense when they are synchronized with others in their neighborhood, at which point it will play a music clip. Assuming that neighboring devices are properly synchronized, the music should start simultaneously.
Our demos work in principle, and to some extent in practice.
1. https://www.amazon.com/Sync-Order-Emerges-Universe-Nature/dp/0786887214
2. https://www.firefly.org/synchronous-fireflies.html
3. https://ncase.me/fireflies/?
APIs, data and tools used: Web Audio API – https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Web_Audio_API
Tone.js – https://github.com/Tonejs/Tone.js
p5.js – https://p5js.org
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://github.com/cantino/ultrastound
Hack URL: https://github.com/cantino/ultrastound
Dying Forest Symphony
Creators: Roman Gurovich
Christopher Swanson
How could music be made to raise awareness of the Amazon disappearance from the data gathered recording the fires detected in the Amazon forest.
APIs, data and tools used: Midi tools, Javascript, UNIX tools, Python, Node, Curl, …
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://github.com/dying-forest-symphony/bolsonaro
Hack URL: https://github.com/dying-forest-symphony/bolsonaro
Local Climate Impacts
Creators: Kevin Qi
Becky Marjerison
Tara Lin
Marie Lu
Aaron White
Shannon Flume
We’d like to help people easily see which climate impacts are likely to happen in their city, and give them tools to take action. Many sources of information about climate change are confusing, technical, and/or depressing. Our tool shows specific, local data. Action includes things you can do to prepare yourself and your community for changes to your local environment.
Future improvements include more geographical coverage, ideas for action items to nudge the world toward Optimistic Scenario, and information about natural disasters such as wildfire, river floods and tornadoes.
Source code:
https://github.com/kevinsqi/climate-change-projections-server
https://github.com/kevinsqi/climate-change-projections
APIs, data and tools used: Data: Observed and projected temperature and precipitation values from Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature Project via Carbon Brief (https://github.com/hausfath/warming_map/blob/master/gridcell_characteristics.csv);
and https://toolkit.climate.gov; https://riskfinder.climatecentral.org
Resilience and preparedness tips from a variety of web sources
Tools: Postgres database, PostGIS, React
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://i.imgur.com/VIof7Wl.png https://i.imgur.com/SNiGFoi.png https://i.imgur.com/Xilsr1Q.png
Hack URL: http://ff1a3b3f.ngrok.io/
Water Harp
Creators: Brent Townshend, Paul Mans, Alex Wolff, Marina Dimitrov, Camille Townshend, Gabe Buckmaster, Michele Lamarre, Isa Stiennon, Rolf van Widenfelt, James Hennessy
The water harp — a harp made of strings of water! Play music in game mode or improv mode.
APIs, data and tools used: Python, Arduino, OpenNI, PrimeSense, Water pump, 80-20, Solenoids
Screenshots, photos and videos: http://waterharpsfsciencehackday.weebly.com/
Precious Plastics
Creators: Cate Levey
Alex Glow
We worked on using recycled plastics and bio-based materials to make materials. The idea is to combine recycled and other sustainable materials that can be used for a wide variety of purposes.
We made jewelry out of repurposed and recycled PLA from 3D printing. We also attempted to make a miniature prototype of a park bench, entirely out of bio-based materials. (We were not able to complete this one)
Eventually, there’s the possibility to sequester carbon by growing plants and turning them into these materials. Commercially available bio-based (plant-derived) plastics are already available, and we could use the fibers or other materials to reinforce these.
APIs, data and tools used: Recycled plastic milk jugs – (High Density Polyethylene)
Recycled plastic scraps from 3D printers (Polylactic acid)
Bio-based Compostable plastic (Polylactic acid)
Wood scraps
Toaster oven
Glue gun
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://github.com/alexglow/earth-heart/wiki
Hack URL: https://github.com/alexglow/earth-heart/wiki
Carbon 0
Creators: Yeled Omercy
Gacoka Mbui
Ruhan Dong
Senay Yakut
Cherry Yiu
Andriy Kashyrskyy
Yusuf Abdulmueez
Penelope Barr
We envision using AR, location tracking and the ability to start group campaigns to allow for social motivation and sharing and taking care of plants together as a social activity.
APIs, data and tools used:
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Hack URL: https://github.com/SenayYakut/Carbon0
magic-chess
Creators: Tom Bishop, John Ellis, Robert Harris, Dennis Li, Katarina Slama, Dan Lurie
use CV/ML to detect real chess piece positions and play via browser
APIs, data and tools used: raspberry pi, cameras, etc etc
Screenshots, photos and videos: tbd
Hack URL: https://thumbtools.com/?name=@trebor¬ebook=magic-chess
Meowseq
Creators: Chalen Duncan
Judy Meza Guedez
Oscar Meza Guedez
Sam Sampson
A step-sequencer for making music built using angular 2.
APIs, data and tools used: Angular 2
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://imgur.com/a/I2PuEul
Hack URL: https://github.com/pattch/meowseq
Data is Music
Creators: Evan Boswell
Kate James
Dorien Gunnels
Data contributed by:
Scott Manley
Dan Laurie
Matt Bellis
Ruhan Dong
Programmed an arduino to convert 4-column .CSV numerical data into voltages, which are fed into a modular synthesizer to create a data-driven playable instrument.
APIs, data and tools used: Hardware: Ardunio, eruorack synthesizer (modules: spherical wavetable navigator, tempi, quad DCA, clouds, maths, wasp filter), assorted cables, and portable speaker
Software: Python, numpy, GitHub repository
Screenshots, photos and videos: https://youtu.be/iCxLf0TMhjc
Hack URL: https://github.com/0916kj/data-is-music
Recycled PLA capacitor
Creators: Shannon Fiume
Test recycled PLA, and PLA scraps as a network mesh and see if it can support a capacitative medium.
APIs, data and tools used: Scrap PLA, conductive paste, mandarin orange, volt meter
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Dirty Microchannel
Creators: samira darvishi
I made a microchannel using the tools here.
APIs, data and tools used: drill, saw, clamps, 3d printer
Screenshots, photos and videos:
Animals in the air
Creators: C Lee and Bennett Fonacier
Display in animal(s) for the amount of CO2 released by a vehicle based on mile per gallon and annual miles driven.
APIs, data and tools used: