BEAT - Team Project
Skills Developed
Mechanisms
Anthropometrics
Testing
Design
Programming
Team Members
Rowan Dixon
Laerke Rasmussen
Hugo Hasted
William Pepera
Alfie Thompson
BEAT is an interactive installation which takes the users pulse via an optical heart rate sensor and then syncs the mechatronic copper heart with the users own pulse.
The design took inspiration from Victorian era mechatronic devices as well as V-twin motorbike engines. The heart uses a series of springs, cams, gears and pistons to achieve the desired effect which is all powered via a 12volt motor. The inside of the cabinet is lined with thick black felt to absorb as much light as possible so that the users attention is focused on the copper heart suspended in the centre of the wooden cabinet. As the speed of the copper heart increases to that of the user embedded LED lighting increases in intensity, creating an atmosphere of excitement and energy.