During our morning seminar with Graham we discussed the concept of databases as a contemporary abstract concept which enables a new cultural perspective in which answers are not as important as asking the correct questions.
Because of the non-linearity and abundance of data sets as structures and systems of information, we are able to investigate the relationships within these in the form of databases. This does not necessarily apply only to predefined databases which are already digitalised and provided to you in tabular format, but also conceiving a database from any circumstance in which you would like to make an investigation.
In the case of our Coin Laundry project we have looked at the data set which we are using within the project. There are the four channels of music and each have potential layers of related information. Each channel has a boolean state (on or off), a volume (between none and full), tempo, pitch, etc. We also have either our four switches/footpads or Infrared receivers. If we assume that we will only use the switches/footpads (which also have an on and off state) then we could create a relationship between the footpads on/off state and the musics on/off state. However the switches will also have a potentially usable value in the amount of time someone is standing on them. Therefore we could create a relationship between the length of time someone stands on the footpad and how loud, fast or distorted the music becomes.
We need to consider the potential data sets which we could make use of within the interaction between people in the CL and the system we are setting up.
I started writing this post a few hours ago and finished it after encountering some major technical barriers with our intended process for communicating between physical switches and our our choosen music program. It is clear to me and the rest of the group that we have left our grand ideas and complex technical aspirations until quite late in the day and I suspect we about to start suffering the consequences. Whoop!! \o/
Depending on how gloomy the situation is tomorrow I may update with the technical details.
Tagged: Add new tag, coinlaundry, maim
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