Smartsurfaces: Heliotropic Field (aka the acrylic beast)

Following our first study of Heliotropes with task 2: track the sun, it was assigned for us to further explore these concepts and create an entire heliotropic field. Task 3 allowed us to build upon the use of parametric modeling and to further understand Digital Project (software designed off of CATIA and made known by Gehry Technologies). This time rather than using a handheld flashlight as our light source, we programed the final model/device to simulate the path of the sun.

Task (according the professors):

You are to make a heliotropic field that is responsive to the movement of the sun. Use this project to build on previous work and to refine your understanding of a heliotropic system. Is it possible that a shadow of one cell might affect its neighbor? Is it possible for cells to work together to share the available light?

The group for this team project was awesome, we were all on the same page with each other, which made it much easier for us to progress towards a final result. With our initial meeting, we were all eager to get going and figure out the prefect solution. Some of our ideas included indicating light intensity through LED brightness levels, position of the sun (time of day) indicated by LED color (sunrise, high noon, sunset), and perhaps even an alarm of sorts to indicate obstructions (i.e. shadows, loss of sunlight, etc...).

The project ended up being made of acrylic and nylon fishing line. A structural base to support two moving planes (one both move opposite of each, if looking at a traditional x-y coordinate plane, one moved back and forth along the x-axis, the other along the y). On these planes were grids of fishing line to support and hold up our idealized fiberoptic tubes. The concept here is to create an efficient way of transporting light into spaces; fiber optics were chosen for their flexibility and durability.

Pictures finally being uploaded. Big thanks to Z for taking loads of pictures for us.