Finished Ada

Proof of Concept Reflection

Right now our robot has basic functionality to create art from input from a website. This is the base of what we want our project to do and is a good proof that this idea is feasible. The chassis we bought worked well for minimal set up. However, the motor controller is not functioning very well. We are currently looking into alternatives though we really liked the simplicity of the motor controller board.

Our goals for the completion of this project:

Hardware:
        2-3 changeable colors. This would add an additional attribute in creating art
        light sensor to keep Ada from going off the edge of the paper

Software:
       Write functions to easily interact with Ada from a coding stand point
                  javascript
                  c++

Lessons:
       Create a lesson plan that revolves around Ada
                 create exercises for AI and coding
       Test it for difficulty and fun

Week 10/28

The name Ada was inspired by the first computer scientist, Ada the countess of Lovelace.

Ada Iteration I

In her early stages, Ada was just a pencil in some cardboard. The wheels did not turn very well and her drawings were minimal. However, we did set up a website that sends commands to the two motors to control her movement. The website is live at "http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mtmyers/" 

Ada Iteration II

We ordered a chassis online to improve Ada's mobility. Ada now effectively moves in all directions. We also added a battery power source and holder for multiple colors!

Ada's first work!

Though we did experience some difficulty... (sound recommended)

But we eventually got her to work!

Timeline

Problem And Solution

Research on Robot Art

Gizmodo.com

"The robot artisté (or the "mobile sensory image production mechanism," if you want to get technical) was built by Travis Purrington and Danilo Wanner, two MA students in visual communication at the Basel Academy of Art and Design. His parts are fairly simple: two wheels, an Arduino board, a handful of servos, and two aluminum arms that each hold an ink pen. He also has touch and light sensors, which help him search for paper nearby. When he finds it, he selects two colors and goes to town—using a random series of movements generated by his Arduino UNO brain. "Usually he takes two colors that are fairly similar and puts them next to each other," says a fan in a short mockumentary about the bot. "They provoke a lot of emotions." 

This is an example of a robot that creates abstract art. I want to take this idea one step further and have it be inspired by user input

You Can Give A Robot A Paintbrush But Does it Create Art

"Van Arman, 41, says bitPaintr paints totally on its own — as long as you want it to — and adds that it has developed its own style. He likes how it's hard to distinguish whether bitPaintr's paintings, which start at $50, were created by a human or a robot. He says they "dance on the edge" of something in between."

This is an example of a more complex robot that paints more realistic art but plays with the idea of a robot being capable of having it's own style. If a robot creates the art is it actually art?

robotart.org

"The 2017 “2nd Annual” international robotic art competition with $100,000 in cash prizes is now open for team registration.  The contest’s goal is to challenge teams to produce something visually beautiful with robotics – that is, to have a robot use physical brushes and paint to create an artwork.  It’s ideal for students or professionals involved in robotic planning and image processing – especially those who have an appreciation for art.  "

This is a really cool art competition I found that actually pits robots against each other to see which one creates the best art. I think this really shows the interest people have in creating artwork with robots.

Problems and Solutions