rotoreel memory module

This drawing machine is a sketch that experiments with leaving physical traces. It combines the functions like a clock and a data recorder in order to paint a picture of activity over a duration. There are numerous problems with this piece, but it should be viewed as a quick test of a few technical and aesthetic ideas.

The rotoreel looks at an infrared range finder, filters and processes the data, and actuates a servo-controlled arm based on this distance and its internal clock. A pen mounted to the end of the arm leaves a continuous mark on the disk based on the speed of the turntable platter and the rotation of the arm.

A number of early program loops aimed to duplicate aspects of Duchamp's rotoreliefs. I aimed to translate the distance of the range finder into an offset circle in order to create an illusion of depth based on an actual physical distance. The physical setup of this design has none of the fine control necessary to achieve these lofty goals. In order to do this I would need to eliminate all servo noise and add gearing to allow me to convert the 8 bit servo resolution (over 180 degrees) into a linear translation of the arm over approx 3.5 inches.

The problem with the sktech as it stands is that the information contained on the disks folds over itself at the high rate of 33 and 1/3 rpm. The disk quickly becomes an illegible mess. Again, the lack of fine linear control prevented me from making a graceful spiral that could be read as a single line with noise.

As it stands, the project did achieve some of my technical goals. I am using ISP programming of a AVR Atmega8 microcontroller, and have interfaced it to a Sharp range finder and a Hi-Tec servo. Internally, the program makes use of a number of the LibC libraries. I also tested EEPROM storage of data so that aspects of the hardware could adapt over time.