BigBarChart

BigBarChart is a room-sized 3D bar chart that users become part of and interact with. It uses human-scale tangible interfaces for the exploration of data. Bars are constructed from modified pop-up laundry hampers roughly 6 feet tall to create immersion and a sense of magic. Bars are networked and can change their height (motor actuation) and color (LEDs). They are responsive to interaction through tangible interfaces (soft switches) and in the future may be responsive to interactions that are direct (e.g. person entering the room), bar based (e.g. pushing down on a bar to get meta information), or digital (e.g. controlling bars and performing statistical analyses through a tablet). Bars are designed with an eye towards compactness and portability to allow for fast deployment in a variety of locations including parks, community centers, museums, and homes.

Fabrication



Code


Images


Video


Multiple bars moving--final prototype:


One bar moving--final prototype:


Bars moving--prototype #2:


Bars changing color--prototype #1:


Soft switches--prototype #1:


Networked lights and motors:


Networked Arduinos with buttons:


Networked motors:


Motors with metal adapter and axle:


Water jetting an L-bracket:


ShopBotting the bar base: