Changing Sculpture Project

The sculpture retrieves air quality data from the internet. Based upon the quality of the air the lights change color and the smoke stack produces "toxic fume"(water vapor).

Servo

Wires

Power Strip

Mist Device

Argon

Breadboard

LEDs

Power bank

The code works by using an API to retrieve data. The data is retrieved from the World Air Quality Index Project, specifically PM25 (small particulate matter like smoke from fires). The data includes a lot of random air quality information, so code is required to sort through it until a single number for PM25 is determined. Then, based on the retrieved value, lights are lit up depending on the severity. The severity is separated into six levels(green being the worst), and in the top three, the misting device is activated to make it appear that the tower is producing smoke. The data is checked every 50 seconds.

The misting device, as it does not have an on/ off switch, requires a power strip with an on/ off switch so that the power can be cut using a motor. The motor is fixed to the power strip using hot glue. Then if the air quality is bad enough, the strip switch is flipped, and the misting device turns on. The switch is a toggle, so every 50 seconds(if the air quality is poor), the switch will flip. This means the mist will be on half the time. Additionally, the argon had to be powered by a battery bank. The motor is also enclosed inside two plastic bags so there is no water leak.