LookBlock

LookBlock is a spine-chilling screen blocker that reacts to your gaze. when you are looking at your screen, it silently shifts to partially hide your content. But when you look away, it reveals a terrifying surprise-an eerie pair of eyes staring back at you. Perfect for those who want to add a touch of horror to their work environment, this device creates a suspenseful atmosphere, only unveiling its haunting secret when you're not watching.

In case you wish to make your own Jump Scare Protector, this is a full list of all the things you need! With each item linked to a resource of where to find it!

Components:

1. Arduino Leandro
2. 2 Servo Motors
3. Barrel Plug to USB
4. Breadboard
5. Wires

Materials:

1. Plywood
2. Fishing Wire
3. Wood Glue
4. Masking Tape
5. Cardboard

Equipment:

1. Macbook
2. 3D Printer
3. Laser Cutter

Software Programs:

1. Arduino IDE
2. TinkerCad
3. P5

Circuit Code

The attached Tinkercad Circuit design illustrates our "useless" machine. By clicking the P5 link, you can test the machine yourself and ensure that the functions are working with your Arduino before proceeding with the physical portion. With the P5 code you will upload and send it to Arduino by pairing the software and thus get your machine running. You can download the following file to have your Arduino code to upload for this useless machine.

The main feature of this "useless" machine is two servo motors attached on both the top corners of the laptop screen. These motors rotate at 90 degree angle which pulls the wire to move the cover up and down according to the pose that the machine percepts.

https://editor.p5js.org/Julien_todd/sketches/Nq-sgZ_DW

To properly size and position the robot on your laptop, start by importing the provided file, which is preset for a MacBook Air 13-inch (2017). Once you have cut all the necessary pieces use wood glue to attach and build the box for the component covering. You should also glue together the pieces that are needed for the servo motor ledge within the box as the the 3D model indicates. Finish up by gluing any remaining pieces such as the clamp for the screen of the laptop, as indicated by the model so you can have the physical portions ready to connect to the Arduino.

With a lightweight cardboard cut a long rectangle that fully covers the screen of your laptop and poke two holes at the top corners and attach the fishing wire to create the pull necessary for the machine.

Let everything dry before placing the Arduino into its frame. Refer to the 3D modelling to accurately build the needed components.

The overall system key component is the 2 Servo Motor which can rotate to smoothly pull the covering at roughly 90 degrees. The support for this system is made by attaching the servo to the ledge piece that was previously created. The final result should look just as the pictures above set it up as.

You can also use tape and glue to attach the arm for the motor on each end. This will allow for a smooth pull as the longer arm creates the necessary distance for the strings. Lastly, drill a small hole into the arms in which you can connect the string by tying it from the top clamp aspect of the machine to the bottom circuit-related portion.

Glue the bottom of the servo motors to the indicated rectangle that was scored on the box and place it on the side that has the small openings for the arm to move up and down without interfering with the circuits.

After following the Tinkercad circuit on the physical Arduino you can now fit all the wiring into the box securely to hide away the technical aspects of this machine. This box allows for an organized system that can void tangling with the servo motors. You can also now glue the top of the box once you have confirmed that everything is functioning and set for final assembly.

After you have tied the strings securely to the motors, make sure the knots are firm to prevent slipping. For the string mechanism, you should loop it through the clamp and attach the other ends of the strings to the cardboard covering material, ensuring an even distribution. Before powering the motors, manually rotate them to test movement and confirm that the covering moves smoothly without getting stuck. Adjust the string tension if necessary to ensure consistent and stable motion across the screen.

Start running your code and make sure that you remember to upload the P5 to your Arduino so that it can successfully function. Carefully observe the movements and if the covering and adjust the motor speed if necessary to get a smooth result. Make sure that motors do not overheat as this could be caused by incorrect wiring or an excessive strain, by following all steps you can avoid any issues!

Some of the pictures also demonstrate the trial and error that we experienced and the changes the machine went through which we will discuss in out conclusion.

Secure all components properly. Having figured out how to get the ideal code you have successfully completed and created your own LookBlock!! Test it out on your own and protect yourself from what could be watching you!

The creation of our useless machine was a fun overall experience in which we faced many hardships but by overcoming them we got to have fun with our final results.

One of the biggest challenges we ran into was working with the teachable machine that comes with various troubleshooting issues. First, we had worked with stepper motors but trying to match the rotation and get it to function how we expected was a teachable moment for us. So by opting for servo motors, we had most of our problems solved! Later we would have to create a clamp system as the metal ones as shown in the picture above were too noticeable for the use of our machine. Also, our original circular covering would be changed when we realized the rectangular form fit our narrative much better.

The teachable machine was a aspect that worked well with our machine and was a tool that could easily be taught and adjusted depending on what we wanted it to perceive. We learned that through this project and working with machines that what was your initial idea will completely flip by the end of the process.

In a future iteration, it would be very interesting to try working with eye tracking, although it is a complicated tool, especially with the basic tools and quality that our laptops have. It would be interesting the see the way it could interact with the horror theme in which the cover adjusts to always hide what you directly look at.

Course: ARC385 Physical Computing at John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design

Credits: Chidubem Nwokeocha, Julien Todd, Isabella Hernandez, Nandingua He Jingwen, Samuel Shin