Hardware
1x Arduino microcomputer chip
3x Parallax Ping))) ultrasonic sensors
Wires and such.

Software
Flash CS4
The Arduino software
A Server Proxy we used the one called Serproxy.
Particle generator from activeden.net

This is the setup of the hardware:

After getting to know the basics of the Arduino a litte bit, making led-lamps blink and such, we started looking for ways to  get the Arduino to send data to a Flash based application written in ActionScript 3. The reason we wanted it in Actionscript 3 was because we had already found a complete raingenerator and because of the limited time we decided to go with that one rather than making one of our own. We found some codes called Firmata and Glue that supposedly works really well for sending information fråm the Arduino to Flash but to our regret we found out that it didn’t really work at all if ping))) sensors were involved.
The problem for this solution came in the form of a blog, none other than the blog of James Alliban (deepest thanks to you James).
Here we found another way for the Flash to get data from the sensors. We modified James code for our own purpous and then started to work on the flash code.

I will now post all of the code and settings we have written and in it there’s plenty of comments for you to understand it better.
Press the “keep reading” to see it all.

Serproxy Config

# Config file for serproxy

# Transform newlines coming from the serial port into nils
# true (e.g. if using Flash) or false
newlines_to_nils=true

# Comm ports used
comm_ports=1

# Default settings
comm_baud=9600
comm_databits=8
comm_stopbits=1
comm_parity=none

# Idle time out in seconds
timeout=300

# Port 3 settings (ttyS2)
comm_ports=1
serial_device1=/dev/cu.usbserial-A6008ekD
net_port1=5331

Arduino Code

/* Ultrasound Sensor
*——————
*
* Reads values (00014-01199) from an ultrasound sensor (3m sensor)
* and writes the values to the serialport.
*
* http://www.xlab.se | http://www.0j0.org
* copyleft 2005 Mackie for XLAB | DojoDave for DojoCorp
*
*/

int ultraSoundSignal = 7; // Ultrasound signal pin
int ultraSoundSignal2 = 8; // Ultrasound signal pin
int ultraSoundSignal3 = 9; // Ultrasound signal pin
int val = 0;
int ultrasoundValue = 0;
int ultrasoundValue2 = 0;
int ultrasoundValue3 = 0;
int timecount = 0; // Echo counter
int timecount2 = 0;
int timecount3 = 0;
int ledPin = 13; // LED connected to digital pin 13

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);            // Sets the baud rate to 9600 – was Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);        // Sets the digital pin as output
}

void loop() {

//POLLY!
timecount = 0;
timecount2 = 0;
timecount3 = 0;
val = 0;
pinMode(ultraSoundSignal, OUTPUT); // Switch signalpin to output
pinMode(ultraSoundSignal2, OUTPUT); // Switch signalpin to output

/* Send low-high-low pulse to activate the trigger pulse of the sensor
* ——————————————————————-
*/

digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal, LOW); // Send low pulse
delayMicroseconds(2); // Wait for 2 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal, HIGH); // Send high pulse
delayMicroseconds(5); // Wait for 5 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal, LOW); // Holdoff

/* Listening for echo pulse
* ——————————————————————-
*/

pinMode(ultraSoundSignal, INPUT); // Switch signalpin to input
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal); // Append signal value to val
while(val == LOW) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal);
}

while(val == HIGH) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal);
timecount = timecount +1;        // Count echo pulse time
}
//POLLY!
val = 0;
pinMode(ultraSoundSignal2, OUTPUT); // Switch signalpin to output

/* Send low-high-low pulse to activate the trigger pulse of the sensor
* ——————————————————————-
*/

digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal2, LOW); // Send low pulse
delayMicroseconds(2); // Wait for 2 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal2, HIGH); // Send high pulse
delayMicroseconds(5); // Wait for 5 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal2, LOW); // Holdoff

/* Listening for echo pulse
* ——————————————————————-
*/

pinMode(ultraSoundSignal2, INPUT); // Switch signalpin to input
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal2); // Append signal value to val
while(val == LOW) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal2);
}

while(val == HIGH) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal2);
timecount2 = timecount2 +1;        // Count echo pulse time
}

//POLLY!
val = 0;
pinMode(ultraSoundSignal3, OUTPUT); // Switch signalpin to output

/* Send low-high-low pulse to activate the trigger pulse of the sensor
* ——————————————————————-
*/

digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal3, LOW); // Send low pulse
delayMicroseconds(2); // Wait for 2 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal3, HIGH); // Send high pulse
delayMicroseconds(5); // Wait for 5 microseconds
digitalWrite(ultraSoundSignal3, LOW); // Holdoff

/* Listening for echo pulse
* ——————————————————————-
*/

pinMode(ultraSoundSignal3, INPUT); // Switch signalpin to input
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal3); // Append signal value to val
while(val == LOW) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal3);
}

while(val == HIGH) { // Loop until pin reads a high value
val = digitalRead(ultraSoundSignal3);
timecount3 = timecount3 +1;        // Count echo pulse time
}
/* Writing out values to the serial port
* ——————————————————————-
*/
ultrasoundValue3 = timecount3;
ultrasoundValue2 = timecount2;
ultrasoundValue = timecount; // Append echo pulse time to ultrasoundValue
Serial.write(‘A’); // Example identifier for the sensor
Serial.print(ultrasoundValue);
//  Serial.write(10);
// Serial.write(13);
Serial.write(‘B’); // Example identifier for the sensor
Serial.print(ultrasoundValue2);
// Serial.write(10);
// Serial.write(13);
Serial.write(‘C’); // Example identifier for the sensor
Serial.print(ultrasoundValue3);
Serial.write(10);
Serial.write(13);

/* Lite up LED if any value is passed by the echo pulse
* ——————————————————————-
*/

if(timecount > 0){
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
}

/* Delay of program
* ——————————————————————-
*/
delay(100);
}

ActionScript
import flash.display.Sprite;
import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.net.Socket;
import flash.events.ProgressEvent;
import flash.media.Sound;
import flash.media.SoundChannel;
import global
import com.gskinner.geom.ColorMatrix;
import flash.filters.ColorMatrixFilter;

var s                :    Socket;
var varden            :    String;
var sensor1            :    String;
var sensor2            :    String;
var sensor3            :    String;
var prevInput        :    String;        // the previously processed input (returned value)
var currInput        :    String;        // the currently processed input
var finalInput        :    String;        // the input after processin
var Bpos            :    Number;
var Cpos            :     Number;
var Apos            :     Number;
var Regn            :    Number;
var Vind            :    Number;
var Temp            :    Number;
var lastRegn        :    Number;
var lastVind        :    Number;
var lastTemp        :    Number;
var particleNumber    :    int;
var particleNumber2 :    int;

var minusett        :    Number = -1;
var lightOn            :    Number = 5;
var FadeValue        :    Number = 5;
var RegnOut            :    Number = 0;
var VindOut            :    Number = 0;
var TempOut            :    Number = 0;
var RegnH            :    Number = 0;
var VindH            :    Number = 0;
var TempH            :    Number = 0;
var maxvalues        :    Number = 900;    // set min/max values
var minvalues        :    Number = 120;
var absolutemin        :    Number = 50;
var AskCountdown    :    Number = 0;
var AskFordrojning    :    int = 0;
var RegnVarden        :    Array = new Array(900,900,900,900,900);

//– Declaring the different sounds were using and putting them in different sound-
//– channels so we can individually set the volume on them. three sounds for Rain,
//– two for wind and one for birds.

var Rainsnd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans = new SoundTransform();
Rainsnd.load(new URLRequest(“Rain.mp3″));
Chan = Rainsnd.play(5,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans.volume = 0;
Chan.soundTransform = Trans;

var Rain1snd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan1:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans1 = new SoundTransform();
Rain1snd.load(new URLRequest(“Rain1.mp3″));
Chan1 = Rain1snd.play(5,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans1.volume = 0;
Chan1.soundTransform = Trans1;

var Rain3snd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan3:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans3 = new SoundTransform();
Rain3snd.load(new URLRequest(“Rain3.mp3″));
Chan3 = Rain3snd.play(5,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans3.volume = 0;
Chan3.soundTransform = Trans3;

var Wind2snd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan5:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans5 = new SoundTransform();
Wind2snd.load(new URLRequest(“wind.mp3″));
Chan5 = Wind2snd.play(0,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans5.volume = 0;
Chan5.soundTransform = Trans5;

var Wind3snd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan7:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans7 = new SoundTransform();
Wind3snd.load(new URLRequest(“windy.mp3″));
Chan7 = Wind3snd.play(0,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans7.volume = 0;
Chan7.soundTransform = Trans7;

var Birdsnd:Sound = new Sound();
var Chan8:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
var Trans8 = new SoundTransform();
Birdsnd.load(new URLRequest(“Bird.mp3″));
Chan8 = Birdsnd.play(5,int.MAX_VALUE);
Trans8.volume = 0;
Chan8.soundTransform = Trans8;

//– Telling the two different particle generators which particle they are going to use.
//– One of them raindrops and the other one snowflakes.

SnowGen.sourceClasses=["BasicSnowflake"]
RainGen.sourceClasses=["BasicRaindrop"]

function RangeFinderData()
{
init();

}

//– Initiative data like portnumbers and such are set.

function init() : void
{

s = new Socket(“127.0.0.1″, 5331);
s.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.SOCKET_DATA, sData);
}

//– This is the function that controls the brightness of the background.
//– Brightness is controlled by the variable called RegnOut.

function colorChange() : void
{

var cm:ColorMatrix = new ColorMatrix();
cm.adjustColor(RegnOut/18*minusett, 0, 0, 0);
Blue.filters = [new ColorMatrixFilter(cm)];

}

function RegnFade() : void            //– Function that fades the rain up and down.
{

//– Since the electronics sometimes seem to fail and give us a few false values we had
//– to produce a function that checks the last 5 values and all of them needs to have a
//– value below 900 for the program to register them.
varden = “bra”;
RegnVarden.unshift(Regn);
RegnVarden.pop();

var u:int = 0;
while (u < 6)
{
if (RegnVarden[u] > 900)
{
varden = “daligt”;
}
u++;
}

if(Regn < absolutemin){            //– Due to electrical bugs the sensors sometime registers a zero, this
Regn = lastRegn;            //– code works around that issue.
}

else if (Regn < minvalues){        //– If if you put you hand under our minumum value
RegnH = 0;                    //– the outputvalue is set to zero.
}
else if (Regn > maxvalues){        //– If you remove the hand Regn goes through the roof
//– the outputvalue stays at the value u set it on.
}
else if (varden == “bra”)        //– If you have 5 good values in a row, a new value is set.
{
RegnH = Regn;
}

if (RegnH < RegnOut){                            //– Makes the value fade up or down less ore more
if ((RegnOut – RegnH) > 100 ){                //– Depending on how far off it is.
RegnOut = (RegnOut – (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
RegnOut = (RegnOut – FadeValue);
}
}
else if (RegnH > RegnOut){
if ((RegnH – RegnOut) > 100 ){
RegnOut = (RegnOut + (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
RegnOut = (RegnOut + FadeValue);
}
}
lastRegn = Regn;
}

//– The Wind- and TempFade works basically exactly like RegnFade.

function VindFade() : void
{
if(Vind < absolutemin){
Vind = lastVind;
}

else if (Vind < minvalues){
VindH = 0;
}
else if (Vind > maxvalues){

}
else
{
VindH = Vind;
}

if (VindH < VindOut){
if ((VindOut – VindH) > 100 ){
VindOut = (VindOut – (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
VindOut = (VindOut – FadeValue);
}
}
else if (VindH > VindOut){
if ((VindH – VindOut) > 100 ){
VindOut = (VindOut + (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
VindOut = (VindOut + FadeValue);
}
}
lastVind = Vind;
}

function TempFade() : void
{
if(Temp < absolutemin){
Temp = lastTemp;
}

else if (Temp < minvalues){
TempH = 0;
}
else if (Temp > maxvalues){

}
else
{
TempH = Temp;
}

if (TempH < TempOut){
if ((TempOut – TempH) > 100 ){
TempOut = (TempOut – (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
TempOut = (TempOut – FadeValue);
}
}
else if (TempH > TempOut){
if ((TempH – TempOut) > 100 ){
TempOut = (TempOut + (FadeValue*10));
}
else
{
TempOut = (TempOut + FadeValue);
}
}
lastTemp = Temp;
}

function randomAska() : void                                 //– Function controlling the randomness of the lightning
{
if (AskCountdown == 0){                                     //– The countdown sees to it that the lightning doesn’t come too often.
var Aska = Math.floor(Math.random()*AskFordrojning); //– The random time beforethe lightning goes off is variable.
if (Aska == 5){
playAska();
AskCountdown = AskFordrojning;

}
}
else
{
AskCountdown = AskCountdown – 1;
}

}

function playAska() : void            //– Function triggering the sound and graphical effects of the lightning.
{
//– The randomfunction plays either of two different lightningsounds so that it feels more “real”.

lightOn = 0;
var askRndm = Math.floor(Math.random()*2)
if (askRndm == 0){
var dundersnd:Sound = new Sound();
dundersnd.load(new URLRequest(“Thunder2.mp3″));
dundersnd.play();

}
else
{
var dundersnd2:Sound = new Sound();
dundersnd2.load(new URLRequest(“Thunder1.mp3″));
dundersnd2.play();
}
}

function sData( e:ProgressEvent ) : void
{

//– read the correct data from the socket. In this instance. The first sensors data arrives in millimeters
//– preceeded by “A”, the second ones with a “B” and the third ones with a “C”.
//– The data comes in strings of different lenght and must therefore be assembeled to a longer one in order to pick the useful data out.
var sData:String = s.readUTFBytes( s.bytesAvailable )

light.alpha = 0;

if (isDataCorrect(sData)) {
prevInput = currInput;
currInput = sData;
finalInput = prevInput + currInput

//– Only half of the stings begin with the A value but because of the high update rate we can
//– skip every other one. The following if and while picks out the position of the letter A, B and C
//– from the string in all of the strinngs beginning with the letter A.

if (finalInput.indexOf( “A” ) == 0) {

Apos = 0;
Bpos = 0;
Cpos = 0;

finalInput = finalInput.substr(1)
var i:int = 0;
while (i < 20)
{

if (finalInput.indexOf (“B”) == i){
Bpos = i;
}
if (finalInput.indexOf (“C”) == i){
Cpos = i;
}
if (finalInput.indexOf (“A”) == i){
Apos = i;
i = 50;
}
i++
}

//– When knowing the position of the A’s, B’s and C’s we can pick out the numbers we want
//– with the use of the substring command.

sensor1 = finalInput.substr(0,Bpos);
sensor2 = finalInput.substr((Bpos+1),(Cpos-Bpos-1));

if(Apos == 0){
sensor3 = finalInput.substr((Cpos+1));
}
else{
sensor3 = finalInput.substr((Cpos+1),(Apos-Cpos-1));
}

//– We now have the distance measured in millimeters by each of the three sensors.

Temp = (Number(sensor1));
Vind = (Number(sensor2));
Regn = (Number(sensor3));

//– Calling the functions for fading the rain, wind and temperature.

RegnFade();
VindFade();
TempFade();

//– If the wind and rain parameters are high enough the possibility for
//– lightning and thunder will be made possible.
if ((VindOut + RegnOut) > 1200 && TempOut < 500){

AskFordrojning = 100-((VindOut + RegnOut – 1000)/8);
randomAska();
}

//– This is the acctual lightning flash. Light is just a bright while box lying in front of everything
//– with default alphavalue of zero.
if (lightOn < 5){

light.alpha = (1-lightOn/10);
lightOn++;

}

//– Sets the windspeed and rainamount according to readings and tells the
//– particle generator how to behave.

//– Depending on the temperaturemeters value theres either rain or snowparticles shown.

var windSpeed = VindOut;

if (TempOut > 700)
{
particleNumber = 0;
particleNumber2 = RegnOut;
}
else if (TempOut > 400)
{
var rakna1:Number = (1-((TempOut-400)/300));
var rakna2:Number = ((TempOut-400)/300)
particleNumber = RegnOut*rakna1;
particleNumber2 = RegnOut*rakna2;

}
else
{
particleNumber = RegnOut;
particleNumber2 = 0;
}

SnowGen.raindropNumber = ((particleNumber2-120));
SnowGen.speedX = windSpeed/10;

RainGen.raindropNumber = ((particleNumber-120));
RainGen.speedX = windSpeed/10;

//– calling the function that changes the brightness of the backgroundcolor.

colorChange();

//– This part sets the volume of different sounds depending on the distance to different sensors.

if (RegnOut > 700)
{
Trans.volume = 0;
Trans1.volume = 0.2;
Trans3.volume = 1;
}
else if (RegnOut > 500)
{
Trans.volume = 0;
Trans1.volume = 1-(((RegnOut-500)/200)*0.8);
Trans3.volume = 0.2+(((RegnOut-500)/2000)*4);
}
else if (RegnOut > 300)
{
Trans.volume = 0.4-(((RegnOut-300)/200)*0.4);
Trans1.volume = 0.2+(((RegnOut-300)/200)*0.4);
Trans3.volume = ((RegnOut-300)/200)*0.2;
}
else if (RegnOut > 20)
{
Trans.volume = ((RegnOut-20)/280)*0.4;
Trans1.volume = ((RegnOut-20)/280)*0.2;
Trans3.volume = 0;
}

if (VindOut > 600)
{
Trans5.volume = 0;
Trans7.volume = 2/6
}
else if (VindOut > 400)
{
Trans5.volume = (((((VindOut/400)*minusett)+1)*2)+1)/6;
Trans7.volume = (VindOut/400)/6;
}
else if (VindOut > 200)
{
Trans5.volume = 1/6;
Trans7.volume = 0.4/6;
}
else
{
Trans5.volume = (VindOut/200)/6;
Trans7.volume = (VindOut/200)*0.2/6;
}
}

//– If all the meters are low bird twittering are played.

if (RegnOut == 0 && VindOut < 200 && TempOut < 500)
{
Trans8.volume = 0.6;
}
else
{
Trans8.volume = 0;
}

//– This if-case sees to it that the rainsound stops accordingly to the amount of snow.

if (TempOut > 700)
{
Trans.volume = 0;
Trans1.volume = 0;
Trans3.volume = 0;
Trans8.volume = 0;
}
else if (TempOut > 400)
{
var volvar:Number = 1-((TempOut-400)/300)
Trans.volume = Trans.volume*volvar;
Trans1.volume = Trans1.volume*volvar;
Trans3.volume = Trans3.volume*volvar;
Trans8.volume = Trans8.volume*volvar;
}

Chan.soundTransform = Trans;
Chan1.soundTransform = Trans1;
Chan3.soundTransform = Trans3;
Chan5.soundTransform = Trans5;
Chan7.soundTransform = Trans7;
Chan8.soundTransform = Trans8;
}

}

//– This is a function that checks if the data from the Arduino is valid data.

function isDataCorrect( sData:String ) : Boolean
{
//– occasionally, between real results the data returned consists of a carriage return
//– then a zero.
if (parseInt(sData) == 0 && sData.length > 1) return false;
//– another occasional unwanted reult
if (sData == “”) return false;
if (sData == “0″) return false;

return true;
}

RangeFinderData();

today we have some final things to do. Carl will fix the techie side of the MFS, Henrik has some exhibition things to be done, I have (more) printing and marketing stuff to do and Anna has some final details with the design that must be done. Hopefully Ola will join us in the afternoon!

Sanna

Today the girls have started building the box on place while Henrik works for the exhibition group and I’m about to head out on town to hunt down some paper and hopefully the third and last laser. Sanna’s been given the task to prepare for the short interview that we’re gonna have.

A few problems have shown up though. Ola has fallen ill and didn’t join us on our journey up here, hopefully he will get better until friday so he can attend the exhibition anyway. Also the smoke idéa that much of the coolness of our project is built upon have been totally wrecked. It seems theres a bit of a huge fee te get a technitian here who can turn the smoke alarm off and those kinds of sums really arn’t in our budget. Hopefully it will work out anyway. Hope to see you all on Saturday!

Carl out!

Anna

check it out!

I (Sanna) made some flyers for our exhibition. Think they will fit good with our presentation space. The website for the exhibition is up and running; eat09.se. Check it out! Henrik (our little techie/programmer) has been a big part in its creation!

Right now we’re just fixing the last parts on the Michael Fish Solution. Some animation is still to be done and the sound library is still missing some audio-files. Just hang on out there in cyberspace, the Michael Fish Solution is on its way!

It all started out with us having a group process follow up with Sofie, very early in the morning. We talked about how we felt about the project and eachother and even though we were all happy about the members of the group we soon noticed that the motivation wasn’t as good as at the start of the project, especiallt not for my own part.
This was because since wednesday the progress we had been making on the programming side of the projec was about equal to the number of elephants who’ve visited space the last couple of years. This of course resulted in loads of frustraion and sad faces for the most of us. After talking it all out we decided to give it one last try before we took last modules golden words, keep it simple stupid, into consideration and scale the project down a lot.

After trying out some new pieces of code that didn’t work we were really close to giving up, going home, partying and probably get so drunk that it just wasn’t fun anymore.
But then a great insight came to us and suddenly the most important part of the whole programming code fell into place allowing us to suddenly do whatever we wanted to.

With these new possibilities we tried out a few things, got a lot of motivation back and decided to stay over a litte while to get some more things done. But  the fun of it  suddenly made us forget about the upcomming party and we were programming until our keyboards were smoking hot. I got a cup of strange tea from the dear Cristopher-Robin that somehow made me get a bit speeded and suddenly we had done almost all of the necessary code leaving us very satisfied and motivated to go back and do some more stuff tomorrow.

So, now we all deserve to have a really great weekend and we’re all longing for monday when we start building the physical installation.
Have a nice weekend all of you!
M4573R 0f G33k5 51gN1nG 0u7!

/Carl

/Anna

Sanna