what had been done

Data visualisations as we know them can only display data over flat surfaces, thus limiting our abilities to perceive the data in varying dimensions. Physicalising the data is an alternative way to represent data patterns and put an emphasis on the physical perception of the information.

the challenge

How might we make complex data more intelligible?
How might we increase people's interest and curiosity in data?
How might we create an engaging and physical experience through a representation of data?

a prototyping journey

For this project, an Arduino Uno board was used to load wind data and control various actuators and sensors, connected via a Grove base shield. The project uses hardcoded wind data in an array for automated iteration.

The turbine components were 3D printed. The turbine is composed of three helixes placed at equal distance from each other around the central pillar. Each helix is attached to a servo motor and rotates to create an opening and closing motion. This aims to create the impression of the turbine expanding as if to take in more wind or shrinking when low wind levels are recorded.

crafting the experience

Physical interaction was an essential aspect of this project and a major area of focus. An ultrasonic distance sensor was used to allow users to interact with the product through physical movement while avoiding direct contact with the device.

When a hand is detected, the turbine stops and the helixes align with the hand's position, providing interaction feedback. The sensor selects a data record based on hand position, displaying the wind speed for that specific time. This allows the user to explore the dataset easily.

gathering feedback

User studies were conducted to gather feedback and identify improvements for the prototype. During the observation phase, participants were asked to play with Turbino without prior information to simulate a first-time experience.

The purpose and mechanisms of Turbino were revealed after 10 minutes of interaction, allowing us to observe any changes in the users' interactions based on the newly acquired knowledge. This approach provided insights into the intuitiveness and effectiveness of the product's design.