Idea/Goal
Our initial idea came from a desire to make an interactive LED display of some sort. As making a wall-based display would greatly decrease how easily we could transport it, using a table as our base became our primary plan. From there, we took measurements of tables we could potentially use and found one that would allow for a 10x20 array of 9cmx9cm LED "pixels", each one lit by a group of four individually addressable LED's, which would be controlled by an Arduino. As far as how the display would be interactive, we found reed switches to serve our purposes well enough as simple "yes" or "no" inputs that can be controlled through a magnet. To manage the cavalcade of inputs and outputs going back and forth between the Arduinos, LED's, and reed switches, we also planned to use shift registers to decrease the amount of Arduinos we would need.
Research
As we already had some level of experience in handling LED's and electronics before this, we weren't all that worried when it came to that aspect of the project. However, researching how to make the table interactive was where we began to have trouble. It wasn't until we were introduced to reed switches and Hall effect sensors that we began to see how to piece our project together, and between the two, we decided to go with the simpler reed switches, as they served our purposes well enough.
Planning
In order to plan out and organize our time, we constructed a gantt chart that laid out the next few months for us, letting us know exactly what we had to do and by when it had to be done.
My Role
My role in this project has been and will continue to be primarily based in the physical aspects as opposed to the coding ones. I've worked on several electronics based projects before, and am confident in my abilities in this area. The same holds true for researching materials and assembly of said materials in an attractive manner. More recently, I've been placed in charge of ordering materials for the project, electronics, acrylic, you name it.
Progress
We've made our way slowly, but surely through the planning stages, having completely fleshed out the idea of what this project will entail and how it will work. After going through three or four different ideas for how all of the electronics would interface with one another, we settled on a setup very similar design to a 7x7x7 LED cube Zach had worked on in his Sophomore year. Since then, we've spent our time mapping out where things should be placed on the table and laying down the LEDSs, as well as starting to test the lights and program them with an Arduino. After this, we soldered the LEDs together into a single chain, and that is where we're leaving the project.