The Octduino system is comprised of an Arduino Shield which provides power and buffered digital communication to eight runs of cable. Modules, performing a variety of functions, can be quickly attached anywhere along these cable runs, allowing these modules to be quickly deployed into a room-scale environment. The Octduino is ideally suited for creating interactive environments, interactive installations, and general purpose wired sensor and actuator networks.
The Octduino was originally designed for a particular interactive multimedia installation called The Seathesizer. This installation required accelerometers to be attached to each of 96 seats in a theater. As people sat in the various seats, or even just moved the seats up and down like piano keys, the music in the theater and the visual graphics projected on the screen, would be altered according to the speed and direction of each particular seat’s motion. The Octduino Prototype was designed for this specific purpose. This first version of the Octduino could support four cables with four accelerometer modules on each cable. For the theater installation, six Octduinos attached to an Arduino Ethernet w/POE were deployed, covering all 96 seats with accelerometers.
The POE cables powered all the Arduinos, Octduino shields, and accelerometer modules, as well as allowed the Arduino Ethernet to transmit the data from the accelerometers to a Processing sketch on a networked computer. Thanks to the Octduino’s use of quick to crimp on connectors, the installation was able to be deployed in the short time between the previous show in the theater and the opening of the Seathesizer installation.
After the successful deployment and field test of the Octduino, it was clear that it is a useful platform for deploying room-scale interactive installations. The Octduino was promptly redesigned to make it even easier to use and to support a wider range of applications. The Octduino v1.0 was born, including the original 3-axis accelerometer and seven additional new modules.
The image above shows PCBs for the following modules:
Due to the relatively high BOM cost of the Octduino system, mainly stemming from its large connector count and the requirement of a specialized buffering chip on each module, we are seeking your support to get the first batch built and out the door, and hopefully build a support community around the Octduino.
For your support, we are offering the Octduino v1.0 Kit. All kits will include the Octduino Shield, one of three combinations of 16 modules, a spool of ribbon cable, a bag of crimp-on connectors, the crimp tool, and the required source code to get running right out of the box. The three available combinations of 16 modules are:
Contains 16 Accelerometer modules. This kit is ideal for room-scale interactive multimedia installations such as the Seathesizer shown above. It would allow the creation of installations where visitors could “play” parts of the architecture like it is a piano key.
Contains 12 Accelerometer modules, 2 Swipe modules, and 2 Touch modules. Very similar in application to the all accelerometer kit, this kit adds some additional input modalities that would support the addition of things like a control panel to select instruments to your room-scale accelerometer-based installation.
Contains:
The possibilities are endless with the Assortment, and hopefully the modules will be available individually in the future, making this the ideal kit for those who want to try out all of the modules.
Futuruption has active accounts with Printed Circuit Board manufacturers, electronics assembly companies, and components distributors in the United States and abroad. The specific manufacturers used for the Octduino will depend on the quantity of the production run.
Shipping is free within the US and Canada. For international shipping options, e-mail us your location and the pledge level you are interested in.
Produced by Futuruption in Los Angeles, CA.
Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.
Los Angeles, CA · futuruption.com
Futuruption LLC is a California-based creative agency specializing in the design and implementation of content-rich experiences.