[ITP: Thesis II] Here's what you missed on Thesis...

This is the recap blog post. If you need more context check out my last blog post.

I finished and presented my brain at the ITP Winter show. Yay!

I also finished reading the article “Defecating Duck, or, the Ambiguous Origins of Artificial Life” by Jessica Riskin and started a new book on “Portraiture” by Shearer West. I’m hoping this will give me good insight and historical context for my thesis project which will ultimately (hopefully) be a portrait.

I also revised my circuit boards to make an even better brain based on some feedback from my bud Nick Poole (at SparkFun). Here’s what I updated:

Add “pin 1” indicators outside of LED package
Add more, bigger electromechanical pads for soldering the two boards together. Nick gave me a tip that putting a via through the pad could work as a rivet to make the connection even stronger.
Switch header pins to qwiic connectors to make connecting easier
Add silkscreen to label boards and pins. Add silk screen brain folds.

I used SparkFun’s Buzzard tool to generate the silkscreen. I was able to draw the folds of the brain in Illustrator and import them into EAGLE using the Buzzard Image importer. I ordered my boards on 02/04 and have all my parts ready to build them once I have boards in hand. Super exciting!

I did a tiny bit of reflection and am starting to think through more “body interfaces”. It’s giving Operation vibes. Maybe I’m just Cavity Sam…

No ground breaking ideas yet, but I am making my own synth in another ITP class. I’m hoping to fabricate an interFACE for the form of the analog synthesizer. A face for my brain. More updates about that to come.

Here’s what I’m planning on doing next:

Try out motor system for washing machine/womb. Finish the sculpture and document.
Prototype: 3D model and print nipples for potentiometer knobs in Fusion (oh no!)
Sketch/scribble some self portraits. Reflect on how you see your self.
Think through more body interfaces. How do you exist in your own body?