Nickolas Potvin Advisors: Professors Hedrick, Cass, and
Fernandes
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Sophomore Research Seminar in Usability Science Students build
mock appliances out of ad-hoc materials Data collection and
experimentation error-prone
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Want a system that performs these tasks automatically and
interacts with user
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Create an easily modifiable board with various widgets (input
and output devices) that can be added or removed
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Computer controller widgets Widgets connected via 1-wire bus
TINI controller ALL devices addressablelocation independent (e.g.
two previous stoves)
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Experimenter does the following: Design Appliance Behavior Put
Widgets on Board Perform User Study
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Experimenter decides widget interactions and appliance behavior
Scripting language Code compiled for use on the controller Program
is ready to go!
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Before a user can simply plug in the desired widgets The
widgets need to be designed and created 1-Wire chips Bus 7-segment
display widget Widget slot Knob widget
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1-Wire Bus: All widgets addressable Location independent All
widgets communicate on same bus Form factor: All widgets same size
(2 x 2) Same connector to bus Same pin usage Interchangeable
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Solder reflow process
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Solder, solder, solder Attach top and bottom boards together
Widget ready at last to be used
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Now that the user has some widgets to use they can run their
program on the controller (TINI)
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Two widgets fully tested Four widgets fully designed Location
independence Working demonstration of design Working prototype
board All elements tested Scripting language Profit!
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User scripting language Parser Logger Upgrade the reflow oven
Build a bigger board More widgets! Continuing next term