How to Make (almost) Anything 2023 | Week 1.1: Intro to HTMAA

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Assignment: Plan and sketch a potential final project

Description: A lamp inspired by nature, using light-activated moving flower petals to control the light emitted as an inverse of the natural sunlight present.

Procedure: After brainstorming and gathering inspiration, I made a rough sketch of the lamp on an iPad. While many of the details such as mechanism, assembly method, and material selection are yet to be determined, I started hypothesizing high level for how this lamp could be created. Leveraging a CAD model in Fusion360 will allow me to ensure that my geometries will fit cohesively to provide the aesthetic and functionality desired. I anticipate that the flower petals can be constructed via laser cutting or 3D printing depending on the end material (potential options might include wood, or thin fabric / flexible plastic over a rigid skeletal structure). Each petal would need to be secured to the base by a hinge system that would be connected to a programmable motor to raise and lower the petals in accordance to a light sensor component. The center would contain an LED light that turns on/off in accordance with the petal position.

Key learnings:
  1. Ambiguity can allow creativity to thrive -- While ambiguity around what is possible (regarding tools, materials, timeline, etc.) can be unnerving for how to apporiately plan for such a project, it can also be very liberating where creativity can thrive without bounds. Eventually reality will catch up and there are likely going to be revisions to my initial vision, but this was a fun exercise to start thinking about creative ways to blend all of the skillsets from over the course of the semester.


Preliminary sketch of potential final project: flower lamp
Preliminary sketch of potential final project: flower lamp