With my new prototype set up, I was ready to start scripting the different gestures for Tap. I decided to make three different gestures for now: the wave, the tap and the knock. The wave for Tap to say hello or to acknowledge a new command. The tap as a way of interacting with other objects and bringing them into the user’s focus. And finally, the knock as a more analogue way of notifying the user of, for example, a timer or a specific event.
Waving
The first gesture is the wave gesture. It is intended to let the user know that Tap is active or has accepted the new command or task. In this movement, the top rotates from left to right and the tapper waves from one side to the other a few times.
#include <AccelStepper.h>
#define motorInterfaceType 1
// Define the stepper motor and the pins that is connected to // (STEP, DIR)
AccelStepper stepper1(motorInterfaceType, D5, D6);
AccelStepper stepper2(motorInterfaceType, D7, D8);
// Set the target positions for both steppers
int PositionDown = 0;
int PositionUp = 0;
// State variable to keep track of movement sequence
int state1 = 0;
int state2 = 0;
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
// Settings for Motor 1
stepper1.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper1.setAcceleration(500);
stepper1.setCurrentPosition(0);
// Settings for Motor 2
stepper2.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper2.setAcceleration(500);
stepper2.setCurrentPosition(0);
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void loop() {
Wave1();
Wave2();
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void Wave1() {
switch (state1) {
case 0:
stepper1.setAcceleration(200);
PositionDown = 40;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 1;
break;
case 1:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = -40;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 2;
}
break;
case 2:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = 20;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 3;
}
break;
case 3:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = -20;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 4;
}
break;
case 4:
stepper1.setAcceleration(100);
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = 0;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 5;
}
break;
case 5:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
}
break;
}
}
void Wave2() {
if (state1 >= 4){
switch (state2) {
case 0:
stepper2.setAcceleration(275);
PositionUp = 25;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 1;
break;
case 1:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = -25;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 2;
}
break;
case 2:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 15;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 3;
}
break;
case 3:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = -15;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 4;
}
break;
case 4:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 15;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 5;
}
break;
case 5:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = -15;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 6;
}
break;
case 6:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 0;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 7;
}
break;
case 7:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
}
break;
}
}
}Tapping
The second gesture is the tap gesture. It is intended as an object-based reminder for things like drinking water or airing out your room. It can also be used in combination with objects to create a different sound for timers and reminders than knocking on the ground. In this gesture, the tapper moves down a quarter turn and the entire base then rotates the tapper twice against the object before returning to the default position.
#include <AccelStepper.h>
#define motorInterfaceType 1
// Define the stepper motor and the pins that is connected to // (STEP, DIR)
AccelStepper stepper1(motorInterfaceType, D5, D6);
AccelStepper stepper2(motorInterfaceType, D7, D8);
// Set the target positions for both steppers
int PositionDown = 0;
int PositionUp = 0;
// State variable to keep track of movement sequence
int state1 = 0;
int state2 = 0;
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
// Settings for Motor 1
stepper1.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper1.setAcceleration(500);
stepper1.setCurrentPosition(0);
// Settings for Motor 2
stepper2.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper2.setAcceleration(500);
stepper2.setCurrentPosition(0);
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void loop() {
Tap1();
Tap2();
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void Tap1() {
if (state2 >= 2){
switch (state1) {
case 0:
stepper1.setAcceleration(300);
PositionDown = -20;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 1;
break;
case 1:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = 5;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 2;
}
break;
case 2:
stepper1.setAcceleration(600);
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = -20;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 3;
}
break;
case 3:
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
PositionDown = 0;
stepper1.moveTo(PositionDown);
state1 = 4;
}
break;
case 4:
stepper1.setAcceleration(100);
if (stepper1.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper1.run();
} else {
stepper1.stop();
}
break;
}
}
}
void Tap2() {
switch (state2) {
case 0:
stepper2.setAcceleration(400);
PositionUp = 50;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 1;
break;
case 1:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 0;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state2 = 2;
}
break;
case 2:
if (state1 >= 4) {
stepper2.setAcceleration(200);
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
}
}
break;
}
}Knocking
The third gesture is the knock gesture. It is intended as an analogue notification for timers, reminders or other events. In this gesture, only the tapper itself moves. It moves slightly backwards and then knocks twice on the ground before returning to its normal position.
#include <AccelStepper.h>
#define motorInterfaceType 1
// Define the stepper motor and the pins that is connected to // (STEP, DIR)
AccelStepper stepper1(motorInterfaceType, D5, D6);
AccelStepper stepper2(motorInterfaceType, D7, D8);
// Set the target positions for both steppers
int PositionDown = 0;
int PositionUp = 0;
// State variable to keep track of movement sequence
int state1 = 0;
int state2 = 0;
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
// Settings for Motor 1
stepper1.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper1.setAcceleration(500);
stepper1.setCurrentPosition(0);
// Settings for Motor 2
stepper2.setMaxSpeed(1000);
stepper2.setAcceleration(500);
stepper2.setCurrentPosition(0);
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void loop() {
Knock1();
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void Knock1() {
switch (state1) {
case 0:
stepper2.setAcceleration(400);
PositionUp = -20;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state1 = 1;
break;
case 1:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 80;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state1 = 2;
}
break;
case 2:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 60;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state1 = 3;
}
break;
case 3:
stepper2.setAcceleration(800);
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 80;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state1 = 4;
}
break;
case 4:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
PositionUp = 0;
stepper2.moveTo(PositionUp);
state1 = 5;
}
break;
case 5:
if (stepper2.distanceToGo() != 0) {
stepper2.run();
} else {
stepper2.stop();
}
break;
}
}
The scripting and testing of the gestures went almost smoothly with the help of ChatGPT for the coding part. Except for one problem where the lower motor started to overheat and slowly melt my 3D print. Luckily I caught it before it did any irreversible damage. The problem ended up being that I set the current flow in the motor controller for the lower motor too high, which was quickly fixed and everything went smoothly again. From here I will now start to implement all the different gestures into one script and add the functionality of triggering the different gestures via OSC messages so that I can then create a dedicated interface to control Tap.