For the final project I want to make two devices that’ll be connected with each other, one being a necklace and the other a custom mobile device that resembles a Tamagotchi/Digivice in terms of playability. Connecting both of these, I’ll be able to register data recorded by the sensors in the necklace and display them in the mobile device, transforming me into the virtual pet in it.
Necklace #
The necklace will have a PIR sensor, tilt sensor, FSR sensor and a heartbeat sensor, which will be in charge of sending data into the mobile device.
Mobile Device #
The mobile device will be a virtual pet, in which the pet is the person using the necklace. The values acquired from this will make the three different stats of the pet change depending on input:
- Panic(heartbeat sensor): will go up if the heartbeat is to high, will go down if the heartbeat remains at a stable lower rate for a while.
- Loneliness (PIR sensor): will go up if there aren’t many people around you for a while, will go down when surrounded by people.
- Hunger (FSR sensor): will go up if you haven’t eaten or drank anything in a while, will go down if you ate or drank something in the past hour.
If one or more of these values max out, an alarm will go off and the only way to make it stop will be for the tilt sensor to be activated by laying down (relaxing or winding down).
References #
Tamagotchi: #
Japanese virtual pet toy in which you took care of a little creature by feeding it, petting it, cleaning its poop and playing with it. These actions had to be done very often, as it was a very needy pet, if you didn’t pay them attention for as little as 20 minutes they could die. In case they did die, you would’ve had to reset the toy manually, creating a new egg, which meant the previous pet would disappear completely, something that made the death of these creatures fell more real.
Needy Streamer Overload: #
Visual novel with similar playability to Tamagotchi, in which you take care of your girlfriend by making decisions for her regarding her streaming job. Making these decisions leads to her mental health (stats) to be affected, so whatever happens to her falls on you. This game deals with topics like mental health, a human as a virtual pet and multiple identities.
Digivice/Magical girl transformation items: #
In Digimon, digivices were mobile devices which the main characters used to connect with their Digimon (kind of a pet) and, just like in magical girl anime, to be able to access superpowers and a different identity of themselves. These objects became symbols of the magical reality/worlds these characters could see and experience, without them they would never be able have the amazing adventures they have through the shows. In magical girl anime, this devices can take multiple forms, but they always represent both magic and fantasy, as well as a big responsibility.
Alone Together by Sherry Turkle: #
Book that deals with the reflections of the author after multiple studies to see how machines affect us psychologically and how growing up surrounded by different “life-emulating” machines can change our perception on living creatures and what being alive means. Technology has permeated our intimate social and emotional life, and this book analyzes ways in which this has occurred.
Millennial Monsters by Anne Allison: #
Book that delivers an anthropological study on different forms of popular Japanese media like Pokémon, Tamagotchi and Sailor Moon to find reasons as to why it had such a great worldwide reception. Is it only creativity? Is there any consumer analysis behind it that enticed people into buying into it? What makes them so enticing?