The Present

Created by Erik and Mark, "The Present" was inspired by the iPad game "The Room", which my daughter enjoyed playing. At it's core is a Raspberry Pi computer running a python app to interface with the various sensors and motors connected to the GPIO pins. Erik recorded the audio narration which we then incorporated with various other sound effects played through a portable speaker residing in the present. It was a project that went beyond it's dead line of December 25th, due to many technical difficulties found during the prototyping stage. The design was changed at various points. Things like the doggy and platform being to heavy for the stepper motor to lift lead to the batteries being separated from the doggy and additional load reducing pulleys being added, and then finally lead counter weights to reduce the load further. While some other features got cut due to time restraints such as the magically untying bow, or the no wires attached completely battery powered system. We left the Pi powered by a power cable, but had separate batteries for the stepper motor to raise the platform, and for the singing doggy. It did how ever have wifi and an internet connection, such that I could connect to ‘The Present’ from another computer to do adjustments and reset things after testing. The project was likely over budget but it was mostly made from items I already had, some of which I've collected over time with hopes of building some kind of project with the kids, in this case my son, who I'm sure did learn something from the experience. He had a lot of input into the project, did some soldering for the first time, helped and gave suggestions with writing the program, did the audio recordings, amongst other things. The final project did not go off with out it's hitches, but in the end it was still a success. Of course, if we did it again we would change some things like making lit name more readable when viewed under the wrapping paper… But for the most part it was a project to show the kids the type of thing that is possible to do and to spark some imagination…