Mr. Indecision – a small felt version of yourself that turns its head and looks at you using Arduino

This is a tutorial on how to use 123D Catch to get a 3D scan of your whole body. Once you have the scan or “catch” the tutorial will take you through a technique to clean it up and manipulate it ready for 123D Make. The tutorial will go through how to slice the model in Make and prep it for Laser cutting. The tutorial willΒ brieflyΒ cover how lazer cutting andΒ integratingΒ the componentry and Arduino to make the head turn. The tutorial will wrap up with some example code of what worked for me during this project.

mr indecisionΒ fromΒ Richard ClarksonΒ onΒ Vimeo.

Mr. Indecision
Modern DayΒ PuppetΒ Master.

You will need:

-iPhone or iPad
-123D Catch from the app store (free)
-An assistant
-A Computer
-Meshmixer computer program (download for freeΒ here)
-123D MakeΒ (download for freeΒ here)
-Arduino Software (download for freeΒ here)

–Β Arduino UNOΒ  Β $29.95
–Β 2 x Sharp IR proximity sensorΒ  $14.95 each
–Β Standard ServoΒ $12.00
–Β solid core wireΒ  $2.50
–Β 9 VDC power adapterΒ  $6.95
– pencil or chopstick
– hot glue gun & glue sticks
–Β patience & some Arduino experience areΒ recommendedΒ for the 2nd half of this instructable.

Step 1: Preparing the Catch

For the catch of the your body you will need someone assist you.
There are two approaches to the catch, with an iphone/ipad or with a digital camera & computer. In my experience I have found the iphone/ipad method to be the fastest & most reliable so that is the method I will explainΒ  If you would like to know the other method (which is actually very similar) visit:http://www.123dapp.com/catch/learn

For the iphone/ipad approach download the (free) 123D Catch app from the app storeΒ 123D Catch App. Then create an account & log in.

You (person being catched) should be sitting on a simple stool with enough room around them for the “assistant” (person assisting taking the catch) to walk around them taking photos keeping the catchee’s body within the frame.

The environment should be as evenly lit as possible but does not require studio quality backdrops or lights.

The catchee should sit as still as possible and stare directly forwards with eyes closed.

Step 2: Catching the body

Open 123D Catch and tap “New Capture” at the center bottom of the screen.

Taking a photo by taping the camera icon the assistant walks aroundΒ  the catchee taking photos of the catchee from the chestΒ  everyΒ  keeping the catchee’s body within the frame. The aim would be to get 10-15 photos for every lap around the person and to have 3 laps; one from the floor looking up , one at the waist-chest level lookingΒ straitΒ on, and one above looking downwards.
Mr. Indecision Making
Once the catcher has completed the 3 laps and the image count is between 25-35 tap the “Review” button in the bottom right corner. Then tap Finish Capture button in the top right hand side.

Makerbot has some good tips on catchingΒ here. Tinkernut also has a very nice you tube clip of the whole processΒ Weekend Hacker: Turn Photos Into 3D Models

Step 3: Catching the Head

Follow the Steps from the previous step but this time focus in on just the head. The details of the persons head is often lost in full body catches, so by doing anΒ additionalΒ catch of just the head we can merge the two catches later to get the best result.

[box color=”#985D00″ bg=”#FFF8CB” font=”verdana” fontsize=”14 ” radius=”20 ” border=”#985D12″ float=”right” head=”Major Components in Project” headbg=”#FFEB70″ headcolor=”#985D00″]- Arduino UNOΒ Β  $29.95
– 2 x Sharp IR proximity sensorΒ  $14.95 each
– Standard Servo $12.00
– solid core wireΒ  $2.50
– 9 VDC power adapterΒ  $6.95

Solderless Breadboard (optional)
Clay or Bluetack[/box]

 

For more detail:Β Mr. Indecision – a small felt version of yourself that turns its head and looks at you using Arduino

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