All the links (and the YouTube video) for the Volume work by UnitedVisualArtists that I showed in my lecture today are on the post on my Playpen blog.

The other two sites that I showed you which have lots of good hacks and ideas of building and modifying things are Instructables (and be sure to check out the teddy bear remote and MAKE. Both of them have plenty of projects and kits and all sorts of stuff to give you inspiration. Many of the ideas only require an evening of hacking around too - you should be able to come up with some good stuff.

I absolutely, ganz bestimmt, want to see some evidence of progress when we next meet. That means things you have built and/or documentation.

We will meet on Friday 12th January instead of the Tuesday. Come to Berkaerstrasse, I’m not sure which room we will be in.

If you are still (still?) struggling with ideas, go through that process that we went through today. Come up with three themes (I suggest objects, situations and activities) and list items in each theme. As many as you can think of. Then pick three words, one from each list, at random and force yourself to come up with two or three ideas related to those three words. We came up with some good ones today:

All our brainstorming stuff is after the “Continue reading…” link:

THE IDEAS
Velcro - eating - dice
Dice that decide recipes (kept on velcro by cooker)
Cut potatoes like dice - and gamble with chips!

velcro (Klettverschluss) - clothes - boardgame
Pullover with velcro boardgame on it - chess set on t-shirt
Velcro backpack. (scary)
Velcro trousers
Completely velcro pullover - with patches
Velcro pyjamas - letters in the bed

Foam - staircase - surprise
Liquid foam on staircase?
Squeaky staircase (foam steps with toy squeaks in)
Portable staircase - “staircase case”

Communicate - liquid - plaster (Putz)
Leave prints or names or words in plaster whilst liquid
Something - words, ideas? - that dissolves in water
Hide message in plaster - have to dissolve in water to get it

Oil - Windows - Surprise
Bucket of oil falls when you open window
Double glass with oil inside - makes colours
Plastic with engine oil inside - wipe it to see through
Ferroliquid inbetween windows with magnets
Mirror made with ferroliquid and magnetic display
Mirror made of oil

Acid - signs - swinging
Container of acid swings like a pendulum, drips onto some material - measures time
Signs that disappear as they swing into the acid over time.

Play-doh - traffic lights - jumping
Balls that jump to make traffic light signals?
Balls trapped by doors in jumping mechanism - when door opens balls can move around
Traffic light made from pushing different play-doh through sieve

And here are the lists.

MATERIALS & TOYS
Foam
Rubber
Jelly
Metal filings
Magnets
Plaster
Wood
Wool
Liquid / Water
Glass
Plastic
Acid
Oil
Glue
Velcro
Balls
Cubes/blocks
Etcha-Sketch
Plasticine
Play-Doh
Marbles
Springs / Slinky
Sand
Space Hopper
Toy cars
Cards

OBJECTS/SITUATIONS
Chair
Coffee Machine
Street
Fridge
Mobile Phone
Table
Lamps
Toothbrush
Dishes - washing dishes
Cycling
Computer
Bed
Sleeping
Staircase
Breathing
Food
Eating
Cabinets
Windows
Traffic Lights
Signs
Singing
Mailboxes
Shaving
Washing
Running, walking, jogging
Football
Bench
Park
flying
Clothes - socks, pants, shoes, trousers, jacket

GAMES & PLAYING
Catching
Punching
Running
Shooting
Swinging
Climbing
Water
Sand
Bouncing
Hopping
Boardgame
Chance
Dice
Jumping
Surprise
Riddle/Puzzle
Maze