Pure Evil (The Juice from a RiteAid Air Freshener)

My fourth project for 4in4 was inspired by an article from Make magazine. My goal was to create an aromatherapeutic ambient information awareness device (Wow! It smells like lavender! My stocks must be tanking! But I sure do feel relaxed…), but a headache induced by lingering too long in the air freshener aisles at multiple drugstores slowed down my work. My plan was to replace a RiteAid “Air Currents” air freshener’s chemical scent with an essential oil and use an rss feed to trigger its fan.

Bottom of the Air Currents Air Freshener

I have the Arduino working to control the fan, but I haven’t gotten the rss feed integrated yet.

Arduino and the Air Currents

Empanada Filling

Today I stayed home and made empanadas. The idea behind doing this project for 4in4 was to make something that would freeze well and be easy to take to school with me during the semester. I used Mark Bittman’s recipe for empanada dough from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and I improvised on the fillings: black beans with ancho chiles, corn and spinach with chipotle, and pureed winter squash. I also used some queso fresco.

Empanada Dough

The empanadas were really easy to make, although the first batch was a little too salty. Like many of Bittman’s recipes, the dough is mixed in the food processor, shaped, and then left to rest for a few minutes.

Empanadas

Of course, Christopher and I had to try one of each kind for dinner, which means we won’t have so many for lunch, after all.

Making Paper with Embedded Circuits

Today Kate Hartman and I made recycled paper with simple circuits embedded in it. We created a slurry by blending shredded paper and water. Then we pressed circuits we made from conductive thread and surface mount LEDs into the slurry between two screens. Here’s what one of the circuits looked like when we tested it before pressing it into the paper pulp:

Surface Mount LEDs and Conductive Thread

We turned the molded pulp out onto a blanket to dry. Neither of us had any experience making paper, but it seems like it turned out alright. We’ll find out tomorrow when it’s dry!

Conductive Thread Running Between Two Pieces of Paper

Paper Making Resources:

Instructable: How to Make and Recycle Paper

Flickr Set: How to Make Paper

Preliminary Sock Stack

Today I made a tube out of 22 cashmere socks. I cut the feet and top edges off and sewed the remaining sections end to end. Sadly, I’m out of stuffing, and the tube is only about 3/4 full. This pillow just didn’t have enough batting:

Belva Belcher

Hopefully I’ll find some t-shirts at home so that I can complete tube:sock tonight.

UPDATE: Junk Shelf to the rescue! I found a pillow on the junk shelf, gutted it, and added the gross green filling to tube:sock. Here’s the finished product curled up at home on the sofa:

Tube:Sock on the Sofa

• Data Scentualization– Hacking an array of electric air fresheners to work with Arduino, based on an article from Make. I have loose plans to trigger them with some sort of information event (e.g. tying them to an rss feed), but I’m not sure what that will be yet.
• Paper Circuits– Kate Hartman and I will be embedding circuits in handmade paper and playing with conductive paints.
• Lunch– On Thursday I’ll be participating from home as I cook as much food as I can to freeze for lunches to last me through the upcoming semester. I’m planning on an assortment of tamales, empanadas, etc.
• Tube:Sock– A couple of years ago my mom gave me 12 pairs of brightly colored cashmere socks for Christmas (Thanks, Mom!), but now I’ve worn through all of the toes and heels. Instead of throwing away all of these lovely socks, I’m going to cut off the feet and sew the remaing parts into a long tube.

4in4 is underway! Steven, Rob, and I hosted a DriveBy last night to get things started. For those who couldn’t make it to the meeting: 4in4 is an event during which ITP students, resident researchers, and faculty are invited to create four projects in four days. This event is based on two previous events: 5-in-5 and 7 in Seven. It will take place January 12-15.