Before starting building, we wrote a simple code to test communication between an arduino and processing with 8 switches that presented 2 positions of the tray. In this point, we wanted to make sure that each switch could send its own value and processing could get it and trigger different images following the values it got from an arduino. It worked pretty well. So we moved to next step - making a prototype with a same condition with a completed project.
So we started making a prototype with this code and 4 wooden blocks and two arduinos instead of multiplexer. We made 16 switches on the board and connected wires and we talked about connections between blocks and a board. Initially we used coppers. It was easy to attach coppers on the wood with nails but to attach on the plastic, we should use glues and it might make uneven bottoms which was not neat. But coppers worked pretty good as a connector and that point Todd introduced copper tapes which were perfect for us. So we used it and finally these switches triggered images! 
Here is a video about testing. We put a cube on the floor, and held a projector which was too heavy to keep holding and played a video.
Building up our concept clear, we were having some questions.
About bits..
- How to make 11million bits?
Initially we wanted to count 11million bit, in other words, we wanted exact 11million bits if it was possible or not. So we tried to figure out which way would be the most effective way to make them with counting. We were thinking laser cutting but the bits that we wanted to make were too small to do laser cutting, so we decided to make punched dots with paper puncher by ourselves with counting! But After we filled one of cube which is 4"x4", we recognize it was impossible to make 11million bits. So we stopped counting and decided to make enough bits to fill sixteen 4"x4" cubes. 11 million bits - punched paper dots. Not counting.
- What color?
We just used white papers because we wanted to make uniform shape and color. White bits.
About cubes..
- Where can we get 16 plastic cubes?
We visited canal plastics, and looked for the cubes, but they were so expensive to handle. So we ordered 96 plastic glasses from Tap plastics and decided to glue them. It was way cheaper than buying complete cubes. Order 96 plastic glasses for each side of each cube.
- What size of the cube is good to play with?
Basically we thought 10"x 10" as a size for each cube because we could show bits that would be inside the cubes well but in this case, the entire puzzle size would be 40"x40" which was not comfortable size to play with. So our cubes would be 4"x4". It is not only good size to handle but also good price! Sixteen 4"x4" cubes
About a puzzle..
-How to make cubes have images on the top of them?
In our puzzle, cubes will not have any differences among them that means we are going to use exactly same cubes. So we should try to figure out how to present images on the cubes. Initially we decided to use a projector, specifically hang it on the ceiling and project images. And we sticked with this way. Project images on the surfaces of the cube.
-How cubes to trigger images?
This part was the most important part to realize our project and it was really close related with the function about how it works. How to link between physical actions and technological processes?
There were so many ways to apply to our project - blob detection, switch systems, RFID and so on.
Before finding out this, we should decide what kind of puzzles we wanted to make. Basically, we wanted to use all sides of cubes, 6sides, so there would be 6 different completed images and each cube would have 6 different parts of images. That means each cube should have unique identity to trigger its own image. Here is a math. 6(sides of each cube) multiplied by 16(the number of cubes) is equal to 96. In this point we heard about IR paint which is only visible with IR so if we paint this on the cubes, users will not see and we can control it with blob detection specifically install a camera and IR under the cube (the tray) and a camera reads unique shape which are on the cubes then finally computer can get specific signal from each side of each cube! This plan was good but there was another issue. We could not find IR paint AT ALL. So we changed our plan to use switch system and to apply this function, we could use only one side of the cubes but still deal with 4 different complete images because we can use 4 corners of the bottom side of the cubes as connections and a tray can have 4 different switches for a cube. For example, a connection that is on the bottom of the cube is closed one of 4 switches that is on the one of 16 positions of the tray. And if a switch is closed, it triggers that position's image. (The tray would have 16 positions for 16 cubes and each position would have 4 switches. This is our mechanism. Switch system. 64 switches on the tray. One connection on the bottom of each cube. And if swiches are closed, images will be triggered.
-How to start a game and after completing the puzzle?
Before starting this puzzle, Cubes should be placed out of the tray. So the beginning point of this game, we leave an empty tray and project a message " to play, place a cube on the tray." If any switch will be closed , the game will be stared and whenever users put cubes they can get a scrembled image. And initially we wanted to film the process of making bits and show this movie as a brain's information processing after they get an unscrambled image. But making a video was too much work, so we decided to show some quotes from the reading. Before starting it, there is an empty tray and after finishing it, show a qoute about our message.
-What images are suitable?
To begin with, we could not decide it yet. We just kept trying to find out suitable images with our concept. Keep searching.
After midterm, thinking about my final, Estee suggested me to join her. I was very interested in her ideas so luckily I could work with her. A few days after we stared working on the final, Seanita wanted to join us so the final members for this project got all three of us - Estee, Seanita and myself. The concept of our project was inspired by pcomp reading - the bandwidth of consciousness, from "user illusion."
"The conscious mind is capable of processing somewhere between 16 and 40 bits of Information (ones and zeroes) per second, whereas the unconscious can handle no fewer than 11 million bits per second. We are thus aware of less than a millionth of all the Information that our brains process." Karl-Erik Sveiby
It was really interesting that we are just aware of few information even though we take in a lot of information (more than 11 million bits!) per second and that is why we wanted to represent the relationship between unconscious and conscious bits of information. Having a long discussion, we decided to use 16 clear cubes to express the information that we are conscious of and fill them with 11 million punched paper dots to say the information that we take in per second. At the same time coming up with the ideas about cubes, we thought 16 cube could be a puzzle. So we chose a puzzle as an interactive and physical way to present our ideas. Each cube will be one piece of the puzzle and have a part of the image. So if users put all 16 cubes on the tray, they will get a scrambled image and start a puzzle.
These are main keywords of this project : 16 clear plastic cubes, 11 million bits and a puzzle.
This project is currently on exhibit in the “hall gallery” at ITP.
