Reflection

One of the comments brought up during the demo was the conceptual connection between color and socket. Just showing differently colored pieces of paper seemed disconnected to the socket's intrinsic qualities. One of the suggestions was to wrap different plugs that could be inserted into the socket in these corresponding colors, so that it became the objects illiciting such responses. This furthered the parallel to a real pet that would have favorite toys and toys they wouldn't touch.

One major issue that hindered immersion of the 'pet' idea was the range and accuracy of the color sensor. As we had to use the onboard color sensor and not an external sensor, all colored objects had to be held close ( 2-3 inches) to the Arduino for an considerable length of time (20-30 seconds) for it to recognize and react to the correct RGB value. This meant that the majority of reactions from the Socket Pet felt like the result of an intentional provocation and not a natural back and forth one would have with a pet. The most 'lifelike' reactions from the Socket Pet were those triggered by an accidental brushing of the sensor. Those felt most reminiscent of a pet reacting to someone arriving at the door before their presence was announced (i.e. they've rung the doorbell). If I were to continue, I would explore and develop those 'natural feeling' interactions more.

Overall, I feel that this project was pretty successful given the timeframe and technical expertise I had. The Socket Pet is not only very cute, but also capable of executing 'lifelike' behaviors from just the limited rotation of a mini servo.