2026
Malmö University - Interaction Design
Ella Nedell, Maria Veronica Spagnuolo, Marianna Wroblewska and me
While I was studying Interaction Design in Malmö (Sweden) we worked on a project
focussed on using skills we learned before with arduino software and fysical prototyping. We needed
to make a creature that interacts or with another creature or with a human. We made a peacock father
and his baby chick.
Sketching is a great way to to visualise ideas especially if you are working in a team. Here are some sketches we meet while we were ideating ideas for this project.
The baby peacock makes sounds at random times, ranging from short bursts of about three seconds to longer calls lasting up to a minute. When it is picked up too quickly, it reacts by screaming, a response that closely resembles the call of an adult male peacock. The father peacock is highly protective and easily becomes flustered when he hears the baby’s distress calls. In response, he begins to flutter his tail, displaying shifting colours as part of his agitated behaviour.
This setup consists of three main sections: the base, the tail, and the head, each with its own components and functions.
Base
The base is built using two Arduino Rev2 boards with Bluetooth capability, allowing for wireless communication and control between components.
Tail
The tail section includes two servos for movement and positioning. It is also equipped with two NeoPixel strips and three NeoPixel rings, which provide dynamic lighting effects and colour displays.
Head
The head features three LEDs in distinct colours: green, cyan, and blue. These lights are used for visual signalling and expressive effects.
