Pacing Track

Pace v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Paced} p. pr. & vb. n. {Pacing}]
1. To go; to walk; specifically, to move with regular or
measured steps.
2. To walk up and down nervously, as to expend nervous energy.

Description:
These are instructions for building a home monitoring system that measures and documents nervous pacing activity. The result is a physical visualization of the amount of pacing, for personal use in a domestic environment. The purpose is to visualize the distance traversed while engaged in measured, contemplative walking.

The monitoring system takes the form of a track, specifically scaled and designed for pacing on. The track is elevated from the ground level and balances on a subtle see-saw. Sensors at each end of the track keep tabs on the amount of laps. The distance paced is calculated and transmitted to a wall-mounted unit which dispenses an equivalent length of red yarn. The yard accumulates on the floor, anywhere you choose to install it. Mine is installed by the doorway.

Assumptions:
1. You have a basic understanding of construction and fabrication techniques,
as well as access to the appropriate tools and facilities.
2. You have a working knowledge of physical computing (reading circuit diagrams)
3. You are overwhelmed with the anxiety of living in a failing state, and frustrated
that most of your household objects address only physical rather than emotional health.

Step 1 Materials Needed

Here is an overview of the materials that will be needed.
Each individual page has more details and links on where you can purchase some of these materials.

Physical Materials:
> 2, 4x8 Sheet of Plywood. 3/4" I used a piece of shop-grade birch.
> Misc pieces of 1" Plywood. Could be scrap
> 1" Diameter aluminum or steel pole
> 6, 2x4's
> 20 LongLag Bolts (4")
> 8 Shorter Lag Bolts (3")
> Wood Screws (1 5/8", 2 1/2")
> 1 Sheet of clear acrylic (at least 2 square feet)
> 1-2 large rolls of red yarn from any craft store
> 2 turntable bearings ("lazy susan" bearings)

Electronics, Misc:
> 1 low rpm, high torque motor
> 1 H-Bridge (SN754410NE)
> 2 Proximity Sensors (SHARP GP2D120XJ00F)
> 1, 2-state toggle switch
> 2 Arduino Microcontrollers (Diecimille or newer)
> 2 9V battery clips with 5mm (center positive) male jacks.
> 2 xBee wireless modules
> 2 xBee shiels from LadyAda
> 1 FTDI cable for programming the xBees

Comments

[aaron-k]

you should knit a sweater from the yarn dispensed and wear it while you pace! lol

[cindikk]

to notice and create around the inevitable unspoken anxiety that eats such a large part of our lives is a wonderful thing. Thanks for making.

[maestrocaldwell]

Won't the length of the yarn dispensed change as the spool runs out? I would imagine that x-number of seconds dispensed from a full spool will yield a lot more yarn than the same number of seconds dispensed from an almost empty spool. Can you compensate for that in the receiver? Perhaps I'll go ponder it whilst I pace back and forth in my living room. :-) Very cool instructable!

[nbarbuto]

you are so freaking cute.

[erik.teichmann]

I hope you don't have downstairs neighbors...

[domestic_engineer]

i was thinking the same exact thing. maybe some foam or spring underneath to cushion the tilt.

[luvit]

yarn makes me nervous.

[goodgnus]

Does the program account for the changing circumference of the spool of yarn? As the yarn is dispensed each revolution dispenses less yarn. It might be easier to dispense the yarn accurately with a feed mechanism consisting of two rubber rollers that pinch the yarn and feed it off a spool that just stores the yarn.

[jeff-o]

Your projects have a sort of whimsy about them that I like very much. For your next project, you should build a device that measures leg fidgeting and displays it in some physical way.

[PKM]

With a simple string-pulley-reel-dynamo system you could probably harness the heretofore unrealised energy source of human fretting :) For someone like me who is an incorrigible fidget there is probably a non-trivial amount of energy leaked this way- I'm sure I could charge an MP3 player from the rolling of my office chair wheels! Also, of course, kudos for the neat idea of quantifying worry and giving it a visual representation.