Introduction: Chewing Mask

By www.jhclaura.com
About: !

For my virtual reality project Daily Life VR, Chapter Two - Eat (=> dev blog for details), where people can eat together, I have an idea to create a mask to bring in the chewing data. How can we communicate by chewing? What's the effect of seeing self and others all chewing together? I hope this Chewing Mask can help to answer the questions.

It is a Google Cardboard hack that can bring in user's chewing data into virtual reality. After various iterations, now it also works for people have beard!

Approximate time: 2.5 hours

Step 1: Concept Explain

A chin strap to pull down a Google Cardboard side button while you eat.

And the avatar in Daily Life VR, Ch.2 Eat will sync the movement.

Step 2: Material & Tool

Materials

  1. Google Cardboard * 1
  2. Small piece of foam, for comfort, 3.5" by 2", 1" thick
  3. Elastic band + velcro, for head strap, several
  4. Ribbons or shoestring, for chin strap, 29" * 2
  5. Scrap fabric, for chin cap, 4" by 3"
  6. Conductive fabric, approximately 5" by 4"
  7. Sewing machine bobbin * 2
  8. Paper for pattern cutout
  9. Wires, for secure bobbin, 7" * 2

Tools

  1. Staples
  2. Transparent tape
  3. Double sided tape
  4. Scissors
  5. Sharp cutter
  6. Something sharp to make holes
  7. Pliers
  8. Ruler
  9. Pencil

Step 3: Cut Space for Bobbin

  1. Draw the path to cut on the bottom of Cardboard
  2. Cut a space with cutter
  3. Also drill a hole beside the space

Step 4: Install Bobbin

  1. Thread the wire through holes of bobbin
  2. Secure the bobbin into hole
  3. One side of wire insert to the hole, another side insert into the gap of cardbaords

Step 5: Tie a Wire Knot

  1. Flip the Cardboard
  2. Use pliers to pull the wires
  3. Secure the bobbin, and spin to tie a knot aside

Step 6: Make Another One

  1. Follow the previous steps
  2. Secure another bobbin at other side of the bottom

Step 7: Add Comfort to Your Forehead

  1. Cut a T-shape out of a piece of foam
  2. Wrap it around with transparent tape, so it's cleanable if it's getting greasy from your forehead
  3. Stick the T-shape foam onto Cardboard with double sided tape

Step 8: Make Holes for Strings

  1. In order to pull with balance, the chin strap needs to pull down the button from both sides
  2. On the right side, drill a hole on the Cardboard button
  3. On the left side, cut out the cover to reveal the same layer of cardboard
  4. Pre draw a path and cut the cardboard out carefully with the cutter
  5. Drill a hole too

Step 9: Tie a String to the Hole

  1. Thread the string from inside and out from the gap beneath the button
  2. Insert the string into the hole you just drilled
  3. Make two knots inside to secure
  4. Thread another side of the string through the bobbin beneath

Step 10: Tie Another String

  1. Follow the previous step to tie another string
  2. Da La! Now we have two string to pull the button with balance

Step 11: Complete the Conductivity With Forehead

  1. Download file and cut out the "Pattern for Conductive Fabric on Forehead"
  2. Trace on the conductive fabric and cut it out

Attachments

Step 12: Tape the Stripe Down

  1. Use double sided tape to secure the part on forehead
  2. Use transparent tape to tape down the stripe on Cardboard as shown in photos
  3. Insert the stripe into the gap
  4. Continue taping down the stripe on the another side (inside) of the Cardboard
  5. Tape down the stripe to the existed conductive fabric area, to continue the conductivity with forehead instead of finger

Step 13: Head Straps

  • Connect elastic band and velcro with staples
  • Left side of strap to left side of the Cardboard, right side of strap to right side of the Cardboard, top side of the strap to the top side of the Cardboard
  • STAPLE FREELY LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW
  • Da La! You have a head strap.
  • Cut two holes on the strap for the strings later

Step 14: Make a Chin Cap

  1. Use the file to cut out the pattern for fabric chin cap
  2. Trace on the fabric and cut it out
  3. Make 4 small cut on the fabric as shown in picture, for strings to go through later

Attachments

Step 15: Thread the Strings

  1. Thread the strings through out the chin cap
  2. Thread the strings through out the holes on the head strap

Step 16: Done!

Da La! Chew chew chew!!