Introduction: Mugshot Simulator

This project is an interactive sculpture that reacts to real-time DUI arrest data from the City of Chicago. A servo rotates a figurine on a turntable while LED strips flash like a camera, creating a “mugshot” effect. The goal was to turn raw data into a playful, thought-provoking experience by combining art and code.


Our project would connect to the theme of “Poison” because it depicts how often drunk driving occurs, which highlights the dangers that it brings to communities. Since alcohol causes visual impairment, as well as slower reaction time and a lack of coordination, drunk drivers pose a threat to other drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians on roads. Therefore, harm is spread and this could lead to a lot of pain, whether it is physically inflicted or represented by grief through victims of accidents and their families.

Supplies

  1. Aragon
  2. Neopixel
  3. Breadboard
  4. Stepper motor
  5. Paper Mache
  6. Metal Wire
  7. Paint
  8. Clay
  9. Laptop with Particle IDE
  10. Chicago Data Portal API
  11. Hot Glue
  12. Cardboard

Step 1: Wiring & Setup

Wire the servo and LED strips to the Particle board. Power them from a 5V supply with a common ground. Connect:

  1. Servo to 5V, GND, signal to D5
  2. LED strip 1 to D2
  3. LED strip 2 to D3
  4. LED strip 3 to D4

Attachments

Step 2: Building the Sculpture

Build a paper mache figure and paint it to look like a detainee. Attach the figurine to the servo horn so it rotates smoothly without tipping. Build a mugshot-style backdrop with height marks and arrange the LEDs like camera flashes. Feel free to add any items to make the scene more realistic.

Step 3: Webhook

I created a Particle webhook that connects to the City of Chicago’s arrest database. The URL checks for arrests between two dates I send from the device and filters for the charge “Driving Under Influence of Alcohol.” The webhook returns just the count, which drives the servo and LEDs.

Step 4: Coding

Write code that publishes the min/max dates to the webhook, receives the arrest count, and maps it to servo + LED actions:

  1. 0 arrests = green LEDs + slow spin
  2. 1–3 arrests = yellow LEDs + 3 spins/flashes
  3. 4+ arrests = red LEDs + 3 spins/flashes

Step 5: Final Presentation

Assemble everything together: figurine, servo, backdrop, and LEDs. When the webhook runs, the piece updates automatically, turning real-time arrests into a dynamic mugshot sequence.

Attachments