CHI-Play 2015

Work in Progress presentation at CHI-Play 2015 - The ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play.

"Designing Interactive toys for Elephants"
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2810327&CFID=551862082&CFTOKEN=78821018

African elephants

Bachelors at Erindi

Halali Moringa waterhole

In Namibia, self-drive and camping.

As we attempt to leave Erindi Game Reserve on 15th August, a pair of males are taking apart a tree they pushed over at the side of the road.  Vehicles stop and wait for them to move before driving slowly past.





Later in the week, we arrive at Halali Camp in Etosha National Park, just in time to watch Moringa waterhole as dusk falls.

A single male is drinking, but two rhinos approach and wait for him to move.  When he moves away, they take their turn at the waterhole.

Playing at Rietfontein

On 19th August, we see the herd playing at Rietfontein waterhole, all the calves splashing in the water.

They stay here for some time, enjoying themselves, climbing on top of one another and squirting water, rolling around.  Some of the cows join in but they are not all so playful.

Squirts and splashes

Go away

On 20th August, we visit our last waterhole at Okuakuejo where some strange social dynamics are taking place.  The herd have their backs to a single male and are trying to push him away from the group.

He's really persistent and eventually, one of the cows charges and wrestles with him, but he still comes back for more.  Only when the matriarch comes over and nudges him away does he finally leave.

I've told you once already - push off

Not sure if he's a youngster who wants to stay with the hard, but is now too old and needs to fend for himself with the other bachelors, or if he's been attracted by some pheromones and the ladies are protecting their sister from his advances.

Tracking desert elephants

Desert elephants heading into wetlands, Damara region

Volunteering project with EHRA (Elephant Human Relations Aid) in Namibia - we started by painting a dormitory and roads signs for a Damara boarding school, meeting teachers and local children.

Then we went trekking after desert elephants and camping in the bush for a few days.

Road sign - English version

EHRA work with the local Damara community, educating people about the benefits of providing rights of access across the land for herds of elephants (who respect no man-made boundaries).  Volunteering projects offer something back to the villages and farms where elephants have broken fences and knocked down wells.

Cow and calf, Damara region

Digital Toybox 2015

This year's Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing annual summer show, Digital Toybox 2015, took place on 11/12th June.

Information and photos can be seen here:
http://www.thinkmakeplay.co.uk/?page_id=10
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thinkmakeplay/sets/72157653057800024

Valli and the pink button

Valli meets the boys

Half-term trip to Skanda Vale to meet Valli and test out the water valve system.

I constructed a simple plastic button from layers of tinfoil with foam sandwiched in the middle - similar to a dancemat - requiring a gentle press to make the circuit.  We fixed it to the ceiling next to Valli's enclosure so she could reach it with her trunk. 

Pressing the pink button

On the floor above, the button was connected to an Arduino input pin.  The output activated a water valve via a relay switch, sending a strong spray of cool water along a hosepipe and down onto the rubber mat where Valli usually has a wash.

The water was on for a 30 second burst, then had to be re-activated.  She was persuaded to use the button a few times, but moved sharply away from the water spray - obviously not a strong motivation!

Brother Stefan will plumb in the pipework properly so we can test different interfaces that she might (or might not) like to use.