As computing becomes more ubiquitous in our objects, designers need to be more aware of how to design meaningful interactions into electronically enhanced objects. At the University of Washington, a class of junior Interaction Design majors is exploring this question. These pages chronicle their efforts.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Knolled Object | Blood Pressure Monitor | Albert Lui

I knolled an oldschool blood pressure monitor that I bought for 10$ at Value Village. I actually gained a deeper appreciation for this kind of tinkering exercise because I learned a lot from it. Simply from taking it apart, I learned about what the different components probably do and how they relate to each other.

For inputs, I have switches, buttons, and I guess also my pulse creating variations in the air pressure going into the device.
 
For outputs, I have the digital LCD screen and the little record printer.

 I basically pieced together this thing like an information puzzle. 12 must have been the device that pumps air into the cuff because it's connected to it via air tubes/hoses. The cuff tube is also connected to 9, which must be the component that somehow measures my heart rate/blood pressure by detecting air pressure. I also figured that the printer is run by a single motor which dispenses the paper (must be a special kind of paper that gets marked when heated like receipts because I found no ink whatsoever- I actually verified this by running the tip of a hot glue gun against it).

Knolled object diagram.

Connections diagram.
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