Christine Taylor
Concept
We’re hundreds of years into the future and robots and humans coexist. My project will function as a game, “Android vs. Human.” Two participants will play; when they see a light come on, they are prompted to push their button. The arduino will detect the reaction time to determine who is human and who is android.
Arduino Components
- Arduino UNO R3: The microcontroller
- Buttons (5 pcs): Reaction triggers
- LEDs (Red, Blue): The light to cue the user to press a button
- BreadboardJumper Wires, Resistors: To connect components
p5js Components
- Performance Human File (https://editor.p5js.org/cataylor/sketches/fXBylPRC5)
- Performance Android File (https://editor.p5js.org/cataylor/sketches/QmXnMItgz)
Project Details
For my Arduino “objects of tomorrow” project, I decided to focus on a potential future problem; the superiority of AI/androids and the tension and pressure that could come from it. In my future dystopian world, androids have been completely banned. The overuse of these technological creatures spurred an immense amount of hate and pushback from the general public; they began developing and evolving on their own, turning against their creators, desiring to be classified as a separate, non-human, intelligent lifeform on Earth. This concept was inspired by the video game Detroit: Become Human, where the player is tasked to decide what really constitutes a human. In the game, human-like androids are populous, working as caregivers, manufacturers, and more. In the game, you’re faced with either saving the androids or letting them become fodder for humanity.
My project could be perceived as a type of “dark” solution; if an android is detected, a reaction test with a verified human will take place in court. As often there is no great way to test if something is an android other than to kill or maim it, this came about as a more ethical test to discover androids walking among humans, in a world where humans are attempting to eradicate the once-loved androids. The Arduino helps simulate this process on a smaller scale; two participants are called to play. When the red LED light flashes, both players must press their button, whenever they react to the light. If Player 1’s reaction time is quicker, the red LED will remain lit for a few seconds. If Player 2’s reaction time is quicker, the blue LED will light for a few seconds. I created this game by using two small buttons, two LEDs, resistors, extra connector cables, and of course, a breadboard and Arduino r3.
This game will go on for five rounds to reduce the risk of mistaking a human as an android with limited data. After five rounds, it should be evident which player has a quicker reaction time. However, although the winner dictates who has a quicker reaction time, the winner can still be considered human if both players have a similar reaction time. An android is detected when one player’s reaction time is vastly superior, as androids face much difficulty holding back on their reaction time as it was an important aspect of their creation for a variety of jobs (caregiving, driving, manufacturing, etc.). In the world, if a vastly superior reaction time was recorded, a large screen would dictate this by flashing red, a siren sounds, and a camera is put on the android. In my project, a version of this is simulated with p5js. I had much difficulty attempting to integrate p5js into my Arduino code, so I couldn’t properly connect them how I wanted. I wanted to connect them so the computer would receive the reaction time of both players, decide the winner, and automatically show either “ANDROID DETECTED,” or “Humanity Verified.” To make this possible in a similar way, I created two p5js files, one for the android being detected and one for their humanity being verified. In my performance, I will ensure I win the game, marking me as an android; I’ll quickly press a button on my laptop to make the code play. I will also perform one more round where I lose, but both of our reaction times were slower, prompting the “Humanity Verified” code. For the “ANDROID DETECTED” file, I wanted to express warning, caution, and fear. I chose to have the screen flash colors, indicating a warning message, and use colors of anger and fear such as red and black. I also decided to include video capture, ensuring the android’s face is caught on video and cannot escape, also adding an element of realism to the project and performance, as I will be the caught and terrified android. I also added in a siren sound to make the reveal more ominous and abstract, clearly indicating that Player 1 was detected to be an android and must be killed.
The video performance I included in my submission showcases three parts; one scenario where the android is detected, one where both players are deemed human, and one where I show off all of the parts of the project and explain. As my project needed two players, I enlisted the help of my boyfriend, Bo, to play human Player 2. The video showcases myself and Bo listening to the court dialogue explaining the rules of the game and its purpose. We are prompted to play, and the voice explains who won each round, and after 5 rounds, who is the final winner. To dramatize things, we zoom in on me, the winner and the android, with my p5js “Performance Android” code flashing in the background on my laptop and TV screen, warning that I am an android. For part 2 of the video, it flows very similarly, except both players’ reaction times are deemed human, therefore the “Performance Human” code flashes on both screens, and I act as if I’m relieved.
I’m overall happy with my project, but I encountered a lot of ladder-stage difficulty trying to incorporate the LCD screen or using the Arduino IDE output to show the winners for each round; I decided to make up for the lack of these Arduino components by replicating them by my voice edits in the performance video. In the future, I want to explore the other variety of Arduino components and create further compelling projects.
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