Physical Props
This Prop contains a number of modules working together. A NIDEC motor drives the handle rotation, there's a LCD module that displays the gauge and state. A button module reads the buttons and can generate events for the other modules. In the background you'll see a 'Pulse Prop'.
In the video you'll see that the modules and Props are synchronised together. Essentially one 'Button' event triggers the combined Airlock modules to operate, once the Handle has moved it emits another event which then triggers the timed sequence you see the 'Pulse Prop' running.
It's not shown, but the buttons on the 'Airlock' prop work, it was easier for the video to trigger them over the 'Set Wide Net'
Status
Since networking delivers two way communication, it's a opportunity for each physical automated Prop to emit a regular heartbeat.
This gives the crew confidence that the Props they expect are present, and if they are battery powered, how much power is remaining.
Categories
We're in the process of creating the videos of each of these categories.
Here we break down each physical component
- Pulse Props -- Components for props that need a pulsing colour.
- Display Props -- Different from Screebleys, this means props that use small LCD or OLED displays.
- Clock and Counter Props -- this covers both digital and analogue clocks and counters.
- Button and Switch Props -- this can cover both the props themselves and the off-set controllers for props.
- Linear Actuators -- these are normally off-camera props used to push and pull
- LED Props -- this is what they are.
- -- these break down into the following classes:
- Stepper Motors
- Servo Motors
- DC Motors
- Nidec Motors
- Gauge/Speedo Props -- these are a subset of the 'Motor Props' and use the tiny steppers commonly found in car dashboards.
- Servo Props -- By this we mean the straightforward servos that accept RC PWM signals
- Sensor Props -- Props that take feedback from the cast and crew to generate new events for other props
- Relay Props -- this is what they are
- Prop ControllersEssentially the off-set control surfaces for your props.