The Performance

Here is the final performance video for the project:

 

Here are some images of the full outfit and other images from the performance:

It's Working! It's Working!

Here is the final look of the project working:

Design

Here is the set up before making the masks and attaching them to the circuit:

Here are the masks finished without the EL-Wire attached:

The Code

Here is the code that I tried for the circuit:

First is the one I used for the performance:

//EL wire
int white = 9;
int orange = 11;
int green = 13;


long randNumber;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup()
{
  // initialize
  pinMode(white, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (orange, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (green, OUTPUT);

}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop()
{
  digitalWrite(white, HIGH);


  digitalWrite(green, HIGH);
  delay(600);
  digitalWrite(green, LOW);
  delay(600);

  randNumber = random (50, 250);
  digitalWrite(orange, HIGH);
  delay(randNumber);
  digitalWrite(orange, LOW);
  delay(randNumber);

  }

This is a code that I attempted with the copper pieces:

//EL wire
int white = 9;
int orange = 11;
int green = 13;

// SWITCHES
int whiteConnect = 2;
int orangeConnect = 3;
int greenConnect = 5;

long randNumber;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup()
{
  // initialize
  pinMode(white, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (orange, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (green, OUTPUT);

  pinMode (whiteConnect, INPUT);
  pinMode (orangeConnect, INPUT);
  pinMode (greenConnect, INPUT);

  Serial.begin(9600);

  digitalWrite(whiteConnect,LOW);
    digitalWrite(orangeConnect,LOW);
  digitalWrite(greenConnect,LOW);
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop()
{
  if (whiteConnect == LOW)
  {
    digitalWrite(white, HIGH);
  }
  else {
    digitalWrite(white,LOW);

  }


  if (greenConnect == LOW)
  {
  digitalWrite(green, HIGH);
  delay(600);
  digitalWrite(green, LOW);
  delay(600);
  }
  else {
  digitalWrite(green,LOW);
  }

  if (orangeConnect == LOW)

  {
  randNumber = random (50, 250);
  digitalWrite(orange, HIGH);
  delay(randNumber);
  digitalWrite(orange, LOW);
  delay(randNumber);
  }
  else {
    digitalWrite(orange,LOW);
  }
}

This is another code I attempted with the copper pieces:

// give it a name:
int white = 9;
int orange = 11;
int green = 13;
int whiteConnect = 1;
int orangeConnect = 3;
int greenConnect = 5;
int maskConnect = 7;

long randNumber;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup()
{
  // initialize
  pinMode(white, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (orange, OUTPUT);
  pinMode (green, OUTPUT);

  pinMode (whiteConnect, INPUT);
  pinMode (orangeConnect, INPUT);
  pinMode (greenConnect, INPUT);

  pinMode (maskConnect, INPUT);

  // These constants won't change:
const int maskConnect = 7;    // pin that the Main Mask is attached to
const int whiteConnect = 1;       // pin that the White Mask attached to
const int orangeConnect = 3;       // pin that the Orange Mask attached to
const int greenConnect = 5;       // pin that the Green Mask attached to
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop()
{
  if (maskConnect == whiteConnect)
  {
    digitalWrite(white, HIGH);
  }
  else {
    digitalWrite(white,LOW);
  }

  if (maskConnect == greenConnect)
  {
  digitalWrite(green, HIGH);
  delay(600);
  digitalWrite(green, LOW);
  delay(600);
  }
  else {
  digitalWrite(green,LOW);
  }

  if (maskConnect == orangeConnect)
  {
  randNumber = random (50, 250);
  digitalWrite(orange, HIGH);
  delay(randNumber);
  digitalWrite(orange, LOW);
  delay(randNumber);
  }
  else {
    digitalWrite(orange,LOW);
  }
}

Here is a code I tried when troubleshooting:

/*
  DigitalReadSerial
 Reads a digital input on pin 2, prints the result to the serial monitor

 This example code is in the public domain.
 */

// digital pin 2 has a pushbutton attached to it. Give it a name:
int pushButton = 3;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {
  // initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second:
  Serial.begin(9600);
  // make the pushbutton's pin an input:
  pinMode(pushButton, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(pushButton, HIGH);
}
// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  // read the input pin:
  int buttonState = digitalRead(pushButton);
  // print out the state of the button:
  Serial.println(buttonState);
  delay(10);        // delay in between reads for stability
}

Circuit Trials

Here is the circuit based on the layout drawing:

The board closer:

There were a few issues, here is the new attempt at a redesign:

Here is the board it will be attached to:

Here is the circuit all put together:

Here is how the circuit is supposed to work with the copper connecting:

The main mask:

One of the persona masks:

The copper connections on the masks wouldn't work. Wasn't sure if it was the physical aspects or the code when troubleshooting. Tried doing it differently by taking them off the mask and creating small fingertip sized copper plates to manipulate in my hand. However this wouldn't work either.

Here is the circuit that I when with when presenting:

Making it Work

Here is the EL wire hooked up and responding to a program as well as being powered by USB and by battery power:

Here is how the inverter is connected to the GND and to the TRIACs:

 Here is how the inverter is connected to the EL wire:

Problem:

"By daisy-chaining the TRIACs together we can use one inverter, but it also connects the pins together, so when we program for PIN 9, we are actually activating PINS 9, 11 and 13 together, so all three EL wires will come on anyway"

Goal:

"Run the 3 wires separately off one inverter" We know it is possible, we just need to figure out how to wire it.