A water balloon instrument was created, with special attention given to the
element of interaction. Because instructions were given to create a project from every day household objects, it was deemed important to use materials that would be inviting to touch and interact with in a new and explorative way. This project works by touching the water balloons with either a light touch or by groping or tapping the skin of the balloon which results in a sound of varying frequency depending on which balloon is being touched. The sensitivity is such that the user is not required to entirely touch the balloon to create a sound, but is still hopefully drawn to interact with the water balloon because of the satisfying feel and squishiness of the water within the balloon. Due to the conductivity of water, the balloon acts as a container, and the thin membrane separates the water from the glass jar.
Wire leads are woven through the opening of the balloon, to act as a connection between the Arduino and the conductive water. When the balloon is therefore touched, your body is acting as a ground, which results in the completion of the circuit with a sound being produced from the speaker. The speaker itself is submerged in water, protected by a small plastic bag, in order to continue the theme of water submersion, and to produce a less jarring sound. This was done with two separate speakers, which each produce a different sound and volume. The balloons themselves act as the sensors, which is activated purely by a simple touch. It was important to create a simple interaction, as the material and object itself is so inviting and interactive, and the focus is thus allowed to be purely upon this action.
