When navigating around a new city, it can sometimes be difficult to locate a bar or coffee shop. Those looking for an alternative of whipping out their smartphone should check out this recent project from a bunch of students at the Copenhagen Insititute of Interaction Design. Pilgrim is a compass that provides a tangible interface for discovery without a digital screen, but instead by magnetically pointing people in the direction of their desired place, sourcing data directly from the Yelp API.
“During the experience of searching for a new place, people are overwhelmed by too many options, losing the element of surprise. The metaphor of the compass is used as a return to the past – a sailor’s journey, which was characterized by the feeling of fate and lack of control, leading to an eventual unexpected discovery,” the CIID team writes.
First, users select a category with a dial below the compass, which clicks to send out data. The proximity to the destination is then indicated by lights around the outside of the compass that illuminate one at a time as the person gets closer to the cafe, restaurant or whatever other establishment they’re seeking.
Once a category selection is received via clicking the dial, the code queries the Yelp API to return the coordinates of the best matched result to Pilgrim. From there, the magnetic needle turns an angle relative to the user’s current position, replacing magnetic north with coordinates of the destination.
Pilgrim is programmed using an Arduino MKR1000 (SAM W25) which which connects the compass to the Internet. What’s more, Pilgrim employs a magnetometer and accelerometer for the directions, a stepper motor with an H-bridge, and a rotary encoder for the dial.
According to the team, future upgrades may include rating the establishment using a scroll wheel along the side of the compass. Until then, you can head over to the project’s page to learn more.
