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R. Stern | New Media Artist

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Chatter Pillow

Materials/Languages: Fabric, batting, yarn, PHP, electronic components including Arduino board, wireless chipset, and LEDs

Chatter uses the Plushie Message Framework (chatlog-parsing scripts) and Arduino to wirelessly send selected instant messages from your computer to a message pillow. Often times I leave my message client open just to get that "emotional check-in" or other brief snippet from a loved one, but I don't want messages from anyone else. With the Chatter Pillow, I just alter a few parameters in the script to filter all but three messages: "xo," "on my way," and "talk to me." That way I can be on the couch or ready for bed and still get the message. The pillow lights up the appropriate symbol.

Co-authored with Jonah Model.

This is an open source project; documentation is downloadable, and a Flickr set is available.

Press: Featured on the Make: Magazine blog and Engadget