As a part of Physical Computing module in DJCAD, we've been challenged to create an arduino-based product using Twitter, with specific electronic part used. I was in team with Leanne Fischler & Nicholas Deane and our part was a potentiometer.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/2862988a27a282b150ea9d7e_rw_600.jpg?h=19f389414c9ccfde04911246d0e233d8)
After a small discussion over a cup of tea, we decided to make that cup of tea quite integral to our project :). What if we could make people enjoy tea together over long-distance? Could we subtly and unobtrusively notify somebody at the other side of planet that you are having tea? I made some sketches for how might that device look, built from birch plywood suggested by Leanne.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/d5ff8f941930ed728f15109c_rw_1920.jpg?h=fdc7ecfba17b9851db8d864d54e8270a)
Then it was time for some good old woodwork. Drilling birch plywood is fun, at some point the circular drill attachment starts burning the wood a bit and producing lot of smoke. The box was then glued by PVA, which holds everything sturdily.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/b696e9ca6198bd151deec3c3_rw_1920.jpg?h=f25709ccaece54e6d0263f73ba3d9b11)
Leanne then made amazing tree illustrations with a bird (remember this project has to use twitter? :)).
She lasercuted them on three sides of the box which gave the Tweetea box great aeshetic value.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/7c989087af4594b9541a625f_rw_1920.jpg?h=c6a25864484c3189d77a4c0d36c3c438)
And there it was, a box connected to a macbook via USB cable, benefiting from Arduino microcontroller inside, which is linked with an app writen in Processing to be able to tweet a specific colour of Tea that you are drinking and tweet it, using a tweetea hashtag.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/08ab70788656347843914381_rw_1920.jpg?h=ee3b4f4378e85287dbda822e3ba8e3d3)
How to use Tweetea?
1) Brew yourself some tea
2) Tune-in to your tea's colour with our Tweetea knob™
3) Tweetea then tweets "I am having a pleasant green tea. #Tweetea"
4) Your friends using the same device will see their device glowing in the colour of your tea – since it detects your tweet :)
2) Tune-in to your tea's colour with our Tweetea knob™
3) Tweetea then tweets "I am having a pleasant green tea. #Tweetea"
4) Your friends using the same device will see their device glowing in the colour of your tea – since it detects your tweet :)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8f44f788d68e5ac5ae9c37fccce09724/f81d4614eca2aaafd476c151_rw_1920.jpg?h=52e52477272c573d28bd996bcf29575d)
This was a great project where I learned a lot about working together and got to know my great friend Leanne a bit more :)