Rat Tales

“Rat Tales” is a performative installation I created using an Arduino, slider potentiometer, servo, black bandana, and leather. This work is created in response to some encumbering experiences I had this summer as I began exploring different ‘scenes’ embedded in North Texas gay culture. This performance is specifically centered around my experiences at a leather bar; the subject of the photographs displayed in the video.

For the duration of the performance, I am blindfolded with a black bandana and sit in a dark, cramped closet. I use the slider potentiometer to control the leather rat-tail that emerges from the dark crack under the door. Significance can be found within the combination of the material, shape, and motion of the rat-tail.

 

 

/*
Will Taylor
Rat tail thats position is controlled by the slider sensor
*/

#include <Servo.h>

Servo ratTail; // servo to control the rat tail

int sliderPin = 0; // slider connected to A0
int val; // variable to read the value from the analog pin

void setup()
{
ratTail.attach(9); // attaches servo to pin9
}

void loop()
{
val = analogRead(sliderPin); // reads slider value
val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 180); // maps slider value to servo position between 0 and 180 degrees
ratTail.write(val); // sets the servo position according to the scaled value
delay(15); // waits for the servo to get there
}