I began by creating a base with canvas and form on which I can build out my mask and hide my circuitry. I worked with repurposed foam and canvas.
I also began experimenting with circuitry and pairing the flexinol with my fabric of choice to see how it behaves. First I used a very simple circuit to get the flexinol to move. Then, I added a switch to make sure I understood how to incorporate a button into my final design.
Next, I thought through how I would incorporate the circuitry into the mask and built out a base on the inside that would hold most of the components.
Once everything was secured, I measured out small bits of paper to see exactly where the circuitry components would have to sit in order for me to install the flexinol along the smile like I would like.
After meeting on Thursday to discuss my project, Liza gave me the idea to simplify my circuit design and make things a little less resource-intensive. The new circuit looks like this:
