Designing electronic instruments - 2

Following on from this post.

On Monday we met to discuss the first prototypes of the two instruments we wanted to explore as detailed in the previous post. 

The Filter Box

We took a look at the first Filter Box prototype as seen in the pictures below which was set-up in a temporary box for testing of the sensors. I bought several small wooden boxes to try for size, shape, and general ergonomic-ness when holding, and to enable discussions as to what might be good features and functionality to have in the box. 

Our idea was to create a wireless filter box. I wanted to use some of the nrf240l1 radio modules I have acquired as they provide a very cheap mechanism for wireless communication, and there are lots resources available to make them work with Arduino. A detailed tutorial on using Arduino + Nrf24l01 running into Max/MSP software can be found on my website here. 

Discussing the box!

We discussed:

The wooden boxes I had purchased and selected a small oval shaped one as the best shape and size to fit in the hand. 

Buttons- having some (x2) to enable more functionality- options included click buttons that would provide tactile feedback when depressed or valve style that would more naturally mimic an interaction with an instrument such as a trumpet, like a valve, these would give feedback not as obviously as a click but more suited the instrument paradigm. 

Adding a force sensitive resistor (FSR) that could then be pressed harder or softer to achieve some of the effects you would with other instruments such as when fretting a guitar, and allow expression through fingertip movement and pressure of the hand on the box. The mapping of the FSR could then be naturally connected to something like the amplitude of the sound so when pressed harder the sound would be louder, again going with what a player might naturally expect from an interaction of that style. 

Light dependent resistor (LDR) this worked well as a mechanism to control some sort of filter, or for example the mute of a trumpet, the cutoff frequency of the sound or the volume. This is taking the movement of the opening and connecting it to any kind of parameter that might need fine movement and can be used to get effects like vibrato and tremolo. A parallel can also be drawn between something like scratching (dj style) by opening and closing the lid, and when connected to a filter controlling some element of feedback, using noise as the sound generator. We had a little play with using the light dependent resistor to control the cutoff frequency on a filter over sounds and using the motion to trigger MIDI notes but felt that the latter did not really play into the strengths of the opening and closing of the box as much as the controlling of an effect. 

The aim with the filter box was to create something that when held in a natural position would allow access to the 2 buttons and the FSR as well as facilitating the opening and closing of the lid so that the elements could be used in conjunction with each other and separately in an ergonomic way. 

The Pressure Box

We discussed the pressure box and using an array of piezos arranged around the bottom of the circular wooden box to create 8 potential pressure points. The Arduino pro mini we are using in the instruments allows for 8 analogue inputs so would suit this set-up. The box can then be filled with foam and topped with a soft tactile yet spongy material such as neoprene, or potentially some sort of skin stretched over the top in the style of a tambourine and secured down with pins. Being that the piezos are very sensitive to vibration there may be some cross talk between the 8 units but this could provide useful for expression. The sensitivity of the piezos allows for tapping the box to trigger or modulate the sound also. 

Future boxes

The hexagonal box though not used yet could potentially feature a new mode of interaction for each of its faces to allow a player to choose their preferred interaction mode and mechanism, this may be one for future exploration.

Next Steps

I will now review what we have discussed and implement them into some more prototypes! 

Underfoot Show - Threeways School, Bath

 Last week we had the "AboutNOWish" team come in to perform their interactive sound and movement piece "Underfoot" at Threeways. They took over the Sensory Studio for three days and worked with several students and I can not praise their work highly enough. Not only were the students inspired and very obviously joyfully engaged, but the staff too. Since the departure of the team the school has been buzzing with people collaborating to build on that creative energy and replicate some of the fantastic work that went on. 

 The piece made use of 3 large pieces of layered textural matting (grass, pink squashy matts and blue fluff), 3 dancers, a musician/technician, some underfloor bespoke pressure sensors and custom built software (made in Supercollider). Each texture had its own sound/music and movements and between each the flooring was rolled back to reveal the next layer. The dancers used intensive interaction techniques with plenty of individual attention and eye/body contact to encourage the students to join in with the movements, no talking was used. The students responded magnificently, even some with quite challenging behaviour, and were obviously very engaged. The musician/technician supported with large whistle and saxophone accompanied by a subtle electronic soundtrack managed by the software and a discrete controller. Some electronic sounds triggered by the sensors provided a nice random element to the sound too. The instrument playing also became part of the performance as the musician moved onto the mat and interacted with students and did a very good job of playing with a child's arm down the front of the saxophone on several occasions. This type of use of resonant surfaces for tactile sensations often has a great effect on several of our students. 

 The technology employed was inspired in its subtlety, effectiveness and flexibility. Although the sensors provided a great element to the piece, the students were mostly unaware of their existence. The electronic music was subtle and provided a great backing, mood and depth for the live playing that was going on and I felt that had the technology crashed then the piece could have still carried on without major issue. The team seemed well practiced in getting in and out of installations and the kit seems robust and quick to set up.  For its use at Threeways in the Studio we decided to patch it into the lighting so that the pressure sensors could also control spots of light over the sensors which was nice to explore. 

 The team were a lovely bunch of people and very sensitive to the needs of the school, I would highly recommend this performance and indeed we hope to find another opportunity to work with them again. We have received many testimonials from staff and parents as to the effectiveness of the sessions. 

Working with eTextiles

eTextile quick demo from Luke Woodbury on Vimeo.

Today at Threeways School we met with some Bath Spa University art students to discuss a project that looks to explore eTextiles. We will be working towards an installation that will be explored by the children and young people at Threeways in the Sensory Studio in March. I wanted to rig up a demo that made use of conductive thread and a micro controller designed for wearable projects so I ordered an Adafruit Gemma (essentially a wearable Arduino) and some sewable Neopixels and went on the fantastic Adafruit website to look at the wearable projects for inspiration. 

I found this tutorial for a pixie dust bag which would require minimal sewing and would be easy to put together for a demo. I only had 4 flora LED pixels, but I figured this would be fine. I also didn't want to use a capacitive sensor, but instead wanted users to have to squeeze the bag to change colour. The bag can be held in the hand and it is good dextrous exercise for some of our students to squeeze objects like this so was a nice example. I could have used a force sensor, or made one from velostat, but I opted for using a piezo as it is cheap and ready to use. One of the Arduino examples in the 'Sensors' section is for a knock sensor using a piezo, this would be the basis of my input and I simply needed to swap out the capacitive sensor input and put this in. As the example code says, the circuit is simple too: 
    * + connection of the piezo attached to analog in 0
    * - connection of the piezo attached to ground
    * 1-megohm resistor attached from analog in 0 to ground

Parts:

Adafruit Gemma - £7.26

Flora RGB Neopixels - £7.19

Conductive Thread - £3.88 (you can use wires instead to be honest and it would be easier and cheaper if like me you prefer soldering to sewing! As long as you use flexible wire and avoid brittle single core stuff it should last for a while, though may end up snapping eventually.)

Small Piezo - £1.36

A small Lithium Ion Battery - £7.22 (you will need a special LiPo charger too, beware that chargers are often aimed at either above or below 500mAh batteries, though may be adaptable. Check your battery and match it to something suitable.)

1 megaohm resistor

Some cushion foam and a cotton drawstring bag

Total cost is around £20 

Circuit:

The parts were assembled between rectangles of the cushion foam with the LEDs stitched into the middle layer. The piezo element was covered in electrical tape to stop the metal touching the conductive thread (remember it is pretty much like bare wire so don't let it touch things it shouldn't!), and layered underneath the battery and Gemma board. The final assembly was then put into a little cotton bag. 

I made sure to use crocodile clip test leads to check the hardware before I wired it up for real and tested each component as it was sewn in. The thread I used really needed clear nail varnish painting on the knots as soon as you have tied it off to stop them coming undone, but the one I have linked above says it is rough so ties up better. You could also stuff the bag with something smelly and maybe a vibration motor for a true multi sensory experience!

Final code:

//Luke Woodbury 4/11/15 dotLib.org
//Use Piezo as pressure sensor inside squashy foam filled bag
//to trigger colour change in LED animation
//Code based on:
// - NeoPixie Dust Bag by John Edgar Park jpixl.net
// - Adafruit GEMMA earring code and Adafruit NeoPixel buttoncycler code
// - Arduino knock sensor example



#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>  //Include the NeoPixel library

#define NEO_PIN 1        // DIGITAL IO pin for NeoPixel OUTPUT from GEMMA
#define PIXEL_COUNT 4   // Number of NeoPixels connected to GEMMA
#define DELAY_MILLIS 10  // delay between blinks, smaller numbers are faster 
#define DELAY_MULT 8     // Randomization multiplier on the delay speed of the effect
#define BRIGHT 100        // Brightness of the pixels, max is 255

// Parameter 1 = number of pixels in strip
// Parameter 2 = pin number on Arduino (most are valid)
// Parameter 3 = pixel type flags, add together as needed:
//   NEO_RGB     Pixels are wired for RGB bitstream (v1 FLORA pixels, not v2)
//   NEO_GRB     Pixels are wired for GRB bitstream, correct for neopixel stick (most NeoPixel products)
//   NEO_KHZ400  400 KHz bitstream (e.g. FLORA pixels)
//   NEO_KHZ800  800 KHz bitstream (e.g. High Density LED strip), correct for neopixel stick
Adafruit_NeoPixel pixels = Adafruit_NeoPixel(PIXEL_COUNT, NEO_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

//Piezo bits
#define knockSensor 1 // the piezo is connected to analog pin 1
const int threshold = 50;  // threshold value to decide when the detected sound is a knock or not
int sensorReading = 0;      // variable to store the value read from the sensor pin

int showColor = 0;    //color mode for cycling

void setup() {
  pixels.begin();
  pixels.setBrightness(BRIGHT);
  pixels.show();                //Set all pixels to "off"

  //pinMode(knockSensor, INPUT);
}


void loop() {
   
  int RColor = 100; //color (0-255) values to be set by cylcing touch switch, initially GOLD
  int GColor = 0 ;
  int BColor = 0 ;
  
       if (showColor==0) {//Garden PINK
         RColor = 242;
         GColor = 90;
         BColor = 255; 
       }
       if (showColor==1) {//Pixie GOLD
         RColor = 255;
         GColor = 222;
         BColor = 30; 
       }
       if (showColor==2) {//Alchemy BLUE
         RColor = 50;
         GColor = 255;
         BColor = 255; 
       }
       if (showColor==3) {//Animal ORANGE
         RColor = 255;
         GColor = 100;
         BColor = 0; 
       }
       if (showColor==4) {//Tinker GREEN
         RColor = 0;
         GColor = 255;
         BColor = 40; 
       }
  
  //sparkling
  int p = random(PIXEL_COUNT); //select a random pixel
  pixels.setPixelColor(p,RColor,GColor,BColor); //color value comes from cycling state of momentary switch
  pixels.show();
  delay(DELAY_MILLIS * random(DELAY_MULT) ); //delay value randomized to up to DELAY_MULT times longer
  pixels.setPixelColor(p, RColor/10, GColor/10, BColor/10); //set to a dimmed version of the state color
  pixels.show();
  pixels.setPixelColor(p+1, RColor/15, GColor/15, BColor/15); //set a neighbor pixel to an even dimmer value
  pixels.show();

  //piezo check
   // read the sensor and store it in the variable sensorReading:
  sensorReading = analogRead(knockSensor);

  // if the sensor reading is greater than the threshold:
  if (sensorReading >= threshold) {
      showColor++;
      if (showColor > 4)
        showColor=0;
       }   
  }

Designing electronic instruments

At Dotlib we are always looking for new and interesting ways to interact with sound. We have been developing some ideas for new instruments for the electronic orchestra at Threeways School that allow people to play with sound whilst following a few design rules, what we want is:

• A focus on natural interaction, i.e. form affirms function and in this vein we talked about the opening and closing of a box to control a filter
• Instruments that do not involve pressing on flat glass like a tablet screen, we want something more tangible
• Preferably some local feedback in the form of vibration
• Objects that are nice to hold and feel, perhaps finished in wood with a nice varnish like a traditional stringed instrument
• As we need to focus on accessibility we need to consider not depending on finger dexterity
• We want to provide an instrument that really offers a chance for the player to express them self
• We need to tread the line with offering the user control over the creative process, whilst enabling the orchestra as a whole to play cohesively - the real challenge!  

We have been looking at a couple of initial ideas for development in terms of the outer casing of the instruments and the inner gubbins that make it work. They are the ‘filter box’ and the ‘pressure box’.

Filter Box

 A box that can sense how much it is open and link to a filter in an electronic instrument. 

A nice wooden box with a hinged lid that operates very smoothly. We have been looking at what type of box might be suitable and hinges that are robust and pleasing to open, and also what kind of sensor components would give the right kind of response. Thoughts so far include:

• LDR (light dependent resistor) on the inside so that as the lid is opened, the amount of light hitting the sensor changes the filter, this is a affordable option as this component is cheap to purchase but the problem comes when trying to calibrate the sensor as ambient light levels can change  during a performance and in different environments. 
• Flex sensor against the inside of the lid so that as the lid is closed the flex sensor is compressed. Flex sensors cost around £7 each so not as affordable as the LDR but does not have to be calibrated as they should always give the same reading. Homemade flex sensors can be made extremely cheaply as seen in this instructable, we have some ready made from a previous project that we will trial in this instrument which follow a similar set-up but use anti-static foam at the centre.
• Stretch sensor attached between the bottom and the lid of the box, this would give readings when stretched open and could be used as a nice string to pull the lid closed to give tactile feedback. 
• Magnet on the lid and hall effect sensor inside so that as the magnet moves away the sensor returns to the base value. 

We will have to do some small prototypes to figure out the cheapest and best way to create this box!

Pressure Box

A deformable surface, think tambourine but with a stretchy skin that can then be pushed into to create or manipulate sound. There are a couple of places the inspiration for this has come from, the first is the pads on the Alphasphere and the second is the Firewall. We are still looking to have the wooden outer to hold but perhaps in a circular shape. Options for the sensor include:

• Electronic force sensor
• Air pressure sensor (this would require a sealed box)
• Cheap DIY force sensor
• Distance sensor placed underneath the skin

We will be developing and testing from these initial ideas and will connect those blog posts related to that to here so you can keep up to date with the progress on these new instruments for musical expression!

Art Installation - Threeways School, Bath

This week saw an art installation in the Sensory Studio at Threeways School. This was a collaboration between degree art students at Bath Spa University and Threeways secondary students under Lucy Knibb's direction. We helped with the formation and installation of the piece and added a few electronics and lighting. We also used the surround speaker and projection system in the studio to rotate some audio recordings and visuals of the creation of the piece.

This was a great project to be part of and the students involved were rightly very proud of the outcome. 

Vibrotactile Loop - Threeways School, Bath

At Threeways we made a vibrotactile loop that can be activated using an on-board switch or an external switch plugged in through a Jack port in the device. Pressing the button to activates the vibration which is provided by a motor housed in a synthetic rubber and PVC repurposed from a massage tube. We had this tube spare after using the caps from it to fix 2 other massage tubes and thought it would be a shame to waste it, so the vibrotactile loop was born. This packs quite a punch and is a great tactile sensory tool. 

The last image in the grid above is the Fritzing plan for the simple electronic set-up inside the main box. The components we used were: 

Cool components big button. LED that came with the button. A 1/4 inch audio socket. A 3v regulator. A 9V battery clip with 9V battery, some wire and a piece of strip-board to connect it all up.

When using the 3v regulator be careful to check which pins are which before connecting. The motor requires 3v and the LED 12v so we used, as an in-between, a 9v battery with a regulator to allow 3v to go to the motor and the 9v to go straight to the LED. 

The Musii - Threeways School, Bath

Threeways purchased a Musii a little while back now and have had some great sessions with it. It has 3 inflatable prongs with built in distance sensors and LED lighting and makes musical sounds as you press them in. The software runs on a little built in Linux machine and it is all self contained with an amp and speaker inside meaning it also vibrates. I always find that sound needs to be local like this for a meaningful experience, rather than coming out of a speaker over there on a wall which can be a little abstract. Since we have had the unit it has been updated to make the sounds less discordant which has helped, but the only other issue we have had is access. Wheelchairs can not get very close to it, but the company are very open to critique and they are apparently looking at something more lap based. Personally, I'd love these to be coming directly out of the floor or the wall!

Coding Club - Threeways School, Bath

Today we ran our first lunch time code club! We had a good turn out of 8 or so students and had a look at using the 'Scratch' programming environment. We got the little cat character to move around as we pressed the arrow keys and then used the space bar to trigger a meow sound. Soon we had our cat running around, spinning and a chorus of 8 cats meowing furiously (much to the annoyance of the staff). Good stuff!

Scratch looks really interesting and you can do a lot with it, it has a great community, is graphical so is an easy entry point into programming (you join blocks together rather than typing in a window), and importantly you can use it with hardware too. For example I could use a light detector or a real life sensor/ control of some kind to control my code and vice versa, I could use the programme to control a real life motor or LED etc. 

3D Sound work - Threeways School, Bath

Today we worked with a PMLD class in the Threeways Sensory Studio using 3D sound. The studio is an egg shaped room with 12 speakers (3 high and 3 low on each side) and we have created some software that allows us to assign different sounds to each speaker and control the volumes via an iPad interface. There were some really interesting reactions and it is proving to be a useful tool.

OpenUp Youth Orchestra Project - Threeways School, Bath

Today at Threeways we met with Doug Bott from MUSE regarding the second phase of the OpenUp Youth Orchestra: http://www.museproject.co.uk/portfolio/openup-youth-orchestras/

Last year Threeways worked with Barry Farrimond and Katrin Reimers to form a 12 piece orchestra using a variety of acoustic, electronic and bespoke accessible instruments. In the summer our students performed along with others from Claremont School in Bristol and National Star College in Cheltenham at the Colston Hall in Bristol. The project was a great success and greatly enjoyed by all.

This year Threeways hope to work a bit more independently with a couple of 4 piece orchestras and may again perform in the summer, watch this space...

Pop Up Play- Embrace Arts 3 Day Workshop

DotLib took the Pop-Up-Play system to the Embrace Arts Centre in Leicester for a three-day workshop event run by Marianne Pape. The workshop aimed to use PUP to help a small group of home-educated children, aged 7-10, interact with the art exhibition in the gallery by Mark Hamilton.

Day one was spent unleashing the system on the children. They were introduced to the separate elements but descended into creative chaos when the Kinect part of PUP was activated. They immediately began interacting with the screen. This carried on for the rest of the morning with different children exploring the different functionality of the system, at times switching roles and directing each other regarding how they were using the system. They were using the webcam alongside physical props to mix digital and physical elements. There were some great interactions of children creating a maze in the afternoon. This involved a maze being drawn and then captured by the webcam operator, a player who moved the physical piece around the maze (Mario kart or army man), and a technologist to control the PUP system on the iPad. This gave the children the chance to really explore how they were going to use the different elements available and they were very forthcoming with ideas.

Day two moved to a different room. The idea of the mazes developed further as some of the children had made new mazes overnight, and they had also bought in objects from home. We also developed some new media to be added to the PUP system, both in terms of getting crafty, and taking photos of the exhibition to put in the system, alongside photos of the children’s items from home. The children started to think about how they could get their parents involved in the process and demonstrate, not only the system to them, but also all the content that they had created. They discussed bringing all the different content and created components together to form a game whilst getting to grips with the system. One of the things that was very impressive was their ability to master moving through different scales and with different setups, to highlight different media and extend the maps that had been created.

Day three saw a move back to the main hall and a final hunkering down of roles. The children had pre-selected which area they wanted to work in and assigned jobs to each other and themselves. Who would control the webcam, who would announce things, who would do sound effects and so on.  There were some rehearsals with the system and new jobs. We also loaded up all the new media for them to show their parents and incorporate into the games. The actual presentation went fantastic and the kids really owned the system and the content with very little input from us. The parents seem to really see the value in being able to contribute to the system. Whatever the preferred mode of interaction was for the child, the system provided an outlet for their creative ventures. It was a brilliant three days of straddling between the digital and physical world and exploring art and interactive lands.