Finally, I built the final prototyping of the device for interactive music listening.
And, here is the manual for this device.
The difference between Milestone 3 and final one are that smaller circuit size and form which is more fit-table to wear. In the sound effect and feedback side, I wanted to bring more interactive situation with such as [Bonk~] and beat detector. However, the result brings too much editing to the original music, so I didn’t add to the final show.
Implementation
Slightly before the due of Milestone 3, I finished to archive 2 goals : to make changeable form and bring more participatory listening interactions.
I have used many parts and technologies for making this like below list.
Hardware :
RN-52 Bluetooth audio module, Arduino pro mini 5v, Thumb Joystick, Transducer
Software :
Pure data with call response, time scratching and audio effects functions with a Arduino scratch
Physical shape :
3D printing with PLA (Based on Socket and joint structure)
In this project, I wanted to bring an unusual device to give a sign to user like that ‘hey, you will have an unexpected situation. please, be ready like in Disneyland’ as SETTING. And then, I mapped joystick and Surface Transducer together, so when people want to hear something with this device, their hands are naturally positioned for controlling a joystick and they will hear customized sound without training because its controlling system is intuitive and easy to use and it provides true feedbacks as EASY MAPPING and FEEDBACK. I just hope that these things should work together and be vivid experience to users totally, but here are many questions.
Future plan
First of all, I like to make an more attractive and wearable physical form, make a small size add more music applications such as adding one more beat layer automatically.
to make a shape and circuit
After making the connection of bluetooth, I have worked to make a shape and circuit. For building the shape, I have to decide how to hold and change between a headphone and speaker shape because my previous shape has a potential to be changeable, but it’s not enough to hold a headphone unit without a support. However, one labmate gave a hint to use a joint and socket structure and I did it with Makerbot 3D printer.
And, then I made a quick and dirty shape not for final first because I have to wait some parts from Sparkfun for making the final circuit and I wanted to test and measure how I can deploy parts into the shape.
Until, now, I have a serious problem about unstable datas from analog sensors because the circuit structure requires a little complexity and I don’t have enough experience. So, probably, in this week, before making final version, I have to make sure this issue.
Appendix.
I have tried many types of sensors as the input part such with a Potentiometer and joystick and touch pad. During this process, what I found is that every sensors bring different situations and responses from users. For example, Joy stick causes more an active interaction than others and touch pad seems more like a play and stop button although both have much more freedom than a potentiometer.
My first milestone of ‘white beatles’ is that making bluetooth connection which contains not only a data stream also an audio. You can check the success in the this youtube.
Actually, trying bluetooth connection with OSX is not easy job because there are not many kinds tutorials about how to add a communication port with new device that is the key part of the success. So, I have tried to test and find not exact tutorials for my new released RN-52 bluetooth board but related tutorials like for RN-42 and other serial communication technologies. However, here is a nice blog posting and it will be good for a beginner like me.
www.whizzosoftware.com/forums/blog/1/entry-48-bluesmirf-silver-bluetooth-modem-and-mac-os-x/
Also, I like to mention RN-52 manual link too. This small chip is very useful because it support audio and data streaming at the same time and it contains a mp3 codec chip and an audio amp.
ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/rn-bt-audio-ug-2.0r.pdf
“White beatles” project is for making a variable shape to bring the new type of musical experience and interactions. It will have two main changes and functions.
First, the form of this will have flexibility and inflexibility both by the special structure, the longitudinal-Transverse Hinges (Yuichiro katsumoto and Satoru Tokuhisa & Inakage Inakage 2013). With this structure, user can switch from inflexible to flexible form such as from a 16 inch straight bar to a bracelet for woman’s wrist. This special structure also become the switch for different function modes such as a headphone mode to activate headphone units or a speaker unit that produce different amounts of volume and a way to deliver sound privately and publicly.
Second, we believe this new form could hold new types of musical interactions like a famous old saying ‘new wine in old bottles’. We like to bring Active and Playful listening interaction mainly. With this option, a user can get a chance to explore sound space like that a user can hear more and loud guitar sound when they move their mobile device to virtual guitar position. Also, a user can edit and modify sound by simple tangible interfaces. For example, when they press some buttons and pads in this devices, they will hear more bass boom sound, compressed and time stretching sound. We assume that it could be seemed as the instagram App for music, easy editing tool for music.
Here are our plan and some experiments examples. Basically, we are planning to make a real product for the consumer market.
