4th April – Presentations

Lecture

In the lecture today we discussed ways in which you can document the process if our projects so that we know the aspects of development that have occurred throughout our projects. We discussed there categories:

  • Visual (videos, pictures and diagrams)
  • Written (Blog posts, publications and lab notes)
  • Code repo (GitHub blog posts)
  • Quantitative and qualitative data (Excel spreadsheets)

Lab

Today we all completed a 10 minute presentation of how far we have come with our projects so far and explained any aspects that we still needed to complete. We all then graded each other on four different aspects of our presentations which included:

  • Clarity
  • Complexity
  • Aesthetics
  • functionality

Those of us that have managed to get sound to work with our projects have shown how they can be used. Below I have included the slides for my presentation so that you can see the progress that I have made with my Arduino project. In the presentation slides there is also a video of my project so far and the issues that I have been faced with.

Although I am having an issue with the fact that the code is struggling to work with my project, after meeting with my peers today I see where the issue is and how I can change my code so that it works successfully.

It is also interesting to see how far we have all come with our projects individually as we have all been given the same brief but chosen to approach it differently.

28/03/22 Lab & Seminar Blog Post

During this mornings session, we watched and gave feedback on a great presentation by Dr. Rebecca Stewart, based around electronic music interfaces, primarily using unconventional materials like fabrics or textiles. It was very helpful to see and witness how one can experiment with somewhat traditionally sourced materials.

This is a screenshot of one of the projects featured within the presentation, by Afroditi Psarra

In the lab session, we revised last weeks topics and began working towards our final projects independently. I personally tried to resolve some software issues I am having with MAX/MSP but they are persisting which is causing me great frustration. I am at this stage considering switching to Pure-Data instead, before I am too far into this project and I cannot change program as I have committed too much time into one software.

21/03/22 Lab and Seminar Blog

In this morning’s session, Tolu gave a great presentation on some projects that inspire his project and gave a great insight into his thought process into how he decided his final project.

For the lab session, we began with a recap of last week which we then followed by an informative session around remote access of the DMU computers which in turn gives us access to software such as SolidWorks which is a material design/3d printing and construction software that will be crucial for us to

A Screenshot of a half sphere created within SolidWorks

The second phase of the lab was spent checking fitting within the enclosure and trying to work out creative ways in which I can get the most out of my circuit and make it a unique, interesting project.

21st March – working with SOLIDWORKS

Lecture

Today one Tolu presented his presentation about the ideas that he had for his project and spoke about how far he’d come with his project already. We also watched a short video about someone who had produced a similar project to our own final pieces. It was interesting to see someone else’s take on the project that we are facing.

Lab

In the lab we looked at the progress that each of us had made in regards to our projects and gained any materials that we needed. We were introduced to the software called SOLIDWORKS that can be used in order to create 2D and 3D designs for your work. Below is an image of me experimenting with this software but as we have a limited time slot for the lesson I decided to use Word to create a simple design.

This is a picture of me working with SOLIDWORKS in the class.

I think that using this piece of software when creating 3D models to print would be very useful as you ca see your piece in multiple dimensions however I think that I would have to practice with this software many times to truly understand how I can create my vision.

As you can see below, I have decided to make my model template using Word as I will be producing the case for my final piece myself by using plastic and tools.

This is the very simple model that I made during the lesson to visualize what I am trying to create for my final piece.

I found today useful as I gained knowledge of another piece of software that I can use for any designing that I wanted to do for my project. It was also interesting to use VM Horizon as this allows you to access the university computers from home which I hadn’t used before.

Week 24 – 14th March (presentations)

Lecture

Today we presented our presentations about Arduino projects that have helped give us ideas towards our own. This was a timed presentation that was 15 – 20 minutes and everyone in the class gave feedback on how the presentation was completed as well as the criteria that they had completed their project up to. It was interesting to gain feedback from those in the class as we completed these presentations on our own and needed ways in which we could improve them. It was also captivating to see how other people had done their presentations and the ideas that they had for their own projects as we all have very different ideas about the projects that we wish to complete.

This is one of the instruments that I looked at during my presentation and it is the instrument that has had the most influence on my final piece in total.

https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/Barqunics/paper-piano-with-arduino-e27da7?ref=tag&ref_id=piano&offset=1

Lab

We took a tour of the mechanical workshop to see what machines they had available and the kinds of projects that they were producing. It was interesting to see a completely different department compared to the one that we are usually situated.

This is an image of a laser cutter that is similar to the one that is in the mechanical workshop – the secret to clean laser cutting: Designing a better laser nozzle using 3D-printing – Nervous System blog (n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com)
  1. What is the mechanical workshop?

The mechanical workshop is a room that has multiple different pieces of equipment inside it that can be used to make various different projects that include making physical things.

2. Who are the contact persons?

3. When can you go?

The timetable is on the back of the door of the workshop room.

4. Where is it located?

In Queens at the back of the building near the very end.

5. Why you should go?

You should go to develop any project that you have decided to create to add originality and a creative fare to it.

6. How are you planning to use the mechanical workshop concerning your project?

I may decided to use the mechanical workshop in my project as I’d like to create a mini piano that look realistic. This would mean that I could laser cut pieces of the piano such as the keys. However, I don’t know have access to one of these machines so visiting the mechanical workshop would be necessary.

Conclusion

In conclusion it was interesting to see the various pieces of equipment that they had available to use as I wasn’t aware that the department existed. They had various models of planes and cars which was interesting to see as there are many different options that you can make. It has allowed to to see that I can create a much more interesting instrument that I first thought and I think that it will look more professional in total.

14/03/22 Seminar Presentations

In todays seminar session, Jade and I presented some projects that inspire us in our own work. Jade gave a very in-depth presentation upon 3 projects, each with a unique take on a similar concept but executed to different level of complexity. Jade explained the code portion of the projects in a much greater detail than my own presentation and it is clear to me that I need to expand my understanding of the coding and how that controls the different parameters.

For my own project, I was less in-depth with specific design components but had an overarching theme of trying to do more with the same design of circuit, by changing just the software.

Here is a demonstrational video I used within my presentation, demonstrating the use of an mpu6050 Gyroscope and 3 axis accelerometer with a GUI toy plane representing the X,Y, & Z data.

MATD3039 – Digital Oscillators (7th February 2022)

Lecture

In the lecture we spoke about the different ways that you can use an Arduino board to expand simple projects into more complex ones. We looked at different sensors and in particular I looked at a force sensitive resistor.

The link for this image of a FSR – Force-Sensing-Resistor.jpg (1847×1114) (elprocus.com)

Lab

We began the lab by using code for the Arduino that allowed for a sine tone to be created using a small speaker. The circuit that was used is included below and this is followed by the code that allowed us to create a sine tone with breaks in between.

//A sketch to demonstrate the tone() function
//Specify digital pin on the Arduino that the positive lead of piezo buzzer is attached.
const int piezoPin = 8;
void setup() {
}//close setup
void loop() {
/*Tone needs 2 arguments, but can take three
1) Pin#
2) Frequency - this is in hertz (cycles per second) which
determines the pitch of the noise made
3) Duration - how long the tone plays
*/
tone(piezoPin, 450);
delay(500);
noTone(piezoPin);
delay(500);
}

The Arduino board and breadboard that were included in my circuit.

We went through many other commands that you can add to the code in order to create more advanced melodies. We made our own code that ascend up to a specific note and then decrease to another. The code included below is just that.

//A sketch to demonstrate the tone() function
//Specify digital pin on the Arduino that the positive lead of piezo buzzer is attached.
const int piezoPin = 8;
void setup() {
}//close setup
void loop() {
/*Tone needs 2 arguments, but can take three
1) Pin#
2) Frequency - this is in hertz (cycles per second) which
determines the pitch of the noise made
3) Duration - how long the tone plays
*/
for (int i=31; i<10000; i++) {
tone(piezoPin, i, 1000);
delay(10);
}

for (int i=10000; i>700; i--) {
tone(piezoPin, i, 10000);
delay(10);

}
}

Digital Oscillator

Above is the circuit that I created for the digital oscillator.

Code for digital oscillator

//CODE DigitalOSC
const int ledPin = 13; //variable to represent LED Pin
const int periodKnob = A0; //variable for knob pin (A0 = analog in pin 0)
int delayTime; //variable for the delay time
void setup() {
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); //configure pin 13 as a digital output
}
void loop() {
//set delay time equal to the current value read on analog pin 0
delayTime = analogRead(periodKnob);
//map the analog read range from 0-1023 to 10000-1
//delayTime = map(delayTime, 0, 1023, 10000, 1);
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); //set pin 13 to 5 volts
delayMicroseconds(delayTime); //pause program
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); //set pin 13 to 0 volts
delayMicroseconds(delayTime); //pause program
}
//

Sensors and actuators 2

Objectives

In this session, we will investigate how to add complexity to a circuit (e.g. increasing the number of sensors, complex sensors, talking to the cloud, talking to RPi) and will discuss the initial ideas of your project.

Task 1.

We are provided with the following essential sensor kit: https://www.kiwi-electronics.nl/nl/ sparkfun-essential-sensor-kit-2480.
Pick one complex sensor and explain how it works as well as what are the potential musical possibilities.

Hall Effect Sensor

The Hall-effect Sensor is able to distinguish between the positive and negative charge moving in the opposite direction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect_sensor

Hall Effect Sensor and How Magnets Make It Works
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.electronics-tutorials.ws%2Felectromagnetism%2Fhall-effect.html&psig=AOvVaw2iZ12KypOlnoGKaKhu8Bf2&ust=1644314198576000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwis1vTuqe31AhWE_bsIHb-oAnUQjhx6BAgAEAo

Advanced Musical Electronics – 24th Jan Jade Holland

Lecture

Today we began by looking at the different types of sensors and actuators in the lecture.

A sensor – is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or any one of a great number of other environmental phenomena. 

Lab

In the lab we used an Arduino to connect a push button and an LED together which would allow the button when pressed to switch on the LED, this then progressed into allowing the led to fade in and out.

Code

Below is the code used from the lab that allowed for the button to switch on the LED and keep it switched on until the button was pressed again.

const int LED = 13; // the pin for the LED
const int BUTTON = 7; // the input pin where the
// pushbutton is connected
int val = 0; // val will be used to store the state
// of the input pin
int state = 0; // 0 = LED off while 1 = LED on
void setup() {
pinMode(LED, OUTPUT); // tell Arduino LED is an output
pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT); // and BUTTON is an input
}
void loop(){
val = digitalRead(BUTTON); // read input value and store it
// check if the input is HIGH (button pressed)
// and change the state
if (val == HIGH) {
state = 1 - state;
}
if (state == 1) {
digitalWrite(LED, HIGH); // turn LED ON
} else {
digitalWrite(LED, LOW);
}
}

Arduino button switching on/off the LED

Below is a website that I have included that walks through a similar tutorial like the one completed today in the lab.

Arduino LED – Complete Tutorial – The Robotics Back-End (roboticsbackend.com)

There were several versions of the same code but all of them had different improvements as it was found that as the Arduino runs quicker than the time it takes for a human to press the button, it would sometimes flicker. Altering the code allowed for the Arduino to have time to process so now no flickering would occur with the LED.

Controlling light with pulse-width modulation

We then coded the Arduino board to allow an LED light to fade the light from high to low using this code below.

// Fade an LED in and out, like on a sleeping Apple computer
const int LED = 9; // the pin for the LED
int i = 0; // We'll use this to count up and down
void setup() {
pinMode(LED, OUTPUT); // tell Arduino LED is an output
}
void loop(){
for (i = 0; i < 255; i++) { // loop from 0 to 254 (fade in)

analogWrite(LED, i); // set the LED brightness

delay(10); // Wait 10ms because analogWrite // is instantaneous and we would // not see any change }

for (i = 255; i > 0; i--) { // loop from 255 to 1 (fade out)
analogWrite(LED, i); // set the LED brightness
delay(10); // Wait 10ms
}
}