How to Make Almost Anything > John's class Homepage > Final Project

 

Final Project

 

Legatos: “Legos” for Sound

Physical Modular Sound Blocks for sound and music

 

Overview:

 

The user will plug various blocks together using cables. The “end” block will plug into the serial port of a computer. The computer will poll the networked blocks to find their configuration. Based on the configuration of the blocks, the computer will create the resulting sounds and music.

 

Communication:

 

Blocks will communicate using UART (if easy calibration of multiple blocks is possible) or I2C (if asynchronous communication is too “iffy.” I like the idea of I2C because it means I don’t need calibrate chips. This might allow for cheaper implementation in the future.)

 

From the user’s perspective, blocks have multiple inputs signals and one output signal.  An output cannot be plugged into another output and vice versa. Internally communication goes both directions. Typical communication would proceed as follows:

 

  • The computer would query the “end” block by sending a signal to the block’s output jack.
  • Recursively, the “end” block would query the blocks connected to it.
  • Eventually, every block in the system would have been queried
    • Note: it is possible to have circular relationships.
  • When the querying reaches an end point i.e. a start block, the start block returns information to the block that queried it. Information would be:
    • An ID # representing what type of block it is
    • Parameter values if appropriate such as with
      • Sensor blocks
      • Knob and switch blocks
  • Upon receiving information from the block before it, each block in the network would:
    • Wait until it has received information about earlier blocks from all of its connected inputs
    • Send through its outputs:
      • Information it received on its inputs
      • what input it received this information on (so we know how previous blocks are networked to it.)
      • It’s own ID#, parameter values, etc.
      • Note: is there a way to do this without requiring memory storage internally w/in the block?
        • Does each block really have to wait to hear from all connected inputs before sending information from the blocks before it?
  • This recursive query/response would continue through the network until, eventually, the computer would receive a description consisting of each block’s ID, parameters, and how it is networked to the other blocks.

 

Block Types

 

There will be several different types of blocks:

  • Start blocks:
    • No input jacks
    • Knobs and switches: user dials parameters
      • 4 digit LED readout
      • switch has 3-position scale multiplier (x10, x100, x1000)
      • knob: mechanical encoder
      • PIC 18F2520? ATTINY26?
    • Sensors
      • Light, ultrasonic, etc.
      • Sends parameter values based on its readings.
    • Audio
      • Unsolved problem:
        • The audio HAS to come from the computer. So how does it appear to be plugged into the block while really being plugged into the computer?
      • Microphone, track loops, etc.
    • Unsolved problem: how do we remember the purpose of each start block? Can we mark them in some way?

 

  • Type “A”:
    • Standard block will make up the bulk of most of the blocks
    • Up to 3 inputs, each with its own jack
    • 1 output shared by 2 output jacks.
    • An ID code identifying what function it has
    • An ATTINY13 (or ATTINY11?) controlling the inputs, outputs, etc.
    • Block functions:
      • Sine wave
      • Logic ops (and, or, xor, not)
      • Arithmetic (+, -, /, *)
      • Mathematics (differential, integral, exponent, log)
      • Filters (high-pass, low-pass, band-pass, etc.)
      • Control: (if, compare, max, min)
      • Counter
  • Clone:
    • As many inputs as possible
    • One output shared by at least 2 jacks
    • Polls a network of blocks and assumes the same behavior as the network polled.
    • Allows for a way to internalize a network into one block --- necessary for complicated networks.
    • First prototype: better to upload the network into the computer, then download it to the clone block?
    • PIC18F2520?
    •  
  • Other types:
    • Sequencer?

 

  • Y adapters:
    • Branch one output into 2 etc.
    • This is just cabling.

 

Materials

 

Jacks:

  • USB Type A and Type B
    • Mouser: Kobiconn
      • 154-2742       $.52
      • 154-2442       $.58

 

  • Cables:
    • USB type A à B
      • Twstore.com  $1.00

 

  • Mechanical Encoders:
  • 4 digit LEDs
  • Switches
    • Capacitive plates good enough?
  • Microcontrollers:
    • Type “A”: ATTINY13, but design to be compatible with ATTINY11
    • Input “start” blocks: PIC18F2520
  • Miscellaneous
    • Basic components as found on an efe board.