shybones: September 2006

Friday, September 29, 2006

Optical Theremin

It is built and it works! The RS optical theremin (c. $20, without breadboard)... Here is the link to build it again... RS Optical Theremin

A working RS Optical Theremin.

A combo RS Optical Theremin running through a phaser effects pedal.

Here is a sample recording of the combination:
Sample 1

Thursday, September 28, 2006

casperelectronic

Circuit bending toys...

This site contains toys and other devices hacked by Pete Edwards... there are some schematics and step by step tutorials

Website:
casperelectronics.com

Bleep Labs

Thingamagoop!

Here are some strange sound devices that use light, oscillators, switches, etc. to create weid electronic sounds...

Some diagrams showing the device

Video link:
thingamagoop-sm.mov

Website:
www.bleeplabs.com

"Sound Modulated Light #1 is an environment of light and sound wherein sound is not present acoustically, but is radiated by light. Normal lamps connected to the electricity network flicker at an (almost) invisible frequency of 50 Hz. The latter can be seen as a carrier for a (rectified) 50 Hz sound. For the installation this signal is being replaced by different composed signals. Hence the lights function as sound carriers. The space consists of a multiple-light design where every light source has a double role: it is part of the light design and part of the sound design. The sound is modulated on top of the light by means of intensity modulation.

The visitors of the installation get a special hand-held device with light sensors, that makes the modulated light audible as sound on a headphone. In other words, a light receiver instead of a radio receiver. The balance between the different sounds depends on the intensity of the light 'picked up' by the receiver. By moving (the receiver) in space the different (combinations of) lights are sensed. The sound changes according to the movements because every light radiates a different sound. The space itself is dynamically transformed over time. The light composition evolves and the interrelated sound composition as well. Sound Modulated Light #1 is a participative environment in which the visitors are invited to explore and interact with the space." www.evdh.net

Edwin van der Heide

RS Optical Theremin

Here's a link to a Optical Theremin project... all the parts can be purchased from Radioshack (if you can find one). The devices senses light which creates the sound...

Here is a link to a sample:
Sample 1

Here is the link to the website:
RS Optical Theremin

BabyPianoToy

Here is the device I'm currently working on... an infants music toy...
So far I have removed all of the electronic components from the plastic housing.

Here is the original product minus the fabric cover...

These are the untouched insides... LEDs, buttons, speakers, battery packs, etc

This is an images of all teh components removed

All the components without the casing, wired to the batteries.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

lemur

lemur: league of electronic musical urban robots

Video Link:
Ultradrummer.mov

Website:
lemur: league of electronic musical urban robots

The Art of Noises + Futurist Music

6 families of moises of the Futurist orchestra

Some conclusions

The Art of Noises

Mechanisms 4

Here are some recent images of the combination mechanism which functions by pushing + pulling... using drawing machine folds + unfolds the other machine. This machine completes one sequence of movement for every sequence the drawing machine creates. The two mechansims are connected by a sliding frame below the paper.

Contracted

Expanded

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Mechanisms 3

Here is what I've been working on the last day... I've spent time using bass wood components to create the drawing machine; so far the wood is holding the forms better without bending and wear like the paper. I still have to deal with the friction of the wood against itself. The final combo machine will come and will involve sliding pieces which interact with another machine. By using the straight line that the one machine follows to draw the same line will operate the upright second machine. Stay tuned.

This is the bass wood version of the mechanism for drawing the conchoid of sleuss.

A close up of the joints and track.

Here are the begining components of the bass wood model.

Electronic findings

After a few visits to Value Village, I've returned with some interesting items...

"Fabulous Fred" - a game which involves hitting flashing button... also can function as a music machine.
An answering machine - tape-style machine with parts like a recorder, speakers, playback, etc.
Hand-powered radio/light - I picked this because of the electricity generating mechanism.
An old alarm clock - with old digital display technology, volume controls for each of the left + right speakers, and of course the radio tuner.

These items seem to be loaded with potential, hopefully all goes well.

A visit to Because Niverville LTD.

Friday afternoon we paid a vist to my old boss who run a wiring manufacturing business. He generously gave us a bunch of LEDs, switches, plugs, wire, etc, etc. Here are some of the great gifts...