maker fair

1/ The Anywhere Organ
by Matthew Bo Bogatti

The idea is to have a mobile pipe organ, that can change in size and layout, according to the space.

The interface is a simple MIDI, fronting a bunch of organs (group of pipes). Each of the octaves operate a different organ. You have stickers on the keyboard indicating that, so the interface is effective and communicates what there is to do, no frustration.

The computer generates MIDI signals. The organ has a microchip (boot loaded AVR chip) that converts MIDI to serial. The AVR communicates with transistors: takes the low power signals from the MIDI and the transistors turn it to a hight power signals that control all the valve that open the air. Pressing a key, the pipe has a magnet that opens up the valve and let the air come up from the blower, and produce a sound.

I find the objects’ design beautiful; half “traditional” half modern machine and an interesting materials mix: old original metal pipes, wood shaped made by laser cutter, plastic tubes.

// The organ can play without the computer //

2/ The Simple CV
by Katherin Scott, Anthpny Oliver, Nathan Oostendorp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three colored cubes that are benign used as painting tools/brushes for painting on the TV screen.
The TV has a webcam above it and the technology that is being used is best described in the simplecv.org website:
“SimpleCV is a Python interface to several powerful open source computer vision libraries in a single convenient package.”
For this project they also used Kinect.

I like this project for its simple interface and because of the fact that these low-tech wooden cubes activate a digital reaction, adding an element of surprise.

 

3/ Wheelchair DJ System
by John Schimmel

The project was tailor-made for a disabled 18 years old boy. Instead of using hands to scratch on turntables, you can use the wheels  and by moving them back and forth, manipulate two mp3s. In front of the wheelchair there’s the computer screen with and interface that resemble the DJ set. The connection between the action and the reaction is pretty clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wheelchair sits on rollers that detects the speed and direction of each wheel. The software and the simple interface design is in Processing. Underneath all that is the Arduino circuit (in the red box), that is connected to the rollers.