Hey there, I gotta question.
I was going to build a project that used lots and lots of photoelectric eyes, but then I found out they cost way too much. Even those dinky garage door ones, which I was hoping to find in bulk somewhere. So, slight change of plans.
What I want to do is this:
Ceiling: Suspended 12 x 10 grid of ultrasonic transducers, each sensor mounted in plastic tube to better focus/isolate each ping, sensors aim downward.
Table 1 thru 4: 4 x 4 grid of ultrasonic transducers, each sensor mounted in plastic tube to better focus/isolate each ping, sensors aim upward.
The suspended sensors do not react as long as they ping the distance of the floor below. When a person (toddler thru adult) walks beneath the suspended sensors, they trigger.
Each suspended sensor controls a 10 octave synthesizer, such that the 12 unit axis defines the key of the note and the 10 unit axis defines the octave of the key. Each note sustains until the given sensor's path is cleared.
The table sensors do not react as long as they ping the distance of the ceiling above. When a person waves their hand over the sensors, they trigger.
The tables are placed outside the "virtual keyboard" region. Each table grid simultaneously manipulates a single parameter of the synth's waveform and multiple parameters of one of four effects.
I have yet to work out how the tables will operate, but I'll figure out something.
The trick is this: How do I synchronize 184 ultrasonic transducers so that they don't interfere with each other and still manage to keep the polling cycle fast enough to prevent audible jumps in parameter changes?
I assume I will have a master MCU that will have five slaves. It will trigger each slave in sequence continuously. Each slave will simply strobe through all of the sensors it governs.
Bottom line: I need this to be as economical as possible. I plan on using a commercial synthesizer that is capable of 10 octaves because it would be a major project to build. If I can find the schematics for effects I want to use, I'll build them myself, otherwise, I will use commercial rackmounts.
Obviously, I want this architecture to convert sensor readings into MIDI commands to manipulate the synth.
Blargh! I'm already confused and it's my own idea. Is this idea possible by just using ultrasonic sensors? They're dirt cheap, otherwise I'd use something else. They have to work!
Thanks in advance,
+Q__
I was going to build a project that used lots and lots of photoelectric eyes, but then I found out they cost way too much. Even those dinky garage door ones, which I was hoping to find in bulk somewhere. So, slight change of plans.
What I want to do is this:
Ceiling: Suspended 12 x 10 grid of ultrasonic transducers, each sensor mounted in plastic tube to better focus/isolate each ping, sensors aim downward.
Table 1 thru 4: 4 x 4 grid of ultrasonic transducers, each sensor mounted in plastic tube to better focus/isolate each ping, sensors aim upward.
The suspended sensors do not react as long as they ping the distance of the floor below. When a person (toddler thru adult) walks beneath the suspended sensors, they trigger.
Each suspended sensor controls a 10 octave synthesizer, such that the 12 unit axis defines the key of the note and the 10 unit axis defines the octave of the key. Each note sustains until the given sensor's path is cleared.
The table sensors do not react as long as they ping the distance of the ceiling above. When a person waves their hand over the sensors, they trigger.
The tables are placed outside the "virtual keyboard" region. Each table grid simultaneously manipulates a single parameter of the synth's waveform and multiple parameters of one of four effects.
I have yet to work out how the tables will operate, but I'll figure out something.
The trick is this: How do I synchronize 184 ultrasonic transducers so that they don't interfere with each other and still manage to keep the polling cycle fast enough to prevent audible jumps in parameter changes?
I assume I will have a master MCU that will have five slaves. It will trigger each slave in sequence continuously. Each slave will simply strobe through all of the sensors it governs.
Bottom line: I need this to be as economical as possible. I plan on using a commercial synthesizer that is capable of 10 octaves because it would be a major project to build. If I can find the schematics for effects I want to use, I'll build them myself, otherwise, I will use commercial rackmounts.
Obviously, I want this architecture to convert sensor readings into MIDI commands to manipulate the synth.
Blargh! I'm already confused and it's my own idea. Is this idea possible by just using ultrasonic sensors? They're dirt cheap, otherwise I'd use something else. They have to work!
Thanks in advance,
+Q__
