Shaun Axani

Beatwalker provides the soundtrack of your life through dynamically changing music that responds, in real time, to your movements.

http://shaunaxani.com/2014/12/03/beatwalker-updates/

Description

We fantasize about what the soundtrack of our lives would sound like: often times a beautifully crafted orchestra that reflects our daily activities not unlike a film’s musical score. Beatwalker realizes this aspiration for the fraction of the cost of hiring a composer and professional musicians. Through the use of a midi generating synth shield accompanied with the Arduino, a song is created in code with a series of variables that change based on input from the user. If a user speeds up, the song responds and speeds up as well. If they slow down, the song will respond. If a user changes direction, musical instruments will be added or subtracted. The result is a dynamic song that is written by someone walking to work, going for a casual jog, or getting lost and turning every which way on the busy streets of Manhattan. The song becomes personal to that user; that version will only ever be played once.

The final physical computing project is not due until December 11th, so the documentation is rough and the product itself is in refinement and improvement. But a working version of Beatwalker exists, and with more time and iterating it will only become more powerful and offer a wider range of musical accompaniment based on the user’s supplied input.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing