M.V.W Music and Visual Workstation

Nicola Carpeggiani

An audio workstation that allows the user to create music and sound related visuals.

http://www.nicolacarpeggiani.com

Description

For my final project, I decided to make music combining p5 coding and physical computing and creating a software/hardware controller that allows music producers as me, to create musical loops, play or mute them and add sound effects to them , as delay and reverb, to every single sound. The user can control the workstation by an Arduino based controller. In addiction, the projects allows the user to also create some music related visuals to be projected on a big white surface. Every single sound is represented separately on the screen and this represent the power of the project However, for this show, I would show my project on a quite big screen wired to my laptop and headphones, instead of using speakers and projector, to save space and allows the user to listen to the sounds clearly.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

Morning Raaga

Dhruv Damle, Jennifer Kagan, Viniyata Pany

An exploration of smell and sound, our project encourages students of Indian classical music to practice singing by filling the room with a delicious smell when they hit the correct notes.

https://youtu.be/Al1Yf-fUVmo

Description

Most of us are accustomed to navigating the world using our eyeballs. If we think of the sense of sight as a muscle, we get regular, rigorous visual exercise as we stare into screens, navigate public spaces, and snap photos with our smart phones.

But what about our other senses?

This project came out of a desire to exercise and explore two of those underappreciated, underutilized senses: the sense of smell and the sense of sound.

As ITP alum Alex Kauffman wrote, “Smell is subjective, it’s ephemeral, and it’s not binary.” Interactions that involve smell are qualitatively different from interactions that involve our eyes.

Since much has been made of the relationship between smell and memory, as well as the relationship between smell and pleasure, we use scent as a positive feedback mechanis­m to encourage vocal students to practice singing.

Here's how it works:
1. Select the note you want to practice by touching one of the circles. You'll hear a recording of the selected note and a recording of the tanpura for you to sing along to.
2. Sing! As you sing into microphone, the device determines when your voice is within the frequency range for the note you selected. When you're within range, the device dispenses a delicious smell.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

The Fort

Lindsey Johnson, Skylar A Jessen

A space to enable and capture human connection.

Description

An interactive installation that provides a space for two people to slow down and have a locked in connection with one another. Two friends, strangers, family members, people in love are invited to crawl into a “fort” made of stretched spandex. As they sit down the space becomes filled with color coming from projectors located outside of the structure. Users are invited to have a conversation. Through small webcams and microphones within the space, which are monitoring the emotional expression on their faces and the frequency and amplitude of their voices, the colors and light shift around them based off of the type of connection they are having. The goal is to mimic the moment and feelings associated with having a very present connection, where outside noise around you seems to disappear, and capture the unseen parts of connection that we throw at one another.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

DOPPELCAM

Melanie Hoff

DOPPELCAM is a portal to a strangely familiar parallel universe. A machine for creating category shifts.

https://doppel.camera

Description

DOPPELCAM is a digital camera that only displays images ‘visually similar’ to those taken with it. It sends the source photo through an image-drop search engine and displays the top result.

Every two minutes, we take more pictures than the whole of humanity in the 1800s. Doppelcam operates within the photographic redundancy generated by this mass of photographic media.

Doppelcam refers back to previous iterations of photographic technology while subverting the art form’s intentions. It puts the mystery back into picture taking. Since the advent of digital cameras with preview screens, we’ve been able to see our photographs immediately after we take them.
No longer do you aim your lens and generally know what image you’ll get in return – it will be similar but not exact.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

Balans Mat

Jordan Frand

The Balans Mat is a yoga mat that gives you audio feedback to help you achieve a balance throughout your yoga practice.

https://vimeo.com/148053984?utm_source=email&utm_medium=vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=29220

Description

The Balans Mat is a yoga mat that gives you audio feedback to help you achieve balance throughout your yoga practice. Force sensors embedded in the mat send information about the distribution of your weight to a Max MSP program, which in turn adjusts the volume in the four speakers surrounding the mat. The force sensors are constructed from Velostat, a soft material which allows the mat to be rolled up, stored, and easily carried. The sensors are located in four quadrants of the mat so that, whether you're in a balancing posture, inversion, seated position, etc., at the front, middle, sides, or back of the mat, the speakers surrounding you will help you find your center and encourage you to stay there. The vestibular system is the strongest contributor to human balance and is located in the inner ear. It is for this reason that the Balans Mat uses audio-biofeedback instead of visual. This installation of the mat requires a MOTU Traveler and four speakers

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Skronkophone

Jared D Friedman

A new musical instrument made out of four walkmen and a broken guitar.

http://gemuse.org/

Description

The Skronkophone is an attempt to recycle old music technology into a new instrument. The user plays a guitar with no strings, just position sensors on the neck and force sensors on the body. The output is four modified walkmen and four modified sets of computer speakers. Each walkman is loaded with a cassette with a loop of tone corresponding to the “string” it is reproducing: E2, A2, D3, G3. The position of the player's finger on the “string” determines the speed of the walkman's motor – as the player moves his or her finger up the neck, the motor goes faster and the pitch of the note changes correspondingly. Then the FSR data is used to control the volume of the speakers – when the player is not pressing on a button, that string is silent, and the loudness can then be fairly accurately manipulated by pressing harder or softer. Additionally, switches on the headstock will allow the player to choose whether the output is chromatic (i.e. touching at or behind a fret will make the note associated with that fret) or not (so every tiny movement of a finger will make a tiny change).

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Fibonacci Galaxy

Joakim G Quach, Ondina E Frate

I created a Fibonacci Galaxy, or a celebration of the Universe and Fibonacci.

http://www.ondinafrate.com/icm/Fibonacci%20Galaxy/

Description

The idea to combine Fibonacci with the universe came to me when I researched online and found out that the sum of the rotation of each two planets is a Fibonacci number, which I thought is fascinating. Both the p5 sketch and the fabrication parts are Fibonacci sequences. The user spins the turntable which creates changes the sketch. This can also work as a touch screen project.

Classes

Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

Faces of Love

Ying He

Faces of Love is an instillation for users to hold their hands to see different faces of love.

http://www.heying.info/a-switch-of-love_physical-comp_week2/

Description

Love has many faces. In the scope of simple touching behaviour, holding hands is the most common but perfect example for demonstrating the feeling of love. Faces of Love is an installation consists of a magic mirror and a pair of magic rings, which is designed for users to hold their hands to see the chemical effect of love.

Classes

Introduction to Physical Computing

Sing-Song

Nikita R Huggins

A visual representation of the Trinidad and Tobago dialect

http://www.nikitahuggins.com/2015/12/07/proposal/

Description

My goal is to teach people the language of Trinidad and Tobago. When I moved to the US I stopped speaking in my native dialect. I thought that the speech would be perceived as incoherent, backward and I unintelligent to people, so opted to speak these words only to Trinidadian natives. To dispel this discomfort and regain part of my identity I want to teach others some words I used constantly growing up in an effort to showcase who I am by:
1. teaching a part of the history of my country via its linguistics
2. conveying that an accent or a language is not a hindrance to communication
3. showing that anyone sounds beautiful speaking – so we should not limit ourselves in fear or to appease anyone

Classes

Intro to Fabrication, Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing

Fake Painter

Xingjian An

Fake Painter is a drawing machine to help normal people to be able to draw abstract sketch as an artist.

http://www.xingjianan.com/2015/12/07/pcom-final-fake-painter/

Description

Fake Painter is a drawing machine to help normal people to be able to draw abstract sketch as an artist. The machine use laser diode to draw picture ,which is captured by the Kinect, and ask users to draw on paper by following the track of laser.

Classes

Intro to Fabrication, Introduction to Computational Media, Introduction to Physical Computing