We were tasked with creating an object that distorts or creates noise using an interaction you already have with the object. Our project is a martini shaker that you can use to distort noise. You open it record a sound then close and shake it. When you open it again, the same sound plays back in a distorted manner. Depending on how you shake the martini shaker affects different aspects of the distortion. We wanted to make the movements correlate with the changes in sound in a really easy and straight forward way.

We originally had the idea to use a water bottle but decided that you don't usually shake a water bottle and there isn't a clear narrative. Then we thought of using pants pockets, using some to record and some to play back, We were unsure what aspect of the pants would affect the distortion so we moved on from the idea. Then we started thinking about objects from your kitchen, originally thinking about a blender that "mixes" two sounds together. We eventually choose a drink shaker because it was similar to out original idea but had a clear narrative. 

We made our project using Arduino and Max MSP. Max is a visual coding software that you can use to create and distort sound. We used a plugin for Max called Helm which changed settings depending on input values from the Arduino. We used two sensors, a distance sensor, and an accelerometer. We used the distance sensor to recognize when the shaker was open or closed and used the accelerometer to recognize how you were moving the shaker. Each axis of movement affected a different aspect of Helm.

Sound Shaker is a fun and interesting way to interact with and distort noise. 

Our project turns ping pong into an interactive sound experience. 

Ping pong is a game that is already very fun. Our project enhances the ping pong experience by incorporating musical elements into the game. The table and ping pong paddles are hooked up to piezo sensors, which detect vibrations. A sound is produced  when the table is hit and another sound is produced when the ball hits each one of the paddles. Players can activate different sample sounds and change certain aspects of the sound depending on which object the ball hits. Our project is also able to keep track of the score for the players. It does this through a set of win conditions that we programmed in Arduino. We also used a sound design program called Max MSP to change the sound in different ways.

With “The portable golf club” you can play golf at any time and anywhere, with or without a ball. The portable golf club measures your putting speed to see if you did the perfect swing for a hole either five, ten or fifteen feet away. 

A lot of work is needed just to play the simple game of golf.  One has to bring all of their clubs, balls and tees over to a golf course in order to play the sport. However, the portable golf club makes all of this much more simpler. Rather than needing all the equipment and the course all you need is the club itself. The club will tell you if the hole is five, ten or fifteen feet away before you try and sink the put. As you swing, the club will measure how fast the club was moving to see if you would have exerted the right amount of force on the ball for it to go into the hole. Not only will the golf club help you perfect your putting game but it will also make you feel like you are a professional golfer at the same time. You can hear the roars of the crowd after you make the putt and hear the disappointment after a heartbreaking miss. This golf club uses many different technologies and advancements to create a realistic simulation of golf putting. During this process, we used a gyroscope to most accurately take measurements of the motion of the swing.  We also used and refined our programming, 3D printing and mechanical designing skills during our creation of “the portable golf club”

The Noodle Jungle is a large mobile exhibit structure consisting of a series of noodles hanging from it. It was created to make an immersive and relaxing experience for the participants. The noodles create a fun and enjoyable experience for participants changing and distorting sound. Our project creates and immersive experience using surgical tubing and sound. Five pieces of surgical tubing are attached to ultrasonic sensors so that, when the surgical tubing is pulled and twisted, it distorts the sound it is connected to. We wanted to create an exhibit that is themed around a rainforest or jungle, with the noodles mimicking the vines of a real rainforest. Our final project is a large mobile with each noodle hanging from it. It can be stood under and the noodles can be pulled and contorted from inside. Fake vines are place on the outer rim of the mobile to create an immersive and closed off feeling and add to the jungle theme. The Noodle Jungle creates a calming and entertaining exhibit that anyone of any age can enjoy.