Analog Synthesizer & Mechanical Display
Analog Synthesizer & Mechanical Display
Working as the Mechanical Lead for a multi disciplinary team I created an analog synthesizer controlled by a two-octave wooden keyboard. This synthesizer produces sound and also controls a mechanical display that adds a visually interesting element to the project. The mechanical display is made up of 24 concentric rings of mirrored acrylic that oscillate up and down, starting at the most central ring and moving outward. This creates the effect of a ripple, similar to the one caused by a water droplet. The speed of the rings is controlled by the frequency of the note being played on the synthesizer, so a higher note results in faster ripples. The rings are moved by 12 servo motors, each attached to its own cam shaft. The analog synthesizer itself is a two octave system made up of a hysteretic oscillator with potentiometers, which are used to tune the pitch of each key on the keyboard. These components work together to produce sound, and the user can tune the sound by adjusting the potentiometers. Overall, our project combines both sound and visual elements to create an interactive and engaging experience. The user can play notes on the wooden keyboard and watch as the mechanical display responds to the frequency of the notes being played. The combination of the synthesizer and the mechanical display allows for a unique and dynamic experience that is not possible with just one of these elements alone.
Mechanical
The mechanical aspect of our project consists of a keyboard as well as a mechanical display. The final keyboard iteration is a wooden two octave keyboard made up of 24 keys. The black keys are made of mahogany and the white keys from a light plywood. The keys are spring loaded with a class 3 lever system. The key's movement is restricted by rods that run through stoppers attached to each key. The keys were each cut individually on a shopbot in 2.5D, cutting out the side profile of the black keys and the top profile of the white keys. We faced multiple challenges with friction between keys as well as finding the sweet spot in spring length and spring constant values. This keyboard accomplished Austin’s goal of making a visually aesthetic product.
Keyboard
Our mechanical aspect of our project consists of a keyboard as well as a mechanical display. The final keyboard iteration is a wooden two octave keyboard made up of 24 keys. The black keys are made of mahogany and the white keys from a light plywood. The keys are spring loaded with a class 3 lever system. The key's movement is restricted by rods that run through stoppers attached to each key. The keys were each cut individually on a shopbot in 2.5D, cutting out the side profile of the black keys and the top profile of the white keys.
We faced multiple challenges with friction between keys as well as finding the sweet spot in spring length and spring constant values. This keyboard accomplished my personal goal of making a visually aesthetic product.
Ripple Display
The greatest challenge we faced was scoping the final product. With the ideal system being capable of presenting itself with the grandeur of a mechanical art piece emulating the unfathomable beauty and complexity of a ubiquitous event. We initially designed a display with 60 concentric rings encased within a 2 foot diameter housing which would contain all of the electrical components and hopefully muffle any unwanted noise that would distract the listener from the analog synthesizer. As the project moved forward, we began to blend our imitation with the promise of greater flexibility for the sake of visual appeal. This resulted in a system that required 4 sets of 16 servos each responsible for a quarter of a ring, as well as the ring directly above and below through a 1:1 gear ratio positioned slightly offset with to one another in order to smoothen out the wave and simulate 60 rings while only comprising of 20 independently controlled rings. Issues began to arise when the cost of this large scale system came into play. Although possible, 64 servos would have been the entirety of our budget while still requiring an adequate power supply along with the necessary number of Arduinos to control them. During the final sprint of our project it was decided that for simplicity's sake we would limit ourselves to 12 servos and have them each responsible for controlling one camshaft that would evenly raise two Delrin rails up and down. The mirrored acrylic rings would be connected to these rails and allow for the undulating motion to be displayed resembling rippling water. The final product was an icositetrahedron prism two feet in diameter and over one and a half feet in height. The lids and outer walls, which were responsible for positioning the servos, the shafts, and the rails, were made up of quarter inch thick plywood that was laser cut to specifications. In addition to being structurally sound, the aspect of symmetry was incorporated into all of the design elements in order to maintain a unique but simple aesthetic while allowing for a high degree of versatility with the final fabrication process. The cam shaft rails were laser cut out of Delrin in order to prevent the warping and flexing prevalent in woods and acrylics. Cams were 3d printed and the shafts upon which they were mounted were made of threaded, quarter inch, galvanized steel, for rigidity and lack of linear deviation (straightness).