Week 5 Progress

Design Adjustments

• Will have acrylic and 3D printed pieces
• Use of laser cutter to obtain piece to mount potentiometer
• Camcorder-like strap on outside, for easier grip
• Drafted possible configurations of inner parts
• 9V battery
• Potentiometer and pull-string reel
• Spit Valve
• Outer shell will have buttons/touch sensors to allow for variation in sound
• Vibrato
• Portamento
• Timbre cycle button
• On/Off switch

Troubleshooting Microphone

• Responds to breath/blowing into sensor
• Unexpected movements create wind, also noticed by sensor
• Design of wind sensor housing may be critical for producing a usable signal on the microphone.
• Switching to an adjustable-gain microphone board may solve sensitivity
• Testing Arduino output with iPhone earbuds
• Changes pitch; plays a chromatic scale
• Adjustment of programming for a smoother sound
• Code to specifically output a major scale

Testing the wind sensor software

Wind Sensor with 3d-printed housing

Printing the reel on the MakerBot Replicator II

Prototype reel assembly.  The released spring force broke the internal end stops of the potentiometer during testing.
This pointed out the need for some sturdy plastic end stops on the 3D-printed reel.  These will engage with the spring fixing screw and prevent potentiometer damage.

Using CAD to arrange major components of the DUBone helps to determine the shape of the case design