MY PREVIOUS PROJECT
My previous project is about a machine which can scan and change people’s emotions, and use pictures to make them get rid of the low mood.Therefore, in this project, we also designed a tool that can change mood. We designed it to look like a musical instrument. People can control it by themselves and play some soothing music to improve their angry or anxious mood.
From those projects, first, I think it is an innovation that uses different tools to realize imagination, and second, it uses devices to interact with humans while having some impact on them.
What’s unique about our project is that we don’t use a buzzer to make the instrument sound, but a DC motor to play the wind chimes to make the music.
Our project focuses on those people who are anxious and angry. When they pinch the sensor of the project, it will start the DC motor to play the wind chimes, which can produce relaxing music to achieve the effect of soothing the mood.
CONCEPTION AND DESIGN
We designed the user to vent their anxiety through squeezing sensors and receive feedback with soothing music. So we took an analog sensor and wrapped it in cotton, and the user started the dc motor by squeezing the cotton, and the squeezing action was a kind of pressure release.
We designed the device as a musical instrument, and we used an analog sensor to sense the user’s pressure.In the appearance design of the project, we used cotton to wrap the exterior, and blue and white fabrics to create a relaxed, soft and soothing environment.
Our choice of materials was based on the fact that we wanted the project to create a relaxing environment.
The analog sensors are the best choice, because they can intuitively translate the user’s anxiety and anger into the movement of the dc motor, which makes the wind chimes sound.
Our other option was a microphone sensor, but we rejected this option because some users may not want to vent their anxiety and anger through Shouting, and they will prefer a more internal method of catharsis.
FABRICATION AND PRODUCTION
The most significant steps in our production process is the material choosing.At the beginning, we only prepared one wind chime, but it was difficult to make a pleasant sound and a little monotonous, so we increased the number of wind chime to four, and added bells to make our instrument sound more diversified.
We also had a problem with how to make the wind chimes sound. At first, we planned to use a fan to blow the wind chimes, but we couldn’t make the wind chimes sound due to the lack of wind power. After that, we tried to hit the middle part of the wind chimes with a DC motor, but the sound was too rapid to achieve the effect of soothing the mood.
Finally, we chose to install the DC motor on the top of the rope of the wind chime to rattle the wind chime to make it sound. And we use an analog sensor instead of the previous knob to make the user’s operation more decompressed.
In the process, I was responsible for designing and building the overall shape and decoration of the project, and selecting appropriate sensor to fit the theme. In the process of teamwork, we discussed the selection and debugging of sensors together, and assembled the circuit into the built external structure together in the final finishing work.
In the user test, our project has not been completed yet. Our initial design is for users to hold electric fans to strike the wind chimes to make them sound. However, after the user test, we found that this method is not safe and it is difficult for users to find the right percussion position, and the sound produced is not soothing enough. So then we chose to attach the motor to the top of the project, and the user just needs to squeeze the sensor.
In the appearance design of the project, we initially only planned to hang the wind chimes on the cardboard, but another group of users suggested that we could add a window or screen to hide the wind chimes, which would look more like Musical Instruments.
CONCLUSIONS
The goal of our project is to design an instrument that can play soothing music independently to adjust the user’s anxiety and anger, and achieve the purpose of being interactive while the user squeezes the sensor.
Users can play soothing music on their own, and when they squeeze the sensor they receive wonderful music back, which improves their mood.
If we have more time, we plan to add more types of instruments to make the music even more beautiful. And we want to add more controllers to give users more freedom to play their own music.
OUR CODE
#include <Servo.h>
//**** servo 1 settigns
Servo servo1;
const int servo1SensorPin = A0;
const int servo1Pin = 9;
int servo1Value;
//**** servo 1 settings END
//**** servo 2 settings
Servo servo2;
const int servo2SensorPin = A1;
const int servo2Pin = 10;
int servo2Value;
//**** servo 2 settings END
int servo1map;
int servo2map;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
servo1.attach(9);
servo2.attach(10);
}
void loop() {
servo1Value = analogRead(servo1SensorPin);
delay(10);
servo1Value = analogRead(servo1SensorPin);
delay(10);
servo1map = map(servo1Value, 0, 1023, 0, 180);
servo1.write(servo1map);
Serial.println(servo1Value);
servo2Value = analogRead(servo2SensorPin);
delay(10);
servo2Value = analogRead(servo2SensorPin);
delay(10);
servo2map = map(servo2Value, 0, 1023, 0, 180);
servo2.write(servo2map);
delay(15);
}