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1. Principles and practices

This week I worked on 1 task on Principles and practices in order to communicate an initial project proposal and get started on the documentation process. This was the assignment:

  • Individual assignment:
    Plan and sketch a potential final project, graduated students.

SUMMARY

  • Have you?

    1. Sketched your final project idea/s > DONE

    2. Described what it will do and who will use it > DONE

  • PENDING

    Draw digitally the sketches


ASSIGNMENT | Individual - Sketch your final project


Principles

I started thinking in my project putting the focus in some basic ideas.
During project I must be able to develop a device with this principles… “:

  • make something useful
  • make an improvement of something that already exists
  • make something that could be made by others with low costs
  • make something achievable
  • make something scalable
  • make something that could integrate in&out behaviours
  • make something that could integrate as many skills and technologies as learnt during the Fab Academy
  • make something in which electronics plays a major role

Also, I added this features to my list:

  • make something that I like and that inspires me
  • make something in a field that I have some experience
  • make something portable

Framing

After that, I realised that it were going to be difficult to define the idea preciselly until the course were giving me more details of the different assignments and technologies to be learnt. Also, the final project could be adjusted and modified according to the advances, so I tried to sketch some instant ideas to start with:

  • auditory system replic

  • real time noise cancelling surface

  • melting/molding machine

  • flying messenger

  • space tracker as an universal interpreter (deaf people language, arts, virtual reality,…)

  • sound spectrum analyser

  • real time musical harmonizer

  • musical instrument tuner

The idea

From that general view I decided to integrate some different and usually isolated sound applications in a unique pocket device.

Basic functions

  • spectrum analyser
  • distance measurement
  • musical tuner
  • musical harmonizer
  • recorder/player

Advanced (scalable) targets

  • stereo recorder/player
  • sound teacher
  • sound modulator
  • rythm box
  • music teacher

Requirements

This project target will demand these devices:

  • IN > internal microphone(s) | audio input
  • OUT > internal speaker(s) | audio output | display device(s) | LEDs
  • PROCESSING > ADC/DAC device *
  • COMMUNICATIONS > infrared sensor | bluetooth
  • STORAGE > SD port > USB port
  • POWER > AC input | USB port | solar panel

This project target will demand mostly work on:

  • electronics board design and fabrication
  • code programming
  • input/output devices
  • ADC/DAC device *
  • display device(s)

Although these are the main critical tasks to be ensured, the other course assignments/skills could be integrated to the project development.

Applications

This device could be useful for:

Acoustics


Distance metering


Spectrum analyzer

Musicians


Tuner


Harmonizer & Rythm box

Learning/Kids
General public
Audiovisual/Musical production