FAB ACADEMY 2014 Applications and Implications
MAY14

what will it do?

I'm fabricating a controller based on arduino for synthesizing sound through Max/MSP (demo version)

who's done what beforehand?

There's many samples on midi controllers, these can be found on instructables, or in the same arduino forums. There's even a synthesizer on instructables that uses an arduino and a touchpad, but only synthesize 8 bit tones. My plan is to get as much as I can from Max audio generating tools.

what materials and components will be required?

First of all a synaptics touchpad, this can be found on many laptops but Adafruit Indrustries also sell this as microcontroller friendly. A microcontroller board such as Arduino or PIC, I chose Arduino and fabricated my modified version based on the FabKit. FTDI board I won't use the MIDI port there's tons of projects that simulates a midi port with arduino, instead i've made a FTDI board and will use most benefits of serial communication.

Materials for Fabduino Board

1xCopper board
1x ATmega328
1x Xtal 16MHz
2x Caps 22pF
3x Caps 0.1uF
2x LED
2x Resistor 499
1x Resistor 10k
1x button
Headers

Materials for FTDI Board

1xCopper board
1x FT232RL chip
1x Cap 1uF
2x LED
2x Resistor 499
1x USB connector
Headers

Materials for controlsbr>
1x Touchpad
2x potentiometers 10k
3x seven segment display
2x button
1x LED
Materials for case

Acrylic 3mm
MDF 3mm

where will they come from?

I can get most of the parts I need in the lab or local stores for electronic parts.

how much will it cost?

It can cost be around $60-$70

what parts and systems will be made?

Microcontroller board and usb communication board
Knobs for pots
casing

what processes will be used?

CAD desig
laser cutting
molding and casting
electronics production like milling soldering programming
interfacing electronics with software and applications

what tasks need to be completed?

Sinthesizer with MAX/MSP
Casing
Knobs

what questions need to be answered?

Debugging and programming: How to get the correct serial communication between controller and MSX/MSP?

what is the schedule?

may 26th - may 30th case and knobs design and fabrication
may 31th - june 3rd sinthesizer programming

how will it be evaluated?

MAX/MSP needs to receive the right data from the touchpad as from the other controllers, so the real evaluation should be in how the data would be transmitted through serial and how it will be decoded to get the right values for the interface elements like knobs and buttons.