Hacking Audio Hardware

Midterm Project

Create Your Own Alien Instrument - From idea to enclosure

Overview

This project constitutes 30% of your grade and you will have 4 weeks to complete this assignment. The weeks are broken into phases, culminating in a midterm “show and tell”.

You will be building a circuit is affixed to an enclosure of some type. The constraints on the device are as follows:

✔️ It must be capable of making sound.
✔️ It must be interactive - the user must be able to effect the sound.
✔️ It should be battery- (or solar-) powered - nothing that plugs into the wall!
✔️ The enclosure should hide some (or all) aspects of the inner workings of the device.

Feel free to be creative and clever with these constraints, except where obvious shortcuts detract from the final product.

Phase 1 - Make a plan

Due on Nov 2nd

In this phase, you will choose a circuit you’d like to make and plan for its construction. It’s wise to start modest, especially if you are new. Once you make your first device, you will catch the bug and make more. So consider this project just a starting place!

Please complete the following:

1. Draw the connections to all the parts using standardized schematic notation.
2. Determine a build of materials, aka BOM, which includes sources for the materials and their prices.
3. Sketch a layout or configuration for the final enclosed device with a description of the device.

All of the items above should be posted to your blog with any accompanying pictures or videos. We will discuss sources, components, tools, and possible builds in class.

🚩 After showing your plan in class, you should place an order for any parts that you need, remembering that some items may take longer than expected to arrive.

Phase 2 - Circuit to protoboard

Due on Nov 9th

In this phase, you will:

1. Build your circuit on a breadboard and then move it to a protoboard, soldering each connection in place. By first starting on a breadboard, you can endure that the circuit is working as planned.

2. Move the design to protoboard. This phase can be more difficult than expected. It will take some adaptation to move your breadboard design to protoboard and you should be careful to inspect each set of connections for mistakes and short circuits.

👾 Fixing it later is always much harder than getting it right the first time! 👾

Phase 3 - Protoboard to enclosure

Due on Nov 23rd

You will have two weeks for this phase.

First you will prep the enclosure to receive the protoboard. This includes drilling any holes and/or cutting any pieces necessary.

Then you will mount the protoboard in your enclosure and affix any knobs, buttons, switches, and the like, and power the device.

We will have a day of “show and tell” on the day the assignment is due.