SENSEI – Multidimensional Sound Synthesizer

Maker, researcher, and music enthusiast Oscar Oomens created this beautiful and unusual synthesizer called the SENSEI for his bachelor’s thesis. The synth features a custom touch interface and wearable gyroscope that allow the user to “shape” sound in multiple dimensions.

The synth features a custom touch interface and wearable gyroscope that allow the user to “shape” sound in multiple dimensions. The main inputs aside from the keys are a joystick with three Force Sensitive Resistors (FSRs) on the grip that Oomens suggests provide control for new sound characteristics including: distance, form, sharpness, richness, and color. A capacitive ring around the joystick allows parameters to be locked and a gyroscopic ring attached to a bracelet allows the user to add vibrato to the touch keyboard and pitch bend segments. Users can also transpose octaves using + and – buttons towards the top of the board.

The board itself is stunning in its manufacture featuring embedded LEDs and soft silicone keys set into wood. Oscar was kind enough to share his parts list in our forum and has added some lovely photos to an Instagram album.

Social Distancing Radar

Arduino Guy, an 18-year-old Hackster intern and self-proclaimed embedded systems enthusiast, has developed a DIY social distancing radar

It can be attached to a bicycle or other anchor point to alert others when they are cycling, standing, or walking too close.

The project uses a Teensy 4.0 in combination with a SparkFun VL53L1X time of flight  sensor attached to a SG90 servo arm to register obstructions at distances between 40mm and 4 meters away. In his project which is documented with step-by-step instructions, 3D print files, and code suitable for advanced beginners, four LED dot matrix displays are programmed to send the message “U Good” when people are giving enough space or “Back Off” when they are too close to the sensor.

In a Hackster tutorial, Arduino Guy walks us through the project from hardware selection to modeling and previsualizing the moving mount in Fusion360. He also explains how a time of flight or ToF sensor, which uses pulses of light to register how far away something is, can be superior to other options like ultrasonic sensors which measure sound and are therefor slower and less accurate. Like all good engineers, he tests its effectiveness in the field during a bicycle journey and finds that people do, in fact, keep their distance.