About
Tuning In
Berkeley MDes thesis design of a tangible interface for interaction with sound-based memories.
Tools/Skills: CAD, Raspberry Pi + Arduino programming, Pure Data, CNC milling, 3D printing, electronics design, interaction + experience design
Motivation
Everyday, personal, and home technologies are growing in their ubiquity. These devices are designed to seamlessly integrate and assist with functional tasks in our lives, placing emphasis on efficiency and productivity. Tuning In explores an alternative narrative for everyday technologies - one which encourages slow and tactile exploration of “content”, as well as presence in the everyday via close listening.
Interaction Design
The core interaction concept consists of a dynamic, tangible exploration of curated sounds through a “sound board”. Sound snippets are loaded via physical tiles on the left side of the sound board. The sounds are then dynamically revealed and mixed by interacting with a conductive textile rope, giving the feeling of physically unravelling a sound.
In order to craft the feel of a finished, home object the sound board enclosure was designed to be milled out of solid basswood.
Sound Board CAD
A Raspberry Pi functions as a compact computer to power the sound board - receiving input signals from the conductive textile rope, sending this information to the Pure Data synthesis software, and playing back a mixed sound snippet out to the listener.
Pure Data snippet
Textile Interaction Protoypes
Conductive textiles were chosen as the interaction medium due to their dynamic resistance responses based on touch. The goal was for the sound playback to be exploratory rather than determinate - a move away from the buttons and sliders we may see on a MIDI controller, for instance. Given that conductive textile technolgy was new to me and that it was a core part of the experience, I started with low-fidelity prototypes to figure out an ideal form factor and tune the response factors in software.
Sound Board Manufacturing and Assembly
The full integration of the sound interaction board required a mix of machining + wood finishing, 3D printing, and electronic component routing.
Exhibition
For the exhibition of this work at the UC Berkeley MDes showcase, I created auxiliary visuals, displayed early prototypes, and set up a space for visitors to experience the sound interaction board.