SOUNDLINES
Jon Olav Eikenes Marie Wennesland The main goal of this project was to create an interactive sound experience, by making an instrument/tool where the user in a simple and fun way could play with sound. The technology is originally developed by Jefferson Y. Han at New York University. Making the touch-table occupied most of our time in the project as it is an extensive project in itself. As we had the table working we also made a simple drawing tool. The Soundlines InterfaceAny sample (sound file) can be loaded and assigned to a symbol of two circles connected with a line. Each sample can be activated and deactivated from a palette placed at the top of the screen. The representation of the sound is simple but gives a clear visual feedback corresponding to your manipulation of each sample. You stretch and move the objects by moving the circles. The symbols can snap together and in this way the user can play with different samples at the same time by moving only one point. This makes the interface more unpredictable and playful, as you manipulate many samples at the same time. How it WorksThe project is based on the multi-touch table technology by using FTIR (frustrated total internal reflection) originally developed by Jefferson Y. Han at New York University. The advantage of this solution compared to traditional touch-screens is that it has multiple inputs. This gives the possibility for bi-manual interaction and for more than one person to control different parameters at the same time. The tactility of using a finger on a screen is more interesting than using traditional computer devices, and using several fingers is both faster and funnier. Making a touch-table is a project in itself, and it occupied a lot of our time. Technical issues we have had to manage:
In addition we had to build a working prototype, and find a suitable visual interface design. From different design concepts we chose the one that we think best utilized the possibility of multiple inputs. FTIRThe acrylic sheet is edge-lit by high-power infrared LEDs, which are placed directly against the polished edges. The total internal reflection keeps the light trapped within the sheet, except at points where it is frustrated by a finger, causing light to scatter out through the sheet towards an IR-camera placed underneath the screen.
Video Tracking, Communication and SoundThe IR light emitted from the fingers is tracked using Max/MSP/Jitter. The coordinates of the fingers are communicated to Processing using the Open Sound Control protocol (OSC). The graphics are created in Processing and projected back onto a projection sheet. The length and the angle of the different soundline objects is continuously sent back to Max/MSP/Jitter and used as control parameters for manipulating the samples in different ways.
Other InterfacesNow that the physical interface is built and working, it is fairly easy to make new software concepts. We have made a drawing tool in addition to the “Soundlines” application.
Future WorkWe would like to develop new software applications and interface solutions for the multi-touch table. We will possibly make use of the table in the work on our respective master theses. Presentation / Demos
Links
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Soundlines – A multi-touch table for manipulating sound samples
gmail.com)
Editors: Webredaksjonen, webmaster@imv.uio.no
Document created: 03.08.2004, modified: 11.12.2009, certified: 03.08.2004Manage document