Media Maker's Lab | Distance Sensor[ Projects ] [ Workshop Resources ] [ Workshop Photos ] [ theoryofpaul.net homepage ] This project cycles through patches that beginning students create. The student patches take one input variable (distance in cm) and do anything with it in the sound domain. The patches are all in a Pd "main" patch that resides on a laptop or computer on the same WiFi network as the controller. The materials include:
The Pico runs a Python script which collects distance information and formats it in centimeters. It also reads the potentiometer (main volume control) and button state. It then formats all of this as an OSC message and sends the data through UDP to the local WiFi network. A computer or laptop on the same WiFi network can read this data in Pd. The button cycles through simple patches students create in Pd that do anything with a single variable in the audio domain. 
All of the electronics are insidea small 3D printed enclosure. We are currently working on fabricating a PCB so we can build many of these. Once we have several of these devices, we can use a very nifty feature to make ensemble music with them. Each device sends out an individual index code (e.g., 10, 11, 15, 29). Then, all of the devices on the WiFi network can send their data to the same Pd patch, which can route their distance information into a polyphonic patch. Each performer can also cycle through different patches they've created, which are uniquely assigned to their device. The laptop serves as a "hub" that receives data from all the ensemble players, processes it, and routes audio to loudspeakers. 
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