P10041: TEAK - Sound and Music

Sheryl Gillow

Heather Godlewski

Bryan Lozano

Jeremy Schuh

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Sponsors: The National Science Foundation

WE@RIT

Project Description

TEAK – Traveling Engineering Activity Kits

The TEAK project involves the design and

fabrication of 4 hands-on engineering

activity kits that relate sound and music to

engineering and engineering design

Kits are focused on teaching students in the

surrounding Rochester community

Customer Needs

Kits must operate safely in a classroom

environment

Kits must relate music and sound to

engineering concepts and design

Kits must be portable and durable

Kits must be usable by groups of up to 30

students

Quick set up and storage

Kits must be well documented

Design Concepts

Xylophone Kit

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Communications Kit

Electric Guitar Kit

Xylophone Kit

Xylophone Kit

Kit Description

This kit will allow students to explore

the relationship between material

properties and the sound produced.

By designing a xylophone utilizing a

variety of key materials, key lengths

and different mallets, students will hear

how the various properties affect the

tone and pitch.

Xylophone Kit

Design Variables

Key Material

Mallets

Key Length

Key Geometry

Xylophone Kit

Design Sketches

Key Geometries Base Concepts

Xylophone Kit

Testing Methods

Human hearing (how do the sounds

differ)

Use an electric tuner

At the end of this activity,

students will be able to…

Explain what sound is and how sound

waves travel

Explain the difference between tone

and pitch

Observe how material properties effect

the tone produced

Observe how material geometry can

effect the sound produced

Xylophone Kit

Associated Risks

Size/weight

Cost

Activity Time

Creating keys that have distinct pitches

Parts breaking

Parts easily lost

Difficult to change out keys

Creating a base that can support multiple geometries

Questions, Concerns, Ideas

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Kit Description

This kit will offer students the

opportunity to build and modify the

design of an electronic keyboard,

modifying the gain of an inverting

amplifier, and the filter type used to

modify the tone.

Also, they will be able to test the

effects of their design decisions

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Variables

Gain of Amplifier

Frequency Response of Filter

High Pass

Low Pass

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

Wein Bridge Oscillator

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

Time

0s 0.1ms 0.2ms 0.3ms 0.4ms 0.5ms 0.6ms 0.7ms 0.8ms 0.9ms 1.0ms

V(U1:OUT)

0V

5V

10V

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

Vo = [-(Rf)/(R1=R2=R3)] x [V1+V2+V3]

Summing Amplifier Used to Summate Signals

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

Inverting Amplifier

Vo= - Vi x [Rf/Ri]

Student will manipulate ratio of R2 to R1 to control signal level

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Design Sketches

High Pass Low Pass

Student can manipulate filter type and cut-off frequency

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Testing Methods

Human hearing (Is it loud enough?)

dB Meter

Digital Multi Meter

Test Performance

At the end of this activity,

students will be able to…

Visualize and understand the

propagation of sound waves

Understand the goal and necessity of

Amplification

Understand how filtering and

frequency content affects tone

Electronic Keyboard Kit

Associated Risks

Notes are atonal due to component tolerances

Activity time too short

Circuitry not durable enough

PCB boarding too expensive or improperly laid out

Questions, Concerns, Ideas

Communications Kit

Communications Kit

Kit Description

By comparing a mechanical

communication device to an electrical

one, students will see how there are

multiple solutions to the same

problem.

They will also get a basic

understanding of electromagnetics by

building and testing their own speaker

and microphone.

Communications Kit

Design Variables

Amplifier gain

Number of turns in the speaker coil

Shape and/or mass of the speaker

At the end of this activity,

students will be able to…

Explain what sound is and how sound waves travel

See how a mechanical speaker/microphone system differs from an electrical one

Explain what an electromagnet is and how it can be used to make a speaker

Understand what an amplifier is and why it is used in an electrical system

Understand why a change in resistance creates a change in sound

Communications Kit

Concept Drawings/Schematics

INPUT outputAmplifier

Image Sources:

http://www.clarkzapper.net/breadboard.jpg

http://www.zs6buj.com/MyPics/SDRZero/SDRZero_PCB.jpg

Clip Art

Communications Kit

Testing Methods

Human hearing (i.e. is it “loud”

enough)

Use a DB meter to measure the

difference in volume

Use oscilloscope to view output

waveforms

Communications Kit

Risks

Not enough activity time

Speaker output not high enough

A homemade speaker may be

insufficient as a microphone

The students place the electronic

components in the wrong breadboard

locations

Loose wires that cannot be detected

Questions, Concerns, Ideas

Electric Guitar Kit

Electric Guitar Kit

Kit Description

This kit offers the opportunity to design

and build one of the most popular

instruments in American society. The

Electric Guitar is a complex device that

integrates several systems

demonstrating a great deal of team

work. Each kit will focus on the tone

contribution of a single string.

Electric Guitar Kit

Design Variables

String Diameter and Tension

Volume Control

Amplifier Gain

Number of windings in pick-up

Tone Control

Low Pass Filter “Tone Knob”

“Pick Up” placement

Optional inclusion of effects

Basic Electric Guitar

E-Guitar Pickup Effects Amplifier Speaker

Under the strings

mounted on the body of

the guitar converts

mechanical vibration

into electric signal

Changes the signal

that is coming from

the guitar

Signal needs to

be amplified to

audible volume

Reproduces the signal

Simple Guitar Amplifier

BB

Amp

IN

Speaker Box that has an input for the guitar (clear top panel to see the amplifier)

Contains the preamp/amplifier, mounted on it are the speaker, a breadboard, ON-OFF switch, various knobs for adjusting volume, gain, high and low frequencies. Must be battery powered for classroom use.

Push-Pull amplifier to reduce power consumption. (use Class AB output stage)

Electric Guitar Kit

Testing Methods

Human hearing

dB Meter

Digital Multi Meter

Oscilloscope

Electronic Tuner

At the end of this activity,

students will be able to…

Visualize and understand the

propagation of sound waves and their

properties

Understand the goal and necessity of

Amplification

Understand how filtering and

frequency content affects tone

Electric Guitar Kit

Associated Risks

Guitar string fails under tension

Activity time too long

Output volume too loud

Power requirements are too large

Mechanical failure of “guitar body”

Questions, Concerns, Ideas

Concept Selection

Selection CriteriaWeight Rating Wtd Rating Wtd Rating Wtd Rating Wtd Rating Wtd Rating Wtd

Functionality

Meets size/weight constraints (portability) 13% 4 0.52 5 0.65 2 0.26 3.00 0.39 4.00 0.52 5 0.65

Can the activity be decomposed into meaningful tasks 10% 4 0.40 3 0.30 3 0.30 4.00 0.40 3.00 0.30 4 0.40

Ease of implementation in any available classroom 13% 5 0.65 5 0.65 4 0.52 5.00 0.65 5.00 0.65 5 0.65

Engineering Points Stressed

Make design decisions 18% 5 0.90 3 0.54 2 0.36 5.00 0.90 2.00 0.36 2 0.36

Observable Differences 13% 5 0.65 4 0.52 3 0.39 4.00 0.52 3.00 0.39 3 0.39

Testing Opportunities 8% 4 0.32 3 0.24 3 0.24 4.00 0.32 2.00 0.16 3 0.24

Solve a problem and draw conclusions 8% 4 0.32 3 0.24 4 0.32 3.00 0.24 3.00 0.24 3 0.24

Demonstrates teamwork 8% 5 0.40 3 0.24 3.5 0.28 4.00 0.32 2.00 0.16 3 0.24

Other

30 minutes of activity time 6% 3 0.18 3 0.18 3 0.18 3.00 0.18 2.00 0.12 3 0.18

Team has skills to create kits 3% 4 0.12 4 0.12 4 0.12 4.00 0.12 4.00 0.12 3.5 0.11

Total Score 4.46 3.68 2.97 4.04 3.02 3.46

Rank 1 3 6 2 5 4

Continue? Yes Yes No Yes Reserve Yes

CONCEPTS

Electric Guitar Push Button Keyboard Sound Booth Xylophone Thumb Piano

Speaker, Mic, Cup

Telephone

Project Risks

Scheduling

Allocation of budget

Ensuring all kits are engineering oriented

rather than just music oriented

Provide adequate engineering analysis to

support proof of concept

Ensure selected kit activity is not too

complicated

Ensure kits are portable

Work Breakdown Structure

Plan Forward

Product Feasibility Assessment

Finalize Engineering Analysis

Finalize Technical Drawings and

Schematics

Finalize BOM

Risk Assessment

Prototyping

Questions, Concerns, Ideas