Mid Term Project Proposal

My project is a multi-surface “air piano”. This project will read the x, y, and z coordinates (simultaneously) of an object within the local coordinates of a pre-determined “trigger zone” and then light up, fade, and intensify attached LEDs accordingly. These LEDs will run on a predetermined program (most probably a tracking program where the LEDs closest to the object will intensify and the farther ones will dim). I was also thinking of running a background script in the LEDs where there would be a few random “anomalies” running through the LED pattern with undefinable links to the object in the “trigger zone”. In essence, I’m looking to create a night sky like feel with the LEDs.

Here’s a simple picture documenting how it might work (the black circles are sensors – either IR or ultrasonic- the colored dots are LEDs, the panels would ideally be made out of plexiglass or some other translucent material for the final – but for now it’s going to have to be cardboard, chipboard, or some other readily available material):

Diagram Here

So here’s a rough schematic for one wall (since all 3 walls would be technically similar or identical). I’ve yet to figure out how to use a row-column scanner for the LEDs, so I feel like for this midterm I’ll just hook them up individually or the arduino, or try to learn processing in order to recreate a similar effect on my laptop screen:

Schematic Here

A simple sketch outline for the programming would be as follows:

-Link sensor to analog in, leds to analog out -Set sensors to read different x, y, and z coordinates (ex. x sensor reads close, y sensor reads far, z sensor reads close) -Light up LEDs according to what the x,y,z coordinate readings are (ex. light up lights 3,4,5 which are close to the x and z sensors but far from the y sensor) -Dim surrounding lights which may not be in direct area of effect (ex. light up lights 2 and 6 at half power since they’re surrounding lights 3,4,5) -Turn off lights which are far from area of effect (ex. turn off lights 1 and 7 since they’re far from area of effect). -Twinkle the LEDs all “randomly” based on a time script no matter whether they are on or off (thus if they’re on, then they twinkle, but if not then the “area of effect” script overrules the “twinkle” script and the LEDs stay off).

Something similar I found…but not the same as what I’m thinking:
Youtube
Another Youtube