Physical interaction design DH2400

http://tangible.media.mit.edu/project/the-sound-of-touch/

This project was interesting for me because I have been involved in sound design and synthesis. Sound has been a very interesting subject for me because it can be mathematically manipulated and yet has an ability to induce deep emotional responses. Additionally, it was also related to the current theme of the project.

The Sound of Touch is an interactive physical interaction device which allows a recorded message to be modulated based on the undulations of a natural texture. A controller with a button for recording is present and the "wand" can then be traced onto a texture allowing the recorded sound to be modulated allowing interesting effects.

The "wand" contains a piezo-electric sensors measuring the vibrations induced by the textures, which is then used as an input signal for modulation of the recorded message. The message is first broken into separate pieces so that the pieces can be combined to synthesize a longer or shorter signal than the original recorded one.