Xylophone

Arduino-Assisted Xylophone Player

This contraption was presented as one of the twenty submissions at the Science Hack Day San Francisco 2018 event. It received the People’s Choice Medal award. http://sf.sciencehackday.org/hacks-2018/

Goal

Build a robotic music machine that plays xylophone, drinking glasses, or drums, to help solo singers and instrument players. Make it Open Source (HW + SW).

Requirements

• Autonomous
• Selection of diferent musics
• Self-contained
• Easy to transport
• Easy to use

Software Used

• Arduino IDE
• C++
• Arduino Servo_PCA9685 library: https://github.com/sumotoy/servo_PCA9685
• Arduino Wire library

Hardware Used

• ESP8266
• Adafruit 16-Channel, 12-bit PWM/Servo Driver, I²C Interface,PCA9685
• 4 TowerPro SG92R micro servo
• 2 plastic chopsticks from a restaurant in Beijing
• Power supply: Input 100-240 VAC, 50/60Hz; Output 5V, 2A

Possible Improvements

• All functionalities accessible from a smartphone app
• Add more arms to play more notes simultaneously
• Add more arms to play drums, bells, etc., simultaneously
• Synchronize with other instruments using MIDI connection

Picture of first prototype

https://github.com/GillesdeB/Xylophone/blob/master/Design/20181028_131436_a.jpg