RFID Theremin: Music with No Limits

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal for my project was to create a device/musical minstrument that is able to play any instrumental sound and can be played without any physical contact through the use of electronic tone generation coming from a theremin and the use of RFID technology in order to play intrumental sounds. Methods/Materials RFID Transponders RFID Reader Theremin Speaker Computer USB to Micro USB Cable Results As far as my results go my theremin prototype can reach frequencies as low as 130 Hz to as high as 1,1661 Hz. When calibrated at 6 inches away from the antenna, the low C of 130.8Hz should be audible. Each note after that will incriminate in periods of 0.5 inches. For example, the note D of 146.8Hz will be found 5.5 inches away from the antenna. After this octave and the high C of 261.6, the increments for each note will become smaller as the distance from the antenna shortens, coming down to increments of a quarter of an inch for the next octave and approximately an eighth of an inch for the octave after that. As for the RFID tags, I have them coded for a full chromatic octave from a low C to a high C with varying hertz depending on the instrumental sounds that they are programmed to play. They make a total of 13 chromatic notes for each instrument. The RFID tags are able to play any sound as long as I have the sound files in the same directory as the program itself. I currently have sound files of a violin, piano, cello, guitar, and bells. I also have piano accompaniment sound files that I can play automatically with the swype of a tag. Conclusions/Discussion My device is in fact able to play any instrumental sound or sound in general using RFID technology as long as the sound files are in the computer directory. The same program that is used to call the sounds with the swype of a RFID tag can be recycled and the new sounds can simply be substituted into the program. Both the theremin and RFID technolgy can be used simultaneuosly to play a song. For anyone with no musical background, that cannot read music, or a person with a physical or mental disibilty; they will be able to play any intrumental sound with a simple swipe of your hand through mid air.

Competition history

• CSEF 2015 Electronics & Electromagnetics · Entry S0920

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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