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
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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
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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
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Xylophone Kit
Electronic Keyboard Kit
Communications Kit
Electric Guitar Kit
Xylophone Kit
Xylophone Kit
Kit Description
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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
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Key Material
Mallets
Key Length
Key Geometry
Xylophone Kit
Design Sketches
Key Geometries
Base Concepts
Xylophone Kit
Testing Methods
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Human hearing (how do the sounds
differ)
Use an electric tuner
At the end of this activity,
students will be able to…
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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
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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
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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
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Gain of Amplifier
Frequency Response of Filter
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High Pass
Low Pass
Electronic Keyboard Kit
Design Sketches
Electronic Keyboard Kit
Design Sketches
Wein Bridge Oscillator
Electronic Keyboard Kit
Design Sketches
10V
5V
0V
0s
0.1ms
0.2ms
0.3ms
0.4ms
0.5ms
V(U1:OUT)
Time
0.6ms
0.7ms
0.8ms
0.9ms
1.0ms
Electronic Keyboard Kit
Design Sketches
Summing Amplifier Used to Summate Signals
Vo = [-(Rf)/(R1=R2=R3)] x [V1+V2+V3]
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
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Human hearing (Is it loud enough?)
dB Meter
Digital Multi Meter
Test Performance
At the end of this activity,
students will be able to…
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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
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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
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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
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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…
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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
Image Sources:
http://www.clarkzapper.net/breadboard.jpg
http://www.zs6buj.com/MyPics/SDRZero/SDRZero_PCB.jpg
Clip Art
Amplifier
output
Communications Kit
Testing Methods
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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
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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
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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
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String Diameter and Tension
Volume Control
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Tone Control
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Amplifier Gain
Number of windings in pick-up
Low Pass Filter “Tone Knob”
“Pick Up” placement
Optional inclusion of effects
Basic Electric Guitar
E-Guitar Pickup
Under the strings
mounted on the body of
the guitar converts
mechanical vibration
into electric signal
Effects
Amplifier
Changes the signal
that is coming from
the guitar
Signal needs to
be amplified to
audible volume
Speaker
Reproduces the signal
Simple Guitar Amplifier
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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)
Speaker
BB
Amp
IN
Electric Guitar Kit
Testing Methods
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Human hearing
dB Meter
Digital Multi Meter
Oscilloscope
Electronic Tuner
At the end of this activity,
students will be able to…

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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
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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
CONCEPTS
Electric Guitar
Push Button Keyboard
Sound Booth
Xylophone
Thumb Piano
Speaker, Mic, Cup
Telephone
Selection Criteria
Weight
Rating
Wtd
Rating
Wtd
Rating
Wtd
Rating
Wtd
Rating
Wtd
Rating
Wtd
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
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
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
Functionality
Engineering Points Stressed
Other
Total Score
Rank
Continue?
4.46
3.68
2.97
4.04
3.02
3.46
1
3
6
2
5
4
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Reserve
Yes
Project Risks
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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
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Product Feasibility Assessment
Finalize Engineering Analysis
Finalize Technical Drawings and
Schematics
Finalize BOM
Risk Assessment
Prototyping
Questions, Concerns, Ideas