Above : Feel the Music, Context Photo, photo by Ivan Gasparini 2004
Feel The Music / Box of Sound
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Feel the Music and Box of sound are physical interface investigations into radio design done with David Mellis. Feel the Music uses a force feedback knob to allow the listener to feel radio stations while tuning. To tune into a station, the user spins the large knob in front of the radio.   The sound turns off and the knob gives tactile feedback when a station is found.   The user feels phantom peaks and valleys representing the reception strength.   When the signal feels good the user lets go of the knob and the sound is returned. A motor with an optical encoder creates the tactile feedback.   At each station, the motor pushes against the listener to create the illusion of a change in slope.   The feel of the station feedback can be visually "tuned" with the use of a computer. The radio box of sound has a simple, physical volume interface augmented by digital computation.   Initially sound "escaped" from the radio through holes punched in the top surface of the radio.   The speaker is below this surface creating the illusion that the listener is simply allowing the sound to escape.   In reality, light sensors next to the speaker determine the appropriate volume. In a second incarnation of the radio rubber-bands were used to create a surface that could be pried open and would seal again and again. A household object such as a glass could be wedged between the rubber-bands and friction would hold the object there setting the volume level. This project originated in a class on physical computing (Professor: Heather Martin, Massimo Banzi, Reto Wettach, Yanif Steiner..) at IDII 2004. Collaboration of James Tichenor, and Dave Mellis. This project was presented as a paper and demo and the World Haptics Conference 2005 and at the exhibition Strangely Familiar in Turin 2005, an RAI television report 2005, and Salone del mobile Milan 2005
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