Project Overview

Pictured left is a piece by Thomas Wilfred showcasing one of the earliest applications of manipulating light as a form of art. Pictured on the right is a modern light show that is broadly used to encapsulate the sounds and music being heard at a concert.

COLOR MUSIC

    After finding ourselves in a sustainability lab which was focused mainly on the health benefits of LED lights and the preservation of the environment, our team was tasked with finding a project which was not just creative and feasible, but also, beneficial to the environment and most importantly to the people living in it. Our first instinct then, was to combine our majors, to come out with a project that we were all interested in,which at the same time satisfied the requirements of the class. The team decided to build a device which would be able to work in conjunction with sound to change the color of LED lights.

    Over the next ten weeks,the team intends to undertake a project to program LED lights to change color with changes in sound. To successfully undertake this project, members of the team need to acquire knowledge on the psychology of music and light.The team also needs to learn how to program an Arduino using Matlab and most importantly how to use the Spectrum Shield(audio collection device).

        The entire processes of the project were broken down into parts to make the project easier to understand and also more organized. The picture below shows a simple representation of the concept and the approach the team intends to take. 

Figure 1. Flow chart of the teams approach to the project.

            

            A microphone would be connected to the Spectrum Shield device which would separate the audio signals received into seven bandwidths. The amplitude and frequency of each bandwidth will be relayed to the Arduino via the breadboard. The Arduino would then interpret these values with code written in Matlab and change the color of the LED bulb, again, via the breadboard. Check out the link below to see a video that shows a similar project.
https://www.youtube.com/watchfeature=player_detailpage&v=fK1vzTQoZjk

         Although the project may seem easy, it does have a lot of challenges, especially with knowledge acquisition; where members of the group have to learn extensively about chord progressions and light colors which induce happy feelings in people, and ultimately incorporate these ideas into one device which has both health and entertainment benefits. The team also wishes to explore other areas of study in music to be able to assign each note to a specific color, making the device very useful for people learning an instrument or trying to sing a particular note. Aside this, the team also lacks extensive knowledge on technical skills needed to program the Arduino as well as the LED bulbs, and also technical knowledge on how to to use the Spectrum shield and the breadboard.
          
         Nearly all modern day concerts are accompanied by light shows that are designed to intensify the effect that music has on its listeners. These light shows tend to mesmerize viewers and heighten the moods that they are feeling at the concert. In some ways, this project is aimed at capturing this mesmerizing affect and consolidating it within an affordable dynamic light display fit for personal use.

The origin of these light shows can be traced back to Thomas Wilfred, who in the 1960’s worked heavily in the area of “light art”. He created something known as a “color organ”, which he named clavilux. This machine produced a color display that could be modified using keys, and he viewed light and color as a dynamic art form which was similar to music in that the artist was like a composer.  His displays, known as lumia displays, were referred to as “silent music” by many of its viewers.    

         There would be endless possibilities for the application of this device when fully completed and although the next ten weeks hold various challenges, the team intends to approach them with hard work and a great sense of optimism.

Inspiration

Pictured above is Thomas Wilfred, a pioneer in Lumia, which is the art of lights. In the photo above, Wilfred is seen working with his own device, called the Clavilux which allowed for his Lumia creations. Wilfred worked with the direct shaping and sculpting of light. Wilfred's works are composed of light, color, and form, which change with the passing of time. His works dealt with manipulating light intensity and a broad spectrum of shapes and colors.

Source: http://www.wilfred-lumia.org/content/intro.html