Individual Piano Key Controller

Project P13363Guide: Gerald Garavuso

Members: Justine Converse (IE)

James Cover (CE)Alex Eschbach (EE)Jason Hang (ME)Ashley Trode (EE)

Project Background• Current MIDI controllers

allow flexibility of musical parameters beyond just playing notes.

• Musicians often have to play keys with one hand while controlling parameters with the other.

• Enable delivery of MIDI input while playing notes

• Our goal is to design and develop a MIDI controller capable of controlling musical parameter while playing notes.

Project Scope• Individual control of musical parameters on

each note using touchpads regardless of their implementation on or off the MIDI controller.

• Touchpad integrated into 2-8 keys.

• Easy to clean and maintain controller.

• User should be able to play the keyboard normally without having the individual controls interfering.

• MIDI controller should maintain its original structural and functional integrity.

Benchmarking• Roger Linn Design: LinnStrument

– Pressure sensitive multi touch surface that is scanned at high speeds and resolution.

– Detects subtle finger movements using 3D for control of note expression, timbre and pitch at the same time.

– Several different overlays available including piano keys, guitar frets, hex keys and drum pads.

– Simple connection using a USB connection to the computer.

• Haken Audio: Continuum FingerBoard– Instrument that allows for real time performance control

in three dimensions– Greater pitch range than a traditional 88 MIDI keyboard.– Polyphonic and monophonic capabilities– Able to track up to 16 fingers at once.– Construction:

• 256 metal rods with magnets located on both ends

• Supported by piano-wire springs

• Hall effect sensors measure the position of the magnets

• Uses neighboring bars to detect finger position.

Project Plan

How The System Works

Customer NeedsCustomer Need #

Importance (1=Low)

Description Comments/Status

CN1 9 Parameter controls integrated into each piano keyUsers should not notice that the controls are in the

keys

CN2 9 ReliabilityParameter controls work everytime they are

initialized

CN3 9MIDI output from controller should be easily interpreted

Any software can map MIDI for the controller to control anything

CN4 9 Simple MIDI keyboard functionality MIDI keyboard can still function on its own

CN5 9Maintain original MIDI controller keys structural integrity

With embedded controls, the controller still can withstand the same forces as before

CN6 9 Near real time parameter controls There should not be any delay in parameter controls

CN7 3 Ability to turn off controls Users can turn on/off controls

CN8 3 Device durability With normal wear and tear

CN9 3 Device durability IIWith accidents such as being dropped and drink

spills

CN10 3 Low maintenanceUsers do not need to spend a lot of time maintaining

the controller

CN11 3 Adjustable sensitivity of controls User can adjust sensitivity on the fly

CN12 3 Integration to PC through standard connections USB is ideal

CN13 3 Within budget constraints Goal is less than $500

CN14 3 Ease maintenance If something does fail, should be easy to fix

Engineering MetricsEngr. Spec.

#Importance Source Specification (description)

Unit of Measure

Marginal Value

Ideal Value Comments/Status

ES1 1 CN4 Controller Weight lb 4 2Weight of a normal 25 key

MIDI controller

ES2 3 CN12 Powered by USB

Voltage (V) Current

(mA)5.00 V 500

mA5.00 V 500

mA  

ES3 9 CN6 Response Time ms <5 <10  

ES4 3 CN8 CN9 Controller durability years 3 5 From normal use

ES5 9 CN1 Controls do not interfere Boolean Yes YesControls do not affect

playing

ES6 3   Number of keys # 2 8 For feasibility purposes

ES7 3 CN1 CN4 Key area mm2 280 560Use availiable space on

keys

ES8 9 CN3 Plug and Play capability Boolean Yes YesNo additional software on

PC side needed

ES9 3 CN9 Does controller operate after being dropped Boolean Yes YesAccidental drops don't

affect operation

ES10 9 CN13 Total component costs $ <300 <100Cost of sensors could

increase as keys increase

ES11 9CN5 CN8

CN2Each key must be able to withstand a certain amount of force N 5 10 Have to check this number

ES12 1 CN12 Single cable connection Quantity 1 1 Power and Data

Function Diagram

Concept Selection – Iteration 1

Effect on Key integrity 0 + 0 + 0Ease of use for musician + + 0 - 0Ease of integration 0 - 0 - -Expandibility over all keys 0 0 0 + 0Team Technical Knowledge - 0 0 0 0Ease of maintenance 0 + 0 - +Durability 0 0 0 - +Cost for 2-8 keys 0 - 0 + +Meet Customer Requirements 0 + 0 - -

Sums + 1 4 0 3 3Sums - -1 -2 0 -5 -2Sums 0 7 3 9 1 4

Net Score 0 2 0 -2 1Rank 3 1 3 4 2Continue? yes yes yes no yes

F

Camera

G

Conductive Strip

HBrain Waves

doesn't even meet

design requirements

not practical

for project

not practical for project

because extreme lack of

knowlegde and time

Selection CriteriaA

Ribbon

B

Touch Pad

CBlackberryTrackpad

D

Force

E

Thermal

Concept Selection – Iteration 1• Touchpad (or trackpad): is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a

specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user’s fingers to a relative position on screen.

• Touchpad

– Each touchpad would also need a driver in order to work

– Could not find a touch pad that was small enough to fit the surface of the key

– There is a lot of previous knowledge on this topic

– The cost of an individual touch pad and driver would be greater than $50

• Blackberry Trackpad/Trackball– Depending on manufacturer, hard to find specs and datasheet

– Doesn't cover all of key

– Trackball similar to touchpad in implementation

– Cost of each trackpad/trackball is cheap.

Concept Selection – Iteration 1• Ribbon Controller is a pair of thin strips whose electrical potential varies

from one end to another. The finger creates an electrical contact with the strip. It is similar to a touchpad but only registers linear motion. It can be used with anything that is affected by control voltage.

– Does not allow for dual axis control.

– Could affect the structural integrity of the piano key.

– Would require analog to digital conversions.

• Conductive Strips are multiple touch sensitive strips that will give the position of the finger based on whether strips are activated or not.

– To have smooth control of the musical parameters, multiple strips are necessary.

– Strips would need to be manufactured by us.

– Keys would have to be modified to fit the strips that we manufactured.

Concept Selection – Iteration 2

Touchpad 4 2 4 2 4 2 18Trackpad 2 1 3 1 3 1 11

Conductive strip 1 4 1 4 2 3 15Ribbon 3 3 2 3 1 4 16

Team Knowledge TotalConcept CostEase of

IntegrationSize (Fill of key)

Lead Time

Existing Knowledge

– Ranked each concept from 1-4, with 1 being the best out of the four and 4 being the worst. The concept with the lowest score will be the one chosen

Concept Selection

• Track pad integrated into keyboard keys

• Conductive strips (estimate 4 per key)

Risk Assessment

Conclusion Complete

Team Procedure Plan/Schedule Customer needs

Needs work/Next Steps Final selection of specific component Research of parts Designs for selected concepts

Questions

1. What do you think are the holes in our concepts?

2. How important do you think covering the entire key is?

3. Given the concept of using track pads or conductive strips how difficult/logical do you think it would be to integrate into the keys?

4. Do you see any key information we are missing regarding either concept?

Thank You!