Electronic Candle

Build yourself a electronic candle that is safe from fire. I found a great program to load in a 12f675 PIC microcontroller from a website named Mondo Technology. I changed the circuit to allow using a mosfet to flicker a 12 volt light bulb to simulate the candle. I mounted the bulb inside a glass star to complete the effect.

The circuit can be built on a piece of prefboard. The circuit is attached between the lamp inside the star and the dc power source. You can get my version of the schematic here. You can also view a movie at Youtube here.

A Electronic Didgeridoo

Project Start: June 29,2007

The start of a new project

I want to build an instrument that will sound like a Didgeridoo.

The instrument will be a free standing constructed unit that will not use a computer. Sound generation will be digital and constructed using discreet components and PIC microcontrollers.

The instrument will be played using hand controls similar to playing a Theremin. Hand position will be sensed with IR distance measuring sensors. One hand controls the pitch and the other hand controls the volume.

For an instrument to sound like that of a real Didgeridoo, I will be using Wav files of the real thing. These Wav files are binary representations of sound that can be pushed through a DAC, then through an amplifier. Wav files can be stored on a eprom and then counted through in real time to make the sound. Pitch can be controlled by changing the clock rate. Volume can be controlled by changing the attenuation before reaching the amplifier.

Timelapse video of experimental breadboarding.

Links:

This website by Harry Lythall shows how wav files can be converted directly to sound using a DAC.

So what does a Didgeridoo sound like? This link has some wav files and explains how a Didgeridoo works.