project update - signal flow with super fancy graphic

So here's the overview of the signal flow for our final project installation. As you can see by my immaculate diagram I spared no expense in elaborately detailing and conveying the specifics.....



So here's what's going on, what technology we have ready to go, and what technology we need to finish: Input (on the left symbolized by a keyboard and theremin) will be best case scenario proximity detection using capacitance sensing circuit just like a theremin. (simplist theremin schematic I could find using 4093 quad nand and 4077 quad xnor or 4070 quad xor)




I hope to test circuits this weekend when I can get to Norvak for parts when they are open. Since this technology isn't built or tested yet we need a good backup so we could use Colin's giant proximity sensing pad thing which puts out midi or any other device that puts out midi like a keyboard or anything really. It would be easy enough to build arduino devices that do this using phototransistors(much cheaper than photoresistors it turns out). This info will go to a midi to usb converter (anybody have one of these?) into a computer(middle part of diagram in dotted lines). On the computer software called Vixen (with the midi plug in) will take in the midi and send out controls via the serial port (may need a usb to old fashion serial here - need to some research) to the renard ss16 controllers(right side of diagram - on their way according to usps). The controllers will then have Christmas tree lights plugged into them. Additionally in the computer, MaxMsp will be listening to the incoming midi and generating music accordingly. Sooooooooooooo left to do is testing building some sort of controller (Clay) get midiUsb interface, usb,serial interface, program vixen (Clay) and Max (Iris) solder up and test and refine. Is anyone actually reading this far? It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a shot rang out. The maid screamed.....


update.......
I couldn't make the theremin circuit above work :-( I did make this other one work (see video) but in order to use it in our project it would need some way to change the frequency into a control voltage. The paia theremax does this but with a pretty heavy parts count and since we need this circuit 16 times over (for 16 separate inputs) the complexity just got toooooo much. So I'm thinking were abondoning capacitance based proximity sensing and figure out some other way of sensing user movement. The idea is to keep it easy so people can walk right up to it and immediately cause an interaction without having to figure too much out.