transmission+interference

transmission+interference -- disc spinner

Back to transmission+interference or instruments.

Disc Spinner is a device controlled by arduino that uses DC motors to spin discs above blinking LEDs. Arduino is used to control the speed of the LEDs blinking and the speed of the motors using analog inputs from potentiometers.

Velcro tabs are attached to the motor spindles to allow the user to firmly place a disc onto the motor and turn it at varying speed. You can use any kind of disc / card / material to attach. When using card cut out some sections to create gaps for the light to pass through. Placing a solar cell above the LED will then capture the light rhythms created by the LED blink speed in combination with the motor speed / card.

How to build:
1. Solder wire to terminals on both motors
2. Use hot glue to attach motors to wooden board
3. Solder wires to legs of LEDs
4. Use hot glue to attach LEDs to wooden board close to motors
5. Attach arduino motor shield to arduino
5. Place 4 potentiometers on breadboard and wire up to motor shield analog input pins
6. Wire up motors to terminals on motor shield
7. Wire up LEDs to digital output pins

Arduino Code:

/***********************************************

Arduino code for disc spinner instrument

transmission+interference

***********************************************/

int analogIn2 = A3;
int analogIn3 = A4;
int analogIn4 = A5;
int pot = 0;
int pot2 = 0;
int pot3 = 0;
int pot4 = 0;
int sensor = 0;
int sensor2 = 0;
int sensor3 = 0;
int sesnor4 = 0;
const int ledPin = 10;
const int ledPin2 = 6;
long previousMillis = 0;
long previousMillis2 = 0;
long interval = 1000;
int ledState = LOW;
int ledState2 = LOW;

void setup() {

  //Setup Channel A
  pinMode(12, OUTPUT); //Initiates Motor Channel A pin
  pinMode(9, OUTPUT); //Initiates Brake Channel A pin
 pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(8, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(10, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(6, OUTPUT);
 pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
}

void loop(){

  sensor = analogRead(A2);
  sensor2 = analogRead(A3);
  sensor3 = analogRead(A4);
  int sensor4 = analogRead(A5);
  pot = map(sensor, 0, 1023, 0, 255);
  pot2 = map(sensor2, 0, 1023, 0, 3000);
  pot3 = map(sensor3, 0, 1023, 0, 3000);
  pot4 = map(sensor4, 0, 1023, 0, 255);

  digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(8, LOW);
  analogWrite(11, pot4);

  digitalWrite(12, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(9, LOW);
  analogWrite(3, pot);

  unsigned long currentMillis = millis();

  if(currentMillis - previousMillis > pot2) {
    // save the last time you blinked the LED
    previousMillis = currentMillis;

    // if the LED is off turn it on and vice-versa:
    if (ledState == LOW)
      ledState = HIGH;
    else
      ledState = LOW;

    // set the LED with the ledState of the variable:
    digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);

  }
  if(currentMillis - previousMillis2 > pot3) {
    // save the last time you blinked the LED
    previousMillis2 = currentMillis;

    // if the LED is off turn it on and vice-versa:
    if (ledState2 == LOW)
      ledState2 = HIGH;
    else
      ledState2 = LOW;
  digitalWrite(ledPin2, ledState2);
  }

Links:
Vincent Van Uffelen
transmission+interference

<< Previous Instrument

Next Instrument >>