MAKE: Blog: ITP show: Picture Me Rollin’ - using your suitcase to play music

ITP show: Picture Me Rollin’ - using your suitcase to play music

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Jose Angel Olivares & Matthew Young's Picture Me Rollin’ - using your suitcase to play music

Picture Me Rollin' is a manufactured surface designed to produce beats as roller luggage is pulled across. Tones are produced as the wheels of the roller luggage encounter different textures, and these tones will be arranged in a way to create beats. Multiple parallel surfaces are planned, as to allow for multiple bags to generate more complex melodies. The tones produced are modulated and amplified using contact microphones and Max/MSP.
Background
After the concept was formed, we began conducting research on different surface materials with different bags in an effort to isolate our variables and find sample tones to work with. With the sample tones, we generated sample beats which we then used to guide our patterns of construction.

Audience
Commuters in airports/bus/train stations.... and everyday travellers. Hopefully, this project will lead to other interventions, including rollerbladers in Central Park, etc.

User Scenario
Our ideal user would be the hustling commuter rushing through an airport corridor with their roller luggage in tow. As the wheels of their roller luggage pass over the textured surface, they would hear interesting rhythmic beats.

Related:

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: ionymous on May 15, 2008 at 10:07 AM

Shouldn't there be a sound file or video included in an article about sound??!!!
Or am I just missing it?

Posted by: Tramontano on May 15, 2008 at 12:28 PM

Musical Road?

Hum... just like japan's "Melody Road"?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/japan/melody-road-lets-you-play-tunes-with-your-car-narcotics-not-required-321299.php

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