Pinch Perfect

Inspiration

The simple purpose of this project was to create something helpful but also fun. Inspired by theremin, this instrument requires no physical contact to play. Thus, it is great for people who cannot play an instrument due to disorders like arthritis or Parkinsons. Additionally, it is helpful for developing fine motor skills, as a therapeutic medium, or to help with ear training, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

What it does

Leap motion tracks your hand movements and plays a note accordingly. Using your right hand, you control the frequency, while your left-hand controls volume. To play, all you need to do is pinch your fingers on your right hand. The x-axis controls pitch modulation to produce a vibrato, so by shaking your right hand side to side, you can create a sound that mimics the human voice. This hands-free system has a game mode and free play mode. In game mode, you can follow the purple bar depicted on the screen to play some of your favorite songs, whereas in free play, you are free to create and practice. You can also create and upload your own songs for others to play and enjoy.

How we built it

We used HTML for the structure of the project. For styling, we used CSS. The leap motion functionality was implemented with JavaScript and jQuery. We also added PHP to support the uploading of songs and used a MySQL database to store the data. Much of our process included trial and error since it was our first time using the Leap Motion.

Challenges we ran into

We had difficulty with implementing the web audio API, as well as creating the game with javascript due to delays and having functions running asynchronously. We had difficulty setting up the Leap Motion since we're new to the process.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Figuring out the hardware. Trying new things. Finishing off a with good product.

What we learned

None of us have had experience with the Leap Motion before, so we learned how much hard work goes into learning about a new piece of hardware and working in a new environment.