Collection Muscle Wire instrument.mov

My recent sound research is focused to study on an amazing phenomenon, one that allows strings to change pitch with the application of an electric current, creating music in the process. To my knowledge, this is the first musical instrument to employ this principle.

My robotic System transforms inaudible frequencies into digital signals, sending the data to soundcards which drive a tower of amplifiers to deliver current individually to each acoustic automaton. Therefore, I can program and compose a piece with a predetermined duration.

The Muscle Wire is a Titanium/Nickel alloy. When an electric current is applied to a MuscleWire, it alternately heats up, tightens, then relaxes as the current is removed. Muscle Wire is normally used in robotics to operate levers and move various mechanisms. As I experimented with MuscleWire, a particular application came to mind : To change the pitch of the strings of a musical instrument. When the string contracts, it can achieve harmonic variations of the order of two octaves or more. Different thicknesses of MW exist, from the size of an human hair to the thickness of guitar strings.

One of my prototype instruments has 8 strings and 8 small electric motors used to pluck them. I applied the MW principle to 5 violins with motorised bows.

Maxime Rioux

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• maxime
• rioux
• de
• la
• rochefoucauld
• automates
• Ki
• wissam
• saliba
• Muscle
• Wire
• sound
• sculpture

[Chaguarama75]

This my friend, Is Stunning.

[bearhedded]

I want to do a huge theatre piece like this!