College
College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Date of Last Revision
2025-12-11 06:48:15
Major
Computer Science
Honors Course
497-003
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Fall 2025
Abstract
At the intersection of Human Computer Interaction and digital art, this project transforms simple motion into musical expression. It explores an interactive real-time sound synthesis system using ultrasonic sensors to generate continuous audio. The objective is to design a system that maps physical distances into musical parameters such as pitch and amplitude, which will create a responsive audio environment. Two ultrasonic sensors are used in combination with the Raspberry Pi Pico W microcontroller running CircuitPython and Adafruit Audio Hat for real-time sound output. One sensor controls the pitch of the generated tone, while the other controls volume. This enables expressive control over sound through hand gestures. The project implements a weighted smoothing algorithm to refine distance readings and achieve smoother pitch transitions. The mapping from distance to frequency follows a perceptually meaningful function derived from the MIDI note scale, while volume mapping uses nonlinear transformations to simulate natural loudness perception. This work demonstrates how low-cost sensors can be repurposed beyond distance measurement for creative applications in digital sound generation. The results highlight the intersection of computing, art, and human-computer interaction, contributing to ongoing research in sound and sensor-based musical systems.
Research Sponsor
Yingcai Xiao
First Reader
En Cheng
Second Reader
Zhong-Hui Duan
Honors Faculty Advisor
Zhong-Hui Duan
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Jaishwal, Niraj, "Ultrasonic Sensor-Based Sound Synthesis Using Raspberry Pi Pico W" (2025). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2063.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2063
Real-time continuous distance-to-sound mapping demonstrating smooth but noisy pitch and volume changes.
Discrete Version.mp4 (37362 kB)
Discrete note-mapped sound synthesis showing stable, clear pitches triggered by hand distance.
Included in
Art Education Commons, Audio Arts and Acoustics Commons, Computer and Systems Architecture Commons, Digital Humanities Commons, Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Commons, Hardware Systems Commons, Numerical Analysis and Computation Commons, Other Applied Mathematics Commons, Programming Languages and Compilers Commons