Intro Phys Comp | Sensor Project| November 16, 2001

Sound sensor links

General sound sensors site
Definitions of terms

Sensors that use sound

Acoustic Wave Sensor - text on the uses, circutry and application
Globalspec’s selection of acoustic sensors

http://lcs.www.media.mit.edu/projects/wearables/FAQ/FAQ.txt

Sensors that detect sound

Speech recognition
As far as I can tell, for voice to text conversion most systems use the Dragon "Naturally Speaking" software. It requires a big investment of computing power, though.

As for hardware, check out the Voice Direct 364 It costs around $50 and is available through Digi-key (item # VD364KIT-ND), through Jameco >(Part # 173489) and through JDR Electronics(item # SK-SR364). It's very, very well documented and will communicate with the BX-24, it seems. From www.sensoryinc.com: "Voice Direct 364 ia a speaker dependent speech recognition module, allowing training of up to 60 words or phrases in slave mode or 15 words or phrases in stand alone. This kit maps spoken commands to system control functions. Each time one of the words is recognized, output pins on the module are toggled high for 1 second." Sensoryinc.com also has demo versions of their other products.

Simple, hackable sensors
How to build your own sensor using Radioshack components (from a LEGO point of view)
Child‘s robot with sound sensor

Interesting applications of sound sensors

Soundbeam.com
Soundbeam has a couple of different applications for sound devices. There is a vibrotactile device for the hearing impaired that is placed into a chair so that the vibrations can surround someone in the chair allowing them to hear music or sound and then there is an installation device that can control sound through a physical computed space with just making finger motions.

From their website: "Soundbeam is made up of several pieces of equipment but the device that makes it special is the ultrasonic sensor that can detect movement at any distance within 6 metres. The direction, speed and distance of the movement changes the sounds that can be generated from a sound module. There is a switch box which is connected to the controller so that up to 8 switches can be used to add other sound effects alongside those created with the soundbeam. This collection of devices allows those with severe physical disabilities to create and play music. It is also suitable for those with visual impairment and learning difficulties and many other difficulties although the system was designed to give dancers a new relationship with music and is fun to use in any setting."

New Sony walking robot
Japanese speech recognition robot (pdf)

Speech recognition site for the disabled

Media Lab wearable computing suggestions