1. Touch Sensitive Piano Keys
Justine Converse (ISE)
James Cover (CE)
Alexander Eschbach (EE)
Jason Hang (ME)
Ashley Trode (EE)
Touch Sensitive Piano Keys
Gerald Garavuso (Team Guide)
BACKGROUND:
A typical MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controller allows for the flexibility of musical parameters beyond just playing notes with the use of a wheel or joystick that controls all keys at the same time. MIDI allows for easy communication and compatibility between digital instruments, computers and other related devices. It captures note events and music parameter adjustments and encodes them into a digital message. This message can then be interpreted and decoded into music. This tool is designed for the musician to play the keys of the instrument with one hand while controlling parameters with the other.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The sensors will only be implemented into four of the piano keys, two white and two black to demonstrate feasibility
Sensors will have the capability to be mapped in two dimensions to be able to control two separate music parameters
One dimension will be able to change a user selected parameter (i.e. volume, vibrato, etc.) over each individual key and the other dimension will change pitch bend over all keys Roland PCR 300 will be altered to incorporate this new sensors into the keys
Microcontroller will be able to get input from these sensors and output a MIDI recognizable signal.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT OUR TEAM WEBSITE ONLINE AT:
CUSTOMER NEEDS:
CONCEPT SELECTION:
WILL USE A TRACKBALL SENSOR
PROGRAMMING:
LANGUAGE: C
TOOL USED: TI CODE COMPOSER STUDIO
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface):
THIS DESIGN MUST BE COMPATABLE WITH MIDI:
MIDI allows for easy communication and compatibility between digital instruments, computers and other related devices.
Captures note events and music parameter adjustments and encodes them into a digital message that can then be interpreted and decoded into music
The schematic below shows the circuit used to incorporate MIDI into the system
SENSOR PCB BOARD:
THIS PCB BOARD IS USED FOR THE TRACKBALLS:
Needed small design so it would fit into the keys of the piano. Design is 20 mm by 11 mm.
The entire board consists of 5 surface mount components, 7 pins for input/output, and a place where the blackberry trackball can be glued into place over the button and hall effect sensors.
THE MICROCONTROLLER:
STELLARIS LAUNCHPAD:
Diagram on the left shows how the microcontroller links the control switches and display with the trackball sensors and the MIDI output.
The primary specifications included speed, number of ports, and compatibility with 5V logic. The frequency of the Stellaris controller is high enough to process the necessary input within the expected delay, and can also output a MIDI message that complies with the MIDI specification.
MAIN PCB Board:
THIS PCB BOARD IS USED TO CONNECT THE WHOLE SYSTEM:
Will be placed into the piano where there is empty space to hook up to all the sensor PCB boards.  
Design is 77 mm by 51 mm
The entire board consists of 35 surface mount resistors, 19 pins for input/output, and 12 through hole components.  These through hole components include a MIDI adaptor, two buttons for the two displays, and many IC’s.
BLACK KEY:
WHITE KEY:
BUILDING SENSORS INTO KEYS:
NEW BLACK & WHITE KEYS WERE DESIGNED & PROTOYPED:
Needed to be able to incorporate the trackball and sensor PCB into the key
Current Roland PCR 300 key design made it difficult to build in needed components
Created a new design made including trackball & PCB easier. New keys designed to look and function the same as existing ones and be compatible with existing Roland PCR 300.
Both keys utilize a new notch function that allows the trackball and PCB to be easily inserted into the top of the key
The new keys were prototyped with the use of a 3D printer
RESULTS / CONCLUSIONS:
Able to change parameters of musical notes in two dimensions
Implemented trackball sensors into both black and white keys
New prototyped keys were able fit into existing piano and function properly
The system that was designed is capable of being expanded to include many more trackball sensors
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Gerry Garavuso (Sponsor)
Dr. Becker-Gomez
Don Slepian
RIT Brinkman Lab