Full Design Proposal

Full Design Proposal

Using a microcontroller, specifically the Arduino Uno, our group plans to robotically control drumsticks with solenoids and servo motors to play a concert snare drum. The physical aspects of the frame and the placement of the components are displayed below in Figure 1. Two 12V solenoids will be attached to the two snare sticks. These sticks will strike the drum head itself, serving as the main pair. Using analog write, these solenoids will be able to control both the rhythm and the dynamics of the sticks on the head. Two additional sticks will be controlled with servo motors and will create auxiliary sounds. The first will strike the rim of the snare drum, while the second will strike the shell. The solenoids will each be wired to a combination of a diode, N-Channel MOSFET’s, and a power source. The two solenoids controlling the main sticks will be connected to a 12V power input. To prevent damage to the MOSFETs, each solenoid is wired in parallel to a diode. The other end of each of the solenoids is connected to the drain of their respective MOSFETs. Each of the gate pins of these MOSFETs are connected to a PWM pin on the Arduino. This will allow them to act as switches for the solenoids. Their source pins and the Arduino itself will be connected to a common ground with a pulldown resistor between each gate pin and the ground. Each auxiliary stick will be powered with a single servo motor. Both of these motors will be connected to the ground and 5V pins on the Arduino board. To power the solenoids, we will provide a LabVolt power source since more voltage will be required than what the Arduino can output. The servos, however, are both 5V and can be powered through the 5V pin on the board. Since this is not a pitched percussion instrument it cannot produce different notes, but when completed it should be able to produce fast rhythms at different dynamic intensities on the batter head, while also playing less intricate rhythms on the rim and shell of the drum for stylistic additions.

 Figure 1