A wireless sensor-based mobile music environment complied from a graphical language

Abstract

In this thesis I demonstrate a framework for a wireless sensor-based mobile music environment. Most prior work has not been truly portable. Those that were have focused on external data as opposed to properties of the listener. In this project I built a short-range wireless sensor network (using the ZigBee protocol and an accelerometer) and a compiler for PureData, a graphical music processing language. With these parts, I realized a synchronized music experience that generates a soundtrack based on the listener's movement. By synchronizing the music to the user's natural rhythms, it encourages the user to maintain a given pace for a longer period of time. I describe extensions to this example that point to a future of portable interactive music tied to exercise and physical activity.