RockBandDrums to MIDI (using Python)
For Art|Everywhere one of the projects for the event was 6 sets of Rock Band video game drums hooked through a laptop computer to a MIDI controlled Yamaha synth module/drum machine (RM1X.)
The python script that allows rock band drums to drive midi devices is online at:
http://users.757.org/~ethan/pics/geek/projects/drums2midi/
See the wiki page for the project at:
http://www.757labs.org/wiki/Projects/RockBandDrumCircle
The script is easily modified to relay any sort of USB game controller through to midi, and should be useful to run RockBand guitars and other controllers.
MADExpo and Art|Everywhere Closing Ceremonies (July 1st and 2nd)
This 4th of July weekend has started off with a few happenings. The Lab went to Hampton for the Mid-Atlantic Developers Expo (MADExpo) on Thursday and Friday to show off a few projects. Saturday was the closing of the Art|Everywhere event that has been running on Granby Street the last few months
Ethan at the 757Labs booth at MADExpo.
Ethan is discussing 757Labs to attendees at Mid-Atlantic Developers Expo in the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Slide-show of the Lab and past projects, LED Cube on display, development progress of the Laser Pong, and Space Balloon box. MADExpo was a great convention for a first run and we currently plan to return next year.
Mike and the Drum Circle at Art|Everywhere closing.
Mike runs the Drum Circle on display at the Art|Everywhere closing event off Granby Street in Downtown Norfolk. Kids were scrambling at the chance to bang on the drums and have a good time while enjoying the weather. Some buttons on the drums gave the player a toggling ability to change instruments and octaves, adding to the chaos and entertainment of those who stopped by.
Laser Pong on display at the Art|Everywhere closing.
The Laser Pong game was set up next to the TCC building and had a handful of the young and old stop by and play some Pong, 757Labs style. There are still bugs to be worked out, but it added to the quirkiness of the game and was entertaining to many. The hope is to re-platform the game to remove the Linux system reliance out, leaving only Arduinos. Expect an interesting twist to the game in the future!
Weekend Recap (June 24-26), MADexpo
Over the weekend there was a good amount of activity at the lab.
From what I remember:
Fri : Ken stopped by and demoed his bar code scanner, which is capable of scanning the Virginia drivers licenses. My social security number is embedded on the back of my license, who would have known.
Other: Vex continued work on his custom tube guitar amplifier. It's looking sweet.
Steve helped with the assembly of the base frame for the new CNC router. Yes, we've been down this road before. This is going to be the one though! Not too big, not too small Just right. And made of aluminum extrusions and such.
Some new donations and new faces around the lab! Thanks to Mark G we might be on our way to getting the middle projection screen in use. A project to motorize it is on the mind. Also Justin gave us use of his Roku box, which is going to be integrated with the AMX automation system. The open development platform of this device is interesting.
Monday brought forth another busy night. Between Android developers meeting, ROV interest (and talk of 3d printing propellers), laser scanning an object using the MakerBot laser scanning software, there was no time to slow down!
Thursday and Friday we will have a table at the MADexpo in Hampton.
Saturday we will be at Art|Everywhere with the Rock Band Drum Circle and Laser Pong projects.
CNC:
Vex's Guitar Amp Custom Speaker Cab:
Roku driving projector on middle screen (stability undetermined):
Note: Ethan did a bunch of research into some of the dead flat panel TVs at the lab and posted some stuff on the wiki. More information forthcoming, but problems have definitely been identified.
Weekend in Review
A few things from the weekend. With pictures, as promised!
Beau brought the MakerBot to life. It's a very impressive design. Calibration process is going on:
Christopher worked on building a custom amplifier and speaker cabinet. It will house the tube amplifier he already made. A mini stack design:
The microcontroller code finally works for the laser pong game for the upcoming Art|Everywhere closing night. Harold contributed hardware-wise, Ethan some hardware and software, and Matt software.
Other stuff:
David dabbled with JSON calls to XBMC running on an Apple TV that will be running a screen up near the front window of the lab. Dave worked on repair of a chicken toy for a friend. Mike was working on monitor stands for his LCDs. Just a few items that was going on.
CNC router table was disassembled. Ethan wants to re-do it in T-slot once some surplus T-slot can be sourced.
Open Hack Night this Friday (June 17th)
MakerFaire NC on Saturday (June 18th)
Weekend in Review
Just a few things that were documented with photographs from over the weekend:
Beau jams on Vex's self made tube amplifier. They are working together to build a custom cabinet for the amplifier and speaker.
Mike sanded and restained the wood pieces from the Radio Systems ESA-10 console. Graffiti is all gone. Some other work was done as well to finish up restoration of this broadcast console that spent it's earlier years at William & Mary's college radio station.
Radio757 is coming along. Touchscreen was tested (will replace the computer) and equipment racked. Next step is console integration and microphones. Cables should arrive today.
There was definitely other things going on as well.
Progress was made for the drum circle python code (Rock band drums to MIDI.)
Matt, George and Mike started coding and designing an Android game. It's an exercise to get familiar with development on the platform. I believe the plans are to release the game for free. Very cool that app development is underway at the lab.
There was definitely other things going on as well, but this is a short recap of a few things happening.
Last Weekend…
Over the weekend the lab was once again busy. People were working on a project for the RedBull Creation contest. 757 Labs has a team:
The laser engraver came to life. Fully. And works. Vex's controller providing the power control between the computer and the laser. Soon will come a training class that will be required to operate the laser engraver. We need to build a case for it, and vent it, as well. Until then there will be limited to no use of it.
Art|Everywhere project is under way in a big way and will be finished later this week. Huge party on Granby Street to celebrate Art Everywhere on the 30th.
Lab still needs members, projects and participants! If you are interested in 757 Labs and what goes on, please drop us a line! More to come!
Two Weekends Ago…
So this is a late update. Things have been hectic at the lab, with lots of projects under way. Contests, Art|Exhibits, a few new members, visitors, meetings, and more.
Kyle and TJ were building a CNC router. I don't think it's working yet, but looks very CNC-routerish:
RedBull Creation Contest
RedBull visited the lab this week and dropped off some information and an invitation to join in on their hackerspace challenge. A few lab members are already thinking up great projects as an entry. If you are interested in participating contact Dave E. or Kyle K. The deadline is the 24th of April, and then the next round takes place in New York City. Note - it's best to keep communications on the members only mailing list when it comes to planning and development. We love our neighbors in Richmond and DC but in the spirit of competition..
Radio 757 Goes Public From 757 Labs
Lab members and visitors know about the strange Linux computer that has been sitting in the cubicle upstairs for a while playing the loop of music. Well, as of a day ago people are listening! The project to do a local internet radio station that focused on local music has been cooking for a while, but I finally got the motivation to get things finished the other night. AltDaily put on an event at the Chrysler Museum and I heard audience members ask questions of local hip hop stars about where they can get their music played at. The panel consisted of Dj Cornbread, DJ Bee, Malice and Chad Hugo and was a nice fun event. It hit me during this as to how much of a good resource this will be to local musicians. So I finished up some needed things and it's live, and new submissions to the station seem to come in every few hours. Being genre neutral is going to be interesting!
If anyone at the lab is interested in helping run things, drop Ethan a line. The station is for local music (Hampton Roads out to Raleigh, and Washington DC (but focus on the 7 cities)) so the station won't be for geek/tech specific stuff or commercial music. There is still a bunch of work to be done on it, but it has the potential to make a HUGE positive impact on the lack of community that exists here in Hampton Roads.
Listen in (or upload your own music) at www.radio757.com.
Special thanks to Sean Bergeron and Kevin McKinley for help with the system setup, and people on IRC for some assistance with web scripting issues.
The lonely automation system now has a worldwide audience.
Kyle (and TJ)’s LED Cube Adventures
First it was a 4x4x4 LED cube, then the massive 8x8x8 LED cube. Witnessed by lab members and visitors was a number of nights spent soldering massive amounts of LEDs and hand building the circuit boards for these mesmerizing works of art. Congrats to Kyle and TJ for a job well done in building one of these!
Location
@757Labs
- Our site is back to normal. Let's hope congress sees fit to let it stay that way.
Links
User Groups
- 757 CCC Comic & Cartoon Creators
- 757 Objective C Group Objective C and Cocoa programming group.
- 757 Python Users Group
- 757.rb Ruby Users Group
- HR Geeks Hampton Roads Geek Community