The Conundrums

Dare to Snare

Project Summary

Project Information

The Robotic Drum Assist is a system that allows any student to participate in music education using a basic drum set. Music education is a requirement in New York State, and is widely accepted as being an integral learning experience for fostering creative thinking and expression. However, some physical disabilities don't allow for the use of most kinds of instruments. As it stands, most teachers use a hand-over-hand method to play instruments with students, which makes students dependent on teachers and caregivers in their classes. This system is intended to help those with physical disabilities that inhibit music participation, but who would be able to control a robotic assist to interact with various percussive instruments. The assist will be primarily controlled through easy-touch buttons, which will be able to support students with multiple types of disabilities.

The goal is to deliver a functional prototype for use in high school music classes that would allow students to play independently. The designed interfaces will be adaptable to the desired state of playing and support the independent control of tempo for a drum set consisting of a snare drum, bass drum, and hi-hat. The device will be safe, portable, and compatible with standard instruments and all users, allowing for easy set-up and take-down for use with different groups. There will be options for completely independent generation of beats and rhythms through interaction with the button interface.

Ultimately, this device will increase music accessibility and interactivity for everyone, creating valuable new opportunities for education and expression.

Project Title:
Robotic Drum Assist

Project Number:
P20068

Start Term:
2195

End Term:
2201

Faculty Guide:
Art North

Primary Customer(s):
Molly King

Sponsor (financial support):
Rochester Institute of Technology MSD Program


Team Members

MemberMajorRoleContact
Sofía QuiñonesElectrical Engineering

Testing and Verification Lead

SQ4484@RIT.EDU
Irfan PunekarComputer Engineering

Customer Relations and Aesthetics Lead

IRP5775@RIT.EDU
Yasha PavlovskiyElectrical EngineeringHead of Control Systems and InterfaceYXP2378@RIT.EDU
Hannah Van FleetMechanical Engineering

Mechanical Lead and Head of Purchasing

HLV1590@RIT.EDU
Josh AbramsComputer Engineering

Technical Lead and Documentation Manager

JSA5034@RIT.EDU
Mehmet KoksalElectrical Engineering

Lead Electrical Hardware Engineer

MBK9835@RIT.EDU


Information

Work Breakdown: By Phase

Work Breakdown: By Topic

Project Management

Design Tools

Design Documentation

Implementation

Validation

Presentation & Dissemination

PRP

Requirements

Schedule

Cost

Risk Management

Problem Management

Communication & Minutes

Use Cases

Benchmarking

Functional Decomposition

Morphological Chart

Pugh Concept Selection

BOM

Mechanical Drawings

Electrical Schematics

Software Diagrams

Manuals

Mockups

Test Fixtures

Prototyping

Test Plans

Analysis Results

Simulations

Test Results

Design Review Documents

Technical Paper

Poster

Imagine RIT Exhibit

For drawings, schematics, diagrams, and flowcharts, see the individual phase pages. Documentation is currently organized with the context of the phase they were produced in. A comprehensive list of documentation materials will be ready during MSD II as documentation is finalized and prototyping clears up lingering questions. 

Acknowledgements

  • We would like to thank our customer and partner, Molly King, for her support and enthusiasm throughout this project. 
  • We would like to thank Steve Pellow, Jeff Pelz, and Dan Phillips for providing access to some RIT resources regarding eye-tracking technologies.
  • Special thanks to Jeff Slawson at WKBW for featuring our project as a local story and giving accessibility a spotlight in the community.




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