Steve Hobley made a few versions of a functional laser harp- an electronic instrument played by moving your body over the laser lights, which represent strings such as those of a stringed instrument. The key to the harp besides attaining laser-pointer visuals is using a MIDI controller to make the pitch, to my understanding having data of pitches stored within the controller to be plucked out by an interface, in this case, arduino, which can stop or start the signal.
http://makezine.com/projects/laser-harp/
Parts used:
- Arduino microcontroller used an Arduino Diecimila.
- Laser pointer (6) any color, but they need to have a decent IR filter to avoid confusing the range sensor. bought 25 red lasers from eBay, where prices go as low as $1 each. Green is more visibleand thus scores a higher coolness factor.
- Blank circuit boards, dual mini and medium
- 5-pin DIN (MIDI) connector
- Potentiometer, 100kΩ
- Tumbled rocks, translucent (6)
- 24-gauge hookup wire various colors
- Heat-shrink tubing
- Black paint
- Wood and screws I used ½” fiberboard
- Aluminum tubes, ½”×36″ (2)
- 8-pin headers (optional) (5)
- Sharp GP2D12 or GP2D120 IR range sensors (6)
- Photocell, 100mW (6)
- 7805 Voltage Regulator, 5V (1) from Radioshack
- Adjustable voltage regulatorTrossen Robotics #P-VR-DE-SWADJ,trossenrobotics.com
- DC power source, switched, 8V-12V, 2-3 amps
- LM324 quad op-amp chips (2)
- LED, red (6)
- Capacitors: 0.1μF (3), 300μF tantalum (6)
- Resistors, 1⁄4-watt: 220Ω (1), 1.5kΩ (6), 3.9kΩ (6), 68kΩ (1), 1MΩ (6)
Tools used:
- Alligator test leads (2)
- Computer
- Drill
- Hack saw
- Insulated wire various colors
- MIDI utility software to test output. I recommend MIDI-OX (midiox.com
- Multimeter
- Software synthesizer I recommend Superwave P8 (home.btconnect.com/christopherg/main.htm
- Soldering Iron and rosin core solder.
- USB-MIDI interface such as M-Audio Uno
- Vise and clamps
- Wire cutters and strippers
