
Iteration 1
My approach was to clean up the Processing code (based on Hello Wall) for our purposes, setup both Haplys, send position data to Pure Data, map this data to sound, then experiment with different interactions/mappings of movement to sound properties (pitch and volume). The image on the left is the "code" in Pure Data receiving OSC data from Processing. Processing reads position data from both Haplys, send it as OSC messages to Pure Data, which then generates sounds from it.
Link to the code
Right Haply: Volume
The video on the left demonstrates how the user controls volume and vibrato with the right Haply. Volume is mapped to the x axis of the end effector. The volume increases towards the right, with no volume leftwards of the x midpoint. Shaking the end effector along the y axis modulates the pitch, doing so rapidly produces a vibrato.Left Haply: Pitch + Vibrato
The video on the left demonstrates how the user controls pitch with the left Haply. The frequency of the tone is mapped to the y axis of the end effector. The pitch increases upwards (closer to the y origin).Reflection
From this iteration, I learned the importance of being able to test and physically use the Haply for this project. As a team, we discussed the desired interactions and behavior of the system and had an idea of what it would feel like and how the user should interact with it. But by actually setting up both Haplys and using them, I noticed a lot more. For example, I found it was difficult and uncomfortable to have both Haplys map to the same axises. Changing volume and pitch with exclusively the x or y axis was much harder than having primarily y for pitch and x for volume (different axises).To reflect on the haptic experience itself, I found the mapping of the sound properties to the end effector movements needed refinement. To make the volume loud then soft (and vice versa) took too much movement, I should make the movement more subtle to be able to distinguish individual notes instead of a continuous varying tone. In addition, the pitch was difficult to move to exact whole notes (sounded off pitch), I think the addition of force feedback in our next iteration will help by "pulling" or "snapping" the effector to notes. I found the use of vibrato with the right hand was satisfying, it added a natural and responsive feel to the Haply and the resulting sound. On a technical note, I encountered some delay issues from Processing to Pure Data which I believe can be resolved in the code in the next iteration.