The technical makeup of the show includes a wireless mesh network of Xbee wireless serial devices controlling a sensor based audio device and a wireless douser for a video projector; a networked element consisting of a Lantronics Xport to Asterisk and the Web system; and a MIDI system that controls sound and lighting for the piece. Recent additions include a wireless module that receives commands from the main patch and sends out DMX. These pre-programmed DMX patterns are received by a Chauvet 4 channel dimmer, for the lighting, and a DMX controlled low lying fog machine.
XBEE Serial Dongle
This is a homebuilt usb serial dongle that acts as the home base unit connected to the master computer. All data to and from remote xbee serial devices connect through the computer from this.
Here are links to the parts:
Xbee module
FT232RL USB to Serial
Breakout Board for XBee Module
Here is mine, I enclosed it in a green see-thru plastic container so I can monitor the LEDs.
Here is a zip file with setup information and max/msp patches to receive the analog ins from another xbee. Based on Andrew Schneider’s documentation.
Xbee system info
Wireless Douser Controller
I wanted a remote control video Projector douser for this performance so the video raster does not interfere with the performance when we are not using projections. The video projector will be placed in the lighting grid facing down on the stage from above, illuminating the stage. Running a cable to this is too time consuming, so it will be wireless, sending data to the douser via the master computer and the xbee-usb dongle.
Here is an image of the insides of the douser, this one has a servo motor and a stepper motor that can drive the dousers, if the servo is too loud in the space, the stepper is quiter and can do the job. This is a 12vdc bipolar stepper driven by a darlington transistor array. I programmed an AVR chip with Wiring/Arduino to listen for certain serial commands that control the flap of the douser. In the documentation zip file, I have included the Arduino code, a MAX/MSP control example patch, an Isadora control example patch that can be used to drive the douser.
This Douser module can be attached to the top of a projector and adjusted so the raster is completely covered, in the pictures below, the servo motor is used to drive the flap.
Douser UP:
Douser Down:
Here is the zip file with the technical information included:
Douser Files
Remote Control Phone Call System
For the performance, I thought it may be handy to make phone calls from sensors and switches in the performance space and in the remote, wooded location for a networked performance.
Utilizing an Asterisk server I connected an xbee wireless module to a Lantronics XPORT device, with this I can trigger a php script on the Asterisk server and establish phone connections, this is also a form of wireless securtiy for the remote location in upstate NY, i.e..if a motion sensor goes off a phone call can be generated to let me know remotely that someone is near the performance space.
This is based on documentation by Kate Hartman.
Here is a picture of my XPORT XBEE dongle that lives near the local router to the Web with a 192.168.xxx.xxx adressing. Information is sent to this dongle via XBEE and then goes out to the WWW. In this picture, the XBEE is placed above and is driven off of 3.3vdc, whic also powers the XPORT shield designed by Tom Igoe.
Here is a zip file with the technical documentation and php scripts that should live on your remote Asterisk server, you should have a context in your /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf that will receive the call from the XPORT.
Here is a link to the technical files for this system:
Costume Embedded Wireless Sensor
Size: 2.5″ Long, 1″ wide and .5″ high! (battery size not included)
Here are pictures of the wireless circuit that sends the main computer sensor readings, this is to be embedded in the actor’s costume underware, and will be removed and played like a musical instrument controlling audio and video in the last part of the play.
This includes an xbee module, a triple axis accelerometer (from Sparkfun), and an elastic stretch sensor.
I wanted to power it off of a 3v coin cell battery, but this did not last long enough, the accelerometer pulled too much power I think. Instead, I put two AA batteries to power the circuit, this is pretty bulky, so eventually I will try to power it off of a smaller source.
Here is a text file of the MAX/MSP code to read the analog sensors from the device:
Size: 2.5″ Long, 1″ wide and .5″ high!
This is under the xbee, rubber bands for a bit more tension, but connectors are glued, there is a 1uf capacitor for smooth the power for the stretch sensor and a 10k resistor grounding the stretch sensor’s input.
Arduino DMX Sender
Here is an Arduino, XBEE shield based DMX sender.
To send dmx from Arduino you need to use MAX485, or a 75176 driver chip to convert the signal to DMX.
Click here for a link to the Arduino DMX tutorial, I will post some example code soon.
Here is the outside of the device, sitting on top of the Chauvet 4 Channel light dimmer. It plugs into the dimmer through a 3 pin XLR cable for the DMX signal.
Here are the insides, including the XBEE wireless shield and a small DMX shield on the brown circuit board, this includes the 75176 chip for the DMX conversion.
for more info contact
info@31down.org