Aeolab's 2015 New Year greeting video features a functional DIY musical calculator toy
assembled by hand out of cardboard and various electronic components, triggering
sound samples on a computer via USB connection. The soundtrack is a familiar melody from
Pocket Calculator (1981) by Kraftwerk, as played from the 'instrument' mid-way
through the video.
Electronics built into the prototype include an E-Ink alhpanumeric display and driver from SparkFun, 12-button capacitive sensor breakout board from Adafruit, Arduino Pro Mini and FTDI USB-Serial module. Software bridge written in Processing receives button presses from the calculator and converts them to MIDI signals sent to software sampler or synthesizer.
Electronics built into the prototype include an E-Ink alhpanumeric display and driver from SparkFun, 12-button capacitive sensor breakout board from Adafruit, Arduino Pro Mini and FTDI USB-Serial module. Software bridge written in Processing receives button presses from the calculator and converts them to MIDI signals sent to software sampler or synthesizer.
