event
Synth Design Hackathon 2023

Sympathetic Bite

A gourmet mastication companion for snack performance
Daisy seed microcontroller
MaxMSP
Arduino
Teensy Microcontroller
Gyroscope/Accelerometer
prompt
A sympathetic byte
category
Performance instrument
category
Performance instrument

Coaches & collaborators

institute
University of California Santa Barbara
sympathetic bite is an interactive system for enhancing the everyday act of eating chips. As the eater-performer chews and swallows some crunchy crisps, this mastication companion adds some savory sounds to spice things up. sympathetic bite mimics the gourmand’s chewing dynamism. Pops and crackles are amplified to generate an appetizing soundscape; a subtle nibble will result in mild sonic events, while a vigorous bite will lead to zesty rhythms. This human-machine snack duet, therefore, fosters thorough mastication and playful eating.
No items found.
the tech

How does it work?

The sympathetic bite system utilizes a Daisy microcontroller that processes sound input from a microphone. Input exceeding an amplitude threshold is recorded, and a granulator generates grains from this material with parameters that adapt to analyses of the input signal. Meanwhile, the Teensy receives data from an accelerometer placed beneath the eater's chin and transmits it to the Daisy through UART communication. This data modulates the reverb of the generated grains. Knobs on the board allow for adjustments to the input gain and trigger threshold for recording. When the sound input exceeds the adjustable threshold, an LED on the board illuminates, indicating proper calibration of the system.
Open source code
Click here to grab this project's code
Daisy seed microcontroller
A powerful microcontroller for synthesis programmed through C++, Arduino, Pure data and Max MSP
MaxMSP
Visual programming language for music and multimedia
Arduino
Teensy Microcontroller
Gyroscope/Accelerometer
A gyroscope/accelerometer is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation and angular velocity
About the instrument
we're using cookies to run our site. privacy policy.