5 ms·

This has been done - there are modules that detect and decode audio (which sounds a bit like R2D2). The manufacturer provides clips of this audio, which you co

This has been done - there are modules that detect and decode audio (which sounds a bit like R2D2). The manufacturer provides clips of this audio, which you could play from an app, allowing a phone to control something without it having to be on a network. Unfortunately, AFAIK the technology doesn't have a searchable name, so I can't find anything about it now. Of course, being able to listen for an arbitrary audio signal would be even more useful.

TeMPOraL 9y ago
Here's a stupid idea I have (I'm pretty sure it's patented 'till kingdom come, but if not, then this is prior art and I want this to be public domain): (side view) +-------------+ +---+ BUTTON +--------------------------------+ | | | | | +-------------+ | -+ <-- valve | | +-------- -------------------------------------+ | | flute x x x x x x x x x x <-- sounds comes | +-----------------------------------------------+ out here +--------------------------------------------------+ x - a hole with an externally accessible lever that can be used to open or close it Basically, you press the button, which pushes air through a flute, thus making a sound. The sound is configurable through pluggable holes (marked with x). In the diagram above there are 10 of them, giving you 1024 possible sound frequency combinations to listen for with your central IoT device. Pros: - No electricity needed. - Fully configurable, open source. - 3D-printable maybe? Still, can be entirely plastic, so even more dirt-cheap to manufacture than the backscatter thingie. - Less chance of interference - it's easier to keep the sound contained within your apartment than it is to keep radio waves.
- logfromblammo 9y ago
  That's not quite how flutes work. Two open tone holes in the same air column do not produce two distinct tones. They combine to change the effective length of the air column, which then provides a resonance for one tone, the frequency of which is determined by the length and the speed of sound, which in turn is mostly determined by temperature, and partly by the humidity. You still need a reed to produce the initial vibration. I think what you are aiming for is more on the order of a disk siren. The rotation speed could be adjusted to produce a different base frequency, and one siren disk can support tone production from several air streams, each aimed at a different radius of the disk. Blocking off or opening the individual air streams can produce different chords based on the base tone. If you have twelve speeds and six air streams, you can make 767 different chords. The same rotor can turn the siren disk and a fan to move the air. You press the button, the disk spins, and a pre-programmed chord plays.
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    Thanks for clarification. I never thought hard about how flutes work. Still, based on your explanation, I feel that a fully-mechanical device that has hundreds of configurable tones and is operated through pressing a button should be feasible for easy mass-production and/or even 3D-printing.
HeyLaughingBoy 9y ago
In-band signalling? I used to do the same thing with DTMF tones back in the 90's. The SSI202 was the hot DTMF to binary decoder chip.
- jpindar 9y ago
  Same concept, but the standard - I think it's a standard - I was thinking of encodes more data in a short time (using higher pitched sounds), as well as being more pleasant to my ears.

TeMPOraL 9y ago

Here's a stupid idea I have (I'm pretty sure it's patented 'till kingdom come, but if not, then this is prior art and I want this to be public domain): (side view) +-------------+ +---+ BUTTON +--------------------------------+ | | | | | +-------------+ | -+ <-- valve | | +-------- -------------------------------------+ | | flute x x x x x x x x x x <-- sounds comes | +-----------------------------------------------+ out here +--------------------------------------------------+ x - a hole with an externally accessible lever that can be used to open or close it Basically, you press the button, which pushes air through a flute, thus making a sound. The sound is configurable through pluggable holes (marked with x). In the diagram above there are 10 of them, giving you 1024 possible sound frequency combinations to listen for with your central IoT device. Pros: - No electricity needed. - Fully configurable, open source. - 3D-printable maybe? Still, can be entirely plastic, so even more dirt-cheap to manufacture than the backscatter thingie. - Less chance of interference - it's easier to keep the sound contained within your apartment than it is to keep radio waves.

logfromblammo 9y ago
That's not quite how flutes work. Two open tone holes in the same air column do not produce two distinct tones. They combine to change the effective length of the air column, which then provides a resonance for one tone, the frequency of which is determined by the length and the speed of sound, which in turn is mostly determined by temperature, and partly by the humidity. You still need a reed to produce the initial vibration. I think what you are aiming for is more on the order of a disk siren. The rotation speed could be adjusted to produce a different base frequency, and one siren disk can support tone production from several air streams, each aimed at a different radius of the disk. Blocking off or opening the individual air streams can produce different chords based on the base tone. If you have twelve speeds and six air streams, you can make 767 different chords. The same rotor can turn the siren disk and a fan to move the air. You press the button, the disk spins, and a pre-programmed chord plays.
- TeMPOraL 9y ago
  Thanks for clarification. I never thought hard about how flutes work. Still, based on your explanation, I feel that a fully-mechanical device that has hundreds of configurable tones and is operated through pressing a button should be feasible for easy mass-production and/or even 3D-printing.

HeyLaughingBoy 9y ago

In-band signalling? I used to do the same thing with DTMF tones back in the 90's. The SSI202 was the hot DTMF to binary decoder chip.

jpindar 9y ago
Same concept, but the standard - I think it's a standard - I was thinking of encodes more data in a short time (using higher pitched sounds), as well as being more pleasant to my ears.