Singing Cans Prototyping an experimental wind instrument through parametric design integrated with field experiments

Singing Cans Prototyping an experimental wind instrument through parametric design integrated with field experiments

Wang, Shao-Yun; Sianoudi, Agathi; Wang, Maohua; Wu, Hongmei; Wang, Tsung-Hsien; Zhang, Zhuoqun; Peng, Chengzhi

Article:

We present a study of how parametric design can be linked to field experimentswhere ready-made plug-ins are not available for performative modelling. Thestudy centres on prototyping `Singing Cans' - an experimental wind instrumentmade with an assembly of drinking cans that can produce sounds in recognizablepitches by interacting with airflows. We describe how field experimentsconducted in a fluid flow lab can generate performative resources linkable toparametric design modelling. In Singing Cans, we focus on how to get airflowthrough a hole made on drinking can to make sounds. The prototyping processinvolved a lab-based calibration process to establish the relationship between theair volume of a can, measured by water-filling, and the pitch produced, measuredby the Tuner Lite by Piascore. The field experiments resulted in a datasetcapturing a can's sound-making behaviour in terms of water volumes and pitches.A parametric model that can take in wind data generated by a CFD package andoutput a 3D frame for site-specific cans installation is presented.

We present a study of how parametric design can be linked to field experimentswhere ready-made plug-ins are not available for performative modelling. Thestudy centres on prototyping `Singing Cans' - an experimental wind instrumentmade with an assembly of drinking cans that can produce sounds in recognizablepitches by interacting with airflows. We describe how field experimentsconducted in a fluid flow lab can generate performative resources linkable toparametric design modelling. In Singing Cans, we focus on how to get airflowthrough a hole made on drinking can to make sounds. The prototyping processinvolved a lab-based calibration process to establish the relationship between theair volume of a can, measured by water-filling, and the pitch produced, measuredby the Tuner Lite by Piascore. The field experiments resulted in a datasetcapturing a can's sound-making behaviour in terms of water volumes and pitches.A parametric model that can take in wind data generated by a CFD package andoutput a 3D frame for site-specific cans installation is presented.

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DOI: 10.5151/proceedings-ecaadesigradi2019_064

Referências bibliográficas

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Como citar:

Wang, Shao-Yun; Sianoudi, Agathi; Wang, Maohua; Wu, Hongmei; Wang, Tsung-Hsien; Zhang, Zhuoqun; Peng, Chengzhi; "Singing Cans Prototyping an experimental wind instrument through parametric design integrated with field experiments", p-703-710. In: Proceedings of 37 eCAADe and XXIII SIGraDi Joint Conference, “Architecture in the Age of the 4Th Industrial Revolution”, Porto 2019, Sousa, José Pedro; Henriques, Gonçalo Castro; Xavier, João Pedro (eds.). São Paulo: Blucher, 2019.
ISSN 23186968, DOI 10.5151/proceedings-ecaadesigradi2019_064