The purpose of the Sound Garden is to demonstrate to the user the physical relationships between wavelength and sound in a safe, interactive, and understandable way. The Sound Garden satisfies the weighted criteria specified by the client for building a PVC xylophone-like musical exhibit. Designed by The Engineers That Could, The Sound Garden is a musical addition to the Redwood Discovery Museum's collection of wave-related exhibits. The design is a fun, appealing way for museum-goers of all ages learn about the physics of the sound. The Engineers designed the project for their Engineering 215 - Introduction to Design class at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Background
Ken Pinkerton from the Redwood Discovery Museum in Eureka, CA asked for an exhibit that will educate kids about the physical nature of sound.
Problem statement and criteria
The Redwood Discovery Museum needed a new musical exhibit to demonstrate the relationships between physics and sound. The objective of the Sound Garden project was to sustainably create and implement a new exhibit that was safe, educational, and appealing to all ages.
Description of final project
The Sound Garden is an instrument that displays the relationships between physics and sound. The exhibit uses varying pipe length in order to achieve desired notes. Re-purposed rubber spatulas are used as playing mallets. The display can be split in half for easy transport, and can be secured together with brass latches.
Costs
| Quantity | Material | Source | Cost ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schedule 40 1-1/4" PVC Pipe | Pierson Hardware | 5.99 | 5.99 |
| 49 | Schedule 40 1-1/4" PVC - 45 degree | Pierson Hardware | 1.29 | 63.21 |
| 13 | Schedule 40 1-1/4" PVC - 90 degree | Pierson Hardware | 1.29 | 16.77 |
| 13 | Schedule 40 1-1/4" PVC connectors - Straight | Pierson Hardware | 0.69 | 8.97 |
| 2 | 10-24 x1-1/4" Truss screws (100 ct.) | Pierson Hardware | 7.99 | 15.98 |
| 2 | 10-24 x1-1/4" Nuts (100 ct.) | Pierson Hardware | 2.00 | 5.79 |
| 1 | Washers (100 ct.) | Pierson Hardware | 2.99 | 2.99 |
| 4 | L-Brackets | Pierson Hardware | 0.89 | 3.56 |
| 4 | Draw Catches | Pierson Hardware | 3.49 | 13.96 |
| 4 | Hitch Pins | Pierson Hardware | 0.40 | 1.60 |
| 1 | Primer | Pierson Hardware | 10.34 | 10.34 |
| 8 | Paint | Pierson Hardware | 4.49 | 35.92 |
| 1 | Primer | Pierson Hardware | 10.34 | 10.34 |
| 8 | Paint | Pierson Hardware | 4.49 | 35.92 |
| Total Cost | $231.52 | |||
Testing Results
The Sound Garden is currently on display at the Redwood Discovery Museum. The staff is excited to officially open the exhibit on Tuesday December 5th, 2017.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Pipes are not going into elbow assembly | Loosen bracket |
| Notes are not playing clearly | Inspect connection between elbow assembly and vertical pipes |
Discussion and next steps
The Team hopes that kids visiting the museum will learn about the correlation of music and physics through the Sound Garden. The Sound Garden teaches this through interactive use of the different color coded pipes that vary in length as well as an educational music book that goes along with the musical instrument.