Spring into Summer Ambassador Design Competition Audio Visualizer-Part 3

2021-10-07 | By Tyler Marston

License: See Original Project

This is the final post for Team Syracuse’s Summer Design Project. Please see the previous posts, Part 1 and Part 2, for reference.

Overall, Eric and I believe that we were very successful with this project. The audio visualizer looks great and works great too. I think what made this project a success is that is wasn’t routine. This project is something that neither of us had done before, but we both agreed that it was within our skillset. This meant that it would be a challenge, but completable. We also really liked the original idea since we are both very into music. Throughout the project we both learned a lot and were able to build on skills that we already had. For example, going into this project I had already worked with FFTs using a Teensy 4.0. What made this interesting was using a different library and different functions. Not only did I learn how to project these values using different algorithms, I was able to share this knowledge with Eric.

Another thing that we really loved about this project was the customization that can be done. When picking color size and style, it was nice to have so many options. In contrast to buying something online, we were able to make every single piece of this project the way we wanted. For example, the “Cuse” logo that we painted on the front is pretty original. We did this because we wanted something that we haven’t seen before. Being on a campus filled with large “S”s, it was nice to have the option of something more unique.

Another thing that I feel is underrated in projects is the satisfaction that comes with completing it. When a project is successfully completed that tests you makes you work really hard, it makes you feel really good at the end.

visualizer_1

After a long project it is good to take a step back a look at the takeaways. The first thing that I think every engineer needs is perseverance. The ability to keep going when you can’t get something quite right is very beneficial in engineering and life in general. When faced with obstacles like a broken part or bad code, it is crucial that you keep on pushing forward. That doesn’t mean that you need to burn yourself out, but don’t give up completely.

This ties into my second point, which is the importance of patience. Projects that are at the peak of your skillset are bound to cause frustration and issues. Staying calm and slowly working through issues is a great way to ensure that you don’t exhaust yourself.

Lastly, I think it is important to HAVE FUN! Projects are meant to be something that we enjoy doing. Make everything that comes off your workbench unique and make sure you leave with a smile whether that day was successful or not.

project_2

Thank you for following Team Syracuse on this journey. If you would like to see how we made the audio visualizer, please watch our video below. Good luck and happy hacking!

Video - How we made the Audio Visualizer

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