2017 • Robotics • Electronics
Rufus is built using piano wire as a structural framework, with epoxy bonding creating a rigid yet responsive sculptural form. Flex sensors embedded throughout the structure detect compression and deformation, sending analog resistance values to a Teensy microcontroller. The Teensy processes these sensor readings and outputs MIDI data that controls sound parameters in MaxMSP software. The physical act of squeezing or pressing the piano wire structure creates immediate audio changes, with compression intensity mapped to parameters like filter cutoff, resonance, or effect depth. The piano wire provides both structural integrity and tactile feedback, creating a haptic interface where musical control is directly tied to the physical sensation of deforming metal. The MaxMSP patch can be customized to map compression data to any controllable parameter, making Rufus adaptable to different musical contexts. 
