Imagine a room filled with sound, bouncing off walls, furniture, and every surface it encounters. This cacophony of reflections can create an unpleasant listening experience, especially for those who appreciate the purity of sound. Enter Jeremy Cook, a creative mind with a passion for audio, who embarked on a mission to tame the chaos of sound waves with a unique tool: a pseudorandomness console.
The Pseudorandomness Console: A Guiding Hand for Sound
Cook’s pseudorandomness console, powered by an iRobota Uno and an LCD shield, is the mastermind behind the placement of 216 angled segments that make up his innovative sound diffuser. This ingenious device generates random values that dictate the angle and direction of each segment, ensuring a truly unpredictable pattern that scatters sound in every direction.
The Sound Diffuser: A Symphony of Angles and Colors
The sound diffuser itself is a marvel of geometric precision, composed of four distinct colors of triangular segments. Each segment can face up, down, left, or right, creating a kaleidoscope of angles and orientations. This intricate arrangement ensures that sound waves encounter a myriad of surfaces, effectively diffusing them and preventing unwanted reflections.
The Assembly Process: A Dance of Precision and Chance
The assembly of the sound diffuser is a delicate dance between precision and chance. Cook meticulously applies glue to the segments, then presses a button on the pseudorandomness console to generate a random value. This value determines the angle and direction of the next segment, which is then placed accordingly. This process continues until all 216 segments are in place, resulting in a diffuser that is both visually stunning and acoustically effective.
The Code: Open Source and Ready to Share
In the spirit of open-source collaboration, Cook has generously shared the code for his pseudorandomness console on GitHub. This allows fellow audio enthusiasts and DIY aficionados to recreate this ingenious tool and embark on their own sound diffusion adventures. Additionally, Cook provides a detailed explanation of the code in a video, making it accessible to anyone interested in delving deeper into the inner workings of this unique project.
The Result: A Room Transformed, Sound Unchained
With the sound diffuser in place, Cook’s room is transformed into an oasis of acoustic clarity. The chaotic reflections that once plagued the space are now tamed, giving way to a pure and immersive listening experience. The diffuser’s randomized pattern effectively scatters sound waves, eliminating unwanted echoes and creating a more natural and balanced soundscape.
Bonus: Sound Diffusion Beyond the Home
The principles of sound diffusion extend beyond the confines of the home. In concert halls, theaters, and other public spaces, sound diffusers play a crucial role in enhancing the listening experience. By strategically placing diffusers throughout a venue, architects and acousticians can create spaces where sound is evenly distributed, intelligible, and free from unwanted reflections.
Conclusion
Jeremy Cook’s pseudorandomness console and sound diffuser are testaments to the power of creativity and the transformative potential of technology. By harnessing the unpredictability of randomness, Cook has crafted a tool that helps tame the chaos of sound waves, resulting in a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience. Whether in the comfort of one’s home or in the grand setting of a concert hall, sound diffusers are unsung heroes, quietly working behind the scenes to ensure that sound is heard as it was meant to be: pure, clear, and unadulterated.
Leave a Reply