The Automated Xylophone: An ELCT201 project

Pictured on the left is the Automated Xylophone project, developed by three students (Jon Siegers, Mark Whitman and Justin Guerrero) for a class project in their ELCT 201 lab course for Spring 2009. The device uses 25 push-type solenoids controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller. When activated, each solenoid strikes a mallet, which then rotates on its axis to strike an associated bar, producing a specific musical note. Software controls the timing and location of each strike to play a programmed piece of music. The project took the students 4 or 5 weeks to complete from initial planning to final programming. Video clips of the Xylophone in action have been posted to YouTube and Yahoo, as shown below.

Demo of multiple songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RGec6RU49c

Fight song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciTFkLOlviQ
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4972577/13236595

Mario
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuiO-aXPrys
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4972556/13236513