Electronic Percussion Playing Surface with Distributed Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic percussion instruments have sensitivity variations across the playing surface, making it difficult for novice users to consistently produce different sounds, as the 'sweet spot' for generating a certain sound is typically small and centered, requiring precise striking.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a semi-permeable playing surface and electromechanical sensors that distribute sensitivity evenly across the surface, allowing consistent sound production regardless of the strike location, using shock absorbing posts and transducers to generate equivalent electrical signals for impacts within a predefined area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a small flexible cushion material is used in the center of the shell, then the sensitivity is concentrated and precise for advanced users, but the area of the sweet spot becomes very small making it difficult for novice users to locate and strike consistently
Solution Approach 1:
The single central flexible cushion material is divided into multiple flexible cushion materials arranged in a circular pattern. This segmentation creates multiple localized sensitivity zones that collectively form a larger effective sweet spot area, allowing novice users to strike different regions and still achieve consistent sound production while maintaining concentrated sensitivity at each individual contact point.
Solution Approach 2:
Each flexible cushion material maintains its own localized sensitivity characteristics, but the collective arrangement of multiple such elements creates a broader area of acceptable strike locations. This allows different regions of the playing surface to have similar sensitivity qualities, expanding the effective sweet spot while preserving the concentrated sensitivity needed for precise sound generation.
2Area of stationary object
If the flexible cushion material area is increased to expand the sweet spot, then novice users can more easily locate and strike the playing surface, but the sensitivity concentration is reduced affecting sound consistency
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using one large flexible cushion material that would dilute sensitivity, the solution segments the contact area into multiple smaller flexible cushion materials. Each segment maintains high sensitivity concentration, while the collective arrangement of segments provides a larger overall sweet spot area for consistent sound production.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple flexible cushion materials and electromechanical transducers are used to adjust the area of sensitivity, then the device complexity increases, but the ability to generate consistent sound across larger areas is improved
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flexible cushion materials are combined in a circular arrangement, each coupled to electromechanical transducers. This merging of multiple sensing elements creates a unified sensitivity field that covers a larger area while maintaining consistent sound generation characteristics across the expanded sweet spot.
Solution Approach 2:
The circular arrangement of multiple flexible cushion materials with electromechanical transducers serves multiple functions: it expands the sweet spot area for novice users, maintains sensitivity concentration for sound consistency, and provides configurable sensitivity zones that can be adjusted based on user skill level and playing preferences.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables electronic percussion instruments to produce consistent sounds across a larger area, facilitating easier learning for beginners and allowing more control over sound production, shifting the focus from adjusting settings to playing technique.
Implementation Method 1
an electromechanical transducer (piezoelectric transducer) positioned between the flexible cushion material and a supporting structure
Data Source
AI summary
Electronic percussion instruments with enhanced playing areas and methods and systems for generating electrical signals in response to impacts to a playing surface are disclosed. A semi-permeable playing surface covering an acoustic noise reducing cavity of an electronic percussion instrument may receive an impact within a predefined impact region, and an electrical signal may be generated in response by an electromechanical sensor that senses the impact. In many instances, the generated electrical signal may be configured to be equivalent in magnitude to any other electrical signal generated by the electromechanical sensor, in response to any other received impact within the same predefined impact region.