The Judges Committee has awarded this submission EXCELLENCE IN ELECTROMAGNETIC MUSIC
PROJECT SUMMARY
We had this question: Is it possible to combine the art of music and electricity?
Thinking this, we assembled a tesla coil, a circuit that creates an electromagnetic field, builds up energy and discharges it as a high voltage electric pulse. By controlling the timing and frequency of this energy we are able to play music. It’s important to point out that we don’t currently have a final prototype on working conditions, we had iterations that managed to generate sound but only at low frequencies and nothing more. And are still working on creating a circuit on a larger scale to function.
WHY?
We decided to start this project because we were interested in exploring the various applications and approaches within the field of electromagnetism, as well as the idea of combining art with electronics.
HOW?
After doing a lot of research, we made a list of materials we would be using for the project, which are:
1 resistor of 1k 2W
1 TIP41C transistor
1 IRFP250n or IRFP260n MOSFET transistor
1 10K potentiometer
1 electrolytic capacitor of 1 microfarad at 100V
1 female 3.5 mm minijack plug
1 male-to-male 3.5 mm minijack cable
Once we obtained these elements, we welded the circuit we needed for the operation of the electromagnetic generator, adding the necessary elements to produce electrical discharges based on the music connected to it.
WHAT?
Our prototype demonstrates that it is possible to create music with electricity using a musical Tesla coil. The circuit, built with diverse components, is designed to produce electrical discharges that translate the music into audible sound. Some iterations of the coil successfully generated music, confirming our initial research question.
SO WHAT?
Our results demonstrate the different applications of the Tesla coil, such as generating music, blending principles of electromagnetism and audio engineering, which has implications for educational purposes. We learned that careful management of electronic components are crucial to achieving the desired audio output.
WHAT'S NEXT?
We have yet to make the musical tesla coil work without some malfunction, as we are still in the trial and error phase. Some versions were able to play music, but they quickly failed for diverse reasons. One thing that could be improved is a better cooling system for the transistors, as they tended to quickly overheat and burn.
REFERENCES & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We based our project on the principles of Tesla coils and their ability to produce music through electric discharges, inspired by a larger-scale device we observed. Our research and ideas were supported by our understanding of electromagnetic generation and modulation that we developed previously in physics. Special thanks to Mr. Rodney, our mechatronics teacher, for his guidance and support throughout the project.
JUDGES FEEDBACK
What an interesting way of using electromagnetism to create music! Have you tried using different resistor sizes or additional ones to prevent the transistors from burning out? I would love to see some results (a link to a video would help) and how you varied the conditions (e.g. did you move the pot?)