Quick MaKey MaKey
MaKey MaKey is a cheap hardware interface for PCs, Macs and most tablets which allows any vaguely conductive object to be used as a switch.
The latest board supports 18 switches including mouse actions. Cursor keys, mouse-click and spacebar are used by default, so MaKey MaKey works out of the box with much existing switch access software and many keyboard controlled games. See MaKey MaKey for more information. As it’s based on Arduino, it’s completely reprogrammable if you’re prepared to delve a little deeper.
Quick Demo
This is a quick demo made to demonstrate MaKey MaKey in a multi-sensory room when pitching a project – intended to be projected with a decent audio system. Using card shapes wrapped in crushed foil as triggers is quick and very effective in sensory rooms.
Some sounds in this demo lend themselves to percussive call and response type activities, but mostly they blend in interesting ways when triggering is continual. Reduce the screen resolution if graphics are choppy on older hardware.
It’s also really good fun if you fit everyone with anti-static wristbands instead – touching hands (with the chosen earthed person) then completes the circuit and triggers the various sounds.
Assignments
- Spacebar – Deep Male Vocal 1 [red colours]
- Right Arrow – Deep Male Vocal 2 [blue colours]
- Up Arrow – Electric Monk 1 [magenta colours]
- Left Arrow – Looping horns [green colours]
- Down Arrow – Chorus [yellow colours]
- Mouse Click – Electric Monk 2 [cyan colours]