Code/Programming Issues

The code issues for this project fall into one of two related categories:
1. Gathering data from the stretch sensors
2. Processing the breathing sounds gathered in real-time from the stethoscope, based on the data gathered from the stretch sensors

In order to gather the data from the stretch sensors, I need to ensure an active and accurate BlueTooth connection from the computer to the LilyPad. I then need to provide information to enable SuperCollider to distinguish the serial data from the LilyPad's pins A0-A5. This will be achieved by having each pin send a short message with each serial message, that acts as an ID-tag.

The processing of the breathing sounds to create an interesting and complex spectrum of pitch, timbre, rhythm and harmony is particularly challenging because the processes used to achieve these sounds need to be as efficient, and ideally as simple as possible. Often in composing NRT tape pieces I will apply a process to a sound, create a new AIF file, and then apply a new process, or another iteration of the same process to the sound, in order to achieve a desired effect. In real-time, this iterative process is not feasible, and so I will need to find other ways to achieve a musically rich processing of sounds.

Part of what makes this even more challenging, relates to the design of the PMC, and ultimately the mapping between the human-interface and computer-controlled sound output:

1. There are very few stretch sensors (6, total) which must control a wide variety of processes.
2. Manipulating the stretch sensors in a very specific way is challenging because of the nature of breathing: the performer must breathe, and their body will move to some extent with each breath. Aside from code issues, this will create a somewhat, though not entirely unique relationship between performer and instrument: the performer must "fight" their own body to achieve specific musical results.
3. The input data from the stretch sensors is very subtle, and in order to achieve a range of data, one has to grossly exaggerate the variation of breath patterns, making the most shallow breath even more shallow, and the deepest breath even deeper.