This project is currently in progress...

Check out the latest pictures of development, at Flickr.

MIDIsense is a simple, yet extensible sensor interface system for artists, musicians and others interested in experimenting with sensors. The MIDIsense boards provide a simple way to integrate various common sensors with existing software such as Max/MSP, Ableton Live, etc. or directly to a synthesizer/sequencer with a MIDI in jack. Interface boards are available as kits and (possibly) assembled. Graphical configuration/calibration software is written in wx/Python and will be available for Windows/Linux/Mac OS X.

While there are other projects with similar functionality, this will be (by far) the most technically advanced, flexible & inexpensive.

This project is supported by EYEBEAM and is distributed under Creative Commons, Attribution/Share alike.

Instead of having one generic board that handles all kinds of sensors, with extensive configuration required, there will be 3-4 different boards. Each board is customized to handle a particular kind of sensor. For example, one board will handle 'resistive' type sensors: force, bend, and photosensors all act like variable resistors, and require a certain kind of conditioning circuitry. Another board will handle 'capacitive touch' button sensors: this type of sensor requires a specific chip to function. If the board was too generic, the user would have to wire up the custom circuitry required for each kind of switch, which would invalidate the point of having a kit available.

As a result, the artist that is using the boards should first decide what sensors are desired, then purchase the correct kits to handle those sensors as well as the sensors. The sensors have to be wired up but that doesnt require understanding or designing any electronics.