title: firefader
type: haptic device / interface - design and fabrication
year: 2013
author/composer: Edgar Berdahl and Alexandros Kontogeorgakopoulos
The FireFader is a simple haptic force-feedback device that is optimised for introducing musicians to haptics. It is based upon a single-degree-of-freedom potentiometer fader coupled to a DC motor, also known as a “motorised fader.” An open-source device driver for the FireFader allows it to be linked to a computer via USB so that the computer can perform the feedback control calculations. For example, the computer can simulate the acoustics of a virtual musical instrument to concurrently synthesise sound and calculate the motor force as a function of the fader position. The dimensions of the motorised fader which dicated the ergonomics of the haptic device are illustrated below.
More info about the research of the work can be found in the Journal paper The FireFader: Simple, Open-Source and Reconfigurable Haptics for Musicians Computer Music Journal 17(1).