Announcing the TactileAudio Project. TactileAudio is a Teensy-based capacitive-touch audio and haptic (vibration) player, including a complete software library, full instructional web site, 18 YouTube videos, a professional PC board, and a complete material list. Originally designed for artists and sculptors who wanted to embed interactive technology into their art, TactileAudio is also useful for a variety of applications, such as museum displays and assistive technology for hearing- and visually impaired patrons.
TactileAudio replaces and greatly enhances the original BareConductive Touch Board, which is now defunct (BareConductive closed down in March, 2025).
The features of TactileAudio include:
TactileAudio replaces and greatly enhances the original BareConductive Touch Board, which is now defunct (BareConductive closed down in March, 2025).
The features of TactileAudio include:
- Capacitive sensing is done with the Adafruit Gemma-M0, which separates the sensing from the CPU board. The Gemma-M0 can be placed close to the touch sensor, and acts as a “preamp” so that the sensors can be far from the CPU. The older Touch Board’s integrated design (capacitive sensing and CPU on the same board) greatly limited the distance between the CPU and sensors, usually to less than a half meter. With TactileAudio, the Gemmas can be many meters away.
- Other sensors, such as phototransistors, are supported.
- Powerful PJRC Teensy 4.1 microcontroller and Audio shield can play four full-stereo tracks simultaneously. The TouchBoard was limited to a single audio track.
- Haptic (vibration) support: A TactileAudio device can drive up to four linear or motor vibrators. Each channel can be individually programmed with one of five built-in vibration patterns, or you can design your own.
- Do-it-yourself instructions for non-technical users allow anyone to build the project in less than a day.
- No coding: a web app generates C++ code automatically, and allows you to configure all options (e.g. fade-in/out, looping, touch vs. proximity sensing, vibration patterns, etc.). A simple copy-and-paste of the C++ code into the Arduino app is all that’s required.
- Open-source software and hardware design. The entire project is released under the LGPL license.
- Community support on Reddit.
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