AudioBox for Kids (Arduino and DFMiniPlayer Project)
Project Introduction
This project is about an audiobox which allows small kids, who cannot read, don’t understand signs, or don’t know which button to push, an easy way to choose sound effects, audio books, or music tracks. Playing tracks can be done by putting small items on the top of the audiobox. Those items are related to the e.g. audio book kids want to play and can be e.g. small figures or labelled cards or other NFC tags.
Administration
- Copy mp3 files on TF Card (Micro SD Card)
Before you can start you need to copy the mp3 files which you want to listen to onto the TF card. Therefore have a look how the structure of the TF Card must look like. In addition to the sound file you want to listen to you need to copy some file for the menus.
- Configure NFC Tag
Before a tag can be used you need to tell the audiobox what should be played. After placing the tag on top of the audiobox the first time the audiobox will ask you and guide you through a menu in order to configure the tag. The following relevant infromation will be stored on the tag: folder number, mode, special field. You need to select a folder in which the mp3 is placed and the Arduino will store the folder number on the tag. After that you need to choose a play mode which is Audio Book, Album, Party, Single Track, Audio Book with Bookmark, or Admin. If you choose Single Track or Admin mode the menu will ask for another track or informaiton that will be stored into the special field. (Bookmarks will be automatically stored direktly on the Arduino’s EEPROM so that you can continue listening furhter tracks of an audiobox. Bookmarks don’t require space on the tag.)
Hardware
- Schema
- Case
The case is a simple wooden cube (20cm x 20xm x 20cm). It has three buttons at the top, a speaker at the front, 4 feet at the bottom, and a power jack and a power on/off switch at the back. Inside there is a power bank, the board containing Arduino Nano, DfMiniPlayer, … and some cable to connect everything.
- NFC Tags
Pros and Cons
- Advantages:
Storing information on a TF card allows for the preservation of various audio data. NFC recognition enables accurate identification of different items, leading to faster recognition speeds. This is beneficial for our Final Project’s note recognition and audio playback.
- Disadvantages
The project’s relevance to music composition functionalities is limited.