Symphony

Event Introduction

The art of composing music has come a long way with extensive application of electronic concepts in speech and audio processing. At Engineer Golden Jubilee Edition, Symphony gives the participants an opportunity to dabble into the sights and sounds of electronics and bring the subject to life. Symphony requires participants to control a musical fountain’s water flow and lights, so that the fountain dancesto the tunes of the music. A huge draw every Engineer, Symphony generates huge participation and promises a great crowd.

Event Format

Design an electronic controller circuit for a musical fountain. The water jets and lights on the fountain should be aesthetically harmonized with the music that is played.

General Information

• The fountain fitted with lights and water jet nozzles shall be provided. The water jets are controlled by solenoid valves and the lights are controlled by relay circuits. The controller circuit has to provide TTL compatible digital signals to actuate these valves.
• The fountain will be open for testing for 1-2 hours before the event starts. The teams can test/tune their circuits during this period.
• The participants will also be allowed to tune their circuit (if necessary) for the first 1 minute of their display after which participants are not allowed to make any changes to the circuit till the end of their turn.
• Circuits on breadboards are allowed, but participants are advised to have a properly soldered circuit.
• At any point of time during the event, the judges can change the rules to maintain fairness and the spirit of healthy competition. Decisions made by the judges will be final and binding.
• Teams are advised to visit the site regularly for updates/additional information about the event.
• The details of the fountain and the I/O specification of the circuit are provided here.

Rules and Regulations

• The music input is given in the form of a stereo signal to the circuit through a standard male earphone connector as line-in. The music will also be played simultaneously on the speaker.
• Three tunes will be played for each of the teams. One of them will be the same for all the teams. This tune is available here. The second tune will be chosen by the participant team. Teams are required to submit the song in advance before the start of the event on a flash drive or CD. The third tune will be chosen at random from the organizers’ database. Each tune shall be less than 2 minutes long.
• The teams are required to explain the circuit and algorithm to the audience. They are also required to submit a brief description (< = 2 pages) of the same before their turn in the event.
• Evaluation Criteria:
  • Synchronization with the tunes – The operation of the fountain should APPARENTLY be in harmony with music component(s). The team shall make this clear while explaining their algorithm. (The music components can be any apparent feature such as frequency range, amplitude, a combination of frequency and amplitude, etc.) Better synchronization carries more points.
  • Aesthetic appeal – Along with synchronization, the combination and sequence of water jets and lights should be chosen so as to create the best possible aesthetic appeal.
  • Design of the circuit – Teams shall explain their circuit to the judges. Good quality designs shall carry more marks.
  • Cost of the circuit – Cost of the circuit should be kept at minimum. Higher the cost of the circuit, lesser the points.
• The decision of judges will be regarded as final.
• A team shall not consist of more than three members.

Contact details:

• Varun Kumar N : +91-9844316252
• You can email your queries to symphony@engineer.org.in