WS23 -TD 14 – Using Arduino with TouchDesigner
Recording of January 31st 2024 in English Language
Recordings are available for one year after purchase.
Microcontrollers like Arduino allow users to sense the environment, understand haptic user input or build custom input devices like instruments or physical installations. They also enable TouchDesigner to send control commands to all kinds of actuators (motors, LEDs, lights and other hardware). This opens up a whole world of opportunities for creative installations and rapid prototyping.
Check out this list of SENSORS from Adafruit to get an idea: https://www.adafruit.com/category/35
Check out this list of ACTUATORS from Adafruit to get an idea: https://www.adafruit.com/category/227
In this module, Daniel Molnar who has worked professionally with embedded hardware and software for years will show you how to set up the (serial) connection between TouchDesigner and the Circuit Playground microcontroller. You will learn how to send acceleration and button data from the Circuit Playground to TouchDesigner, convert the data into chops and use the input to control a little interactive game. Furthermore he will show how to go the other way and send data back onto the Circuit Playground to light the onboard LEDs.
Nobody has to reinvent the wheel. There are tons of examples and demos around the Arduino hardware/software system and you will learn how to copy, paste and adapt existing code to your needs. The methods Daniel will introduce will work for any microcontroller from the Arduino eco system and can easily be adapted to your own ideas and other devices.
We highly recommend you order yourself exactly the same device that Daniel uses during the course, unless you really know what you are doing (in which case you might not need this course anyway : )
After the live lesson you will get access to the recording and the workshop files for one year.
About the Circuit Playground
We have chosen this product, because it has a lot of different sensors and actuators built in, so you can get started with learning right away and do not have to think about what and how you connect external sensors or actuators to it. You will be able to follow course without it, but if we may say so, it might be slightly missing the point : )
Find tons of info about it here:
https://www.adafruit.com/category/965
Unfortunately it is sold out in the Adafruit shop, but there are a couple of places where you can get it:
Requirements
This module is made for participants, who have a basic understanding of TouchDesigner, but do not need any experience with shader languages. If you just getting started, please visit our Beginners Course first.
- A recent PC or MAC Computer (discrete GPU recommended) with stable internet connection
- The latest build of TouchDesigner installed
- Zoom Client installed (please test your audio setup beforehand)
- 3-Button Mouse recommended
About the Instructor
Daniel Molnar aka Function Store is a freelance TouchDesigner developer and artist based in Berlin, working on interactive installations and audio-visual artworks across the globe. He has a professional background in software development, produces music and shares components and techniques on his YouTube channel and Patreon. Besides making art and developing systems, he has a passion for tool development and maintains the public GitHub repo FunctionStore_tools that contain many workflow hacks to TouchDesigner.
Pricing
Student – One Session at 50 EUR = 50 EUR
Professional – One Session at 100 EUR = 100 EUR
Company – One Session at 200 EUR = 200 EUR
