Project 2

Ultrasonic Theremin

A touchless musical instrument inspired by the classic Theremin — played entirely by moving your hand through the air, with no physical contact required.

Play the Theremin

Move your mouse/finger across the play area below. Distance from left = pitch. Click to toggle mute.

Frequency
220 Hz
LIVE
Note
A3

Servo Arc Dial

Low High

LED Bar Graph

Session Stats

Notes Played0
Session Time0s
Avg Freq0 Hz

How It Works

1. Ultrasonic Sensing: The HC-SR04 sensor continuously measures the distance of the player's hand using ultrasonic sound waves.

2. Pitch Mapping: As the hand moves closer, the pitch rises. As it moves further away, the pitch drops — creating a smooth, continuous glide of notes.

3. Servo Arc Display: A servo motor needle sweeps across an arc scale like a speedometer, visually tracking the pitch level in real time.

4. LED Bar Graph: Five LEDs rise and fall as a bar graph display alongside the arc dial, giving a visual representation of the current pitch level.

5. Mute Toggle: A button on the panel acts as a mute toggle — pressing it silences the instrument instantly and dims the display.

Components

Arduino Uno
HC-SR04
Servo SG90
Piezo Buzzer
5× LEDs
Push Button
Resistors
Breadboard

Enclosure

Housed inside a cardboard enclosure with a styled front panel, arc scale print, and visible needle — designed to look like a retro instrument face.