Funky Frequencies Workshop
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The Funky frequencies workshop focused on creating noise-making devices using pre-prepared electronics, cardboard, aluminum foil and other DIY materials. The style of the noisemakers was free, but one popular option was to make a little 'matchbox' which plays sounds when opened, such as the one in the photo. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Electronics inside the noisemaker 'matchbox', which included a small microcontroller, a small speaker and batteries. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Here is the electronics kit with a pre-programmed ATtiny85 microcontroller, which each participant got for building their noisemaker. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The noisemaker circuit. The ATtiny85 microcontroller has a small speaker connected to pin 4. Pins 0-3 are connected to input wires and a sound is played when one of the input wires is connected with ground (act as switches). Each of the inputs triggers a different sound and when more than one input wire is connected with ground, the sounds associated with the input wires are played subsequently, resulting in more complex sounds. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The participants' task was to create an interface for the noise-making electronics using various DIY materials, such as sturdy cardboard, small boxes, aluminum foil, double-sided tape and glitter foils. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

A noisemaker 'matchbox' in progress. Here the electronics are being attached inside the box. Two holes were made in the bottom so that the input and ground wires could be attached on the other side of the box piece in order to make a switching mechanism with aluminum foil. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The aluminum foil switch mechanism for the noisemaker 'matchbox'. The cover of the box contains a large aluminum foil piece on the bottom. The inside part of the box has also in its outside bottom two separate aluminum foil contacts, one for the input wires and one for ground. When the box is closed, the large aluminum piece connects the two small ones, resulting in sounds. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

After pulling the input and ground wires through the holes, they were shortened and insulation was removed. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Finished aluminum contacts for the input wires (right) and the ground wire (left). This participant made the contacts in the shape of a heart. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Decorating the box with glitter. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Finished box! / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Another box inspired by the red glitter. Leftover parts of glitter stickers have also been reused creatively here. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

More shiny noise-boxes. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Insides of the boxes revealed. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Finished boxes resulted in general in happy moods. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

This little character fit the sounds coming out of the box pretty well. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Making a 'piano', which could play all the four individual sounds and all of their combinations was also an option, in particular for those who were into investing more time and patience in the creative process. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The aluminum foil switch mechanism for the noisemaker 'piano'. Each piano key contains a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom, which is connected to one input wire. Underneath the keys is a bottom plate with a large piece of aluminum foil. This piece is connected to ground. When a key is pressed, it touches the bottom plate and results in a sound, or a compound sound if multiple keys are pressed simultaneously. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Cutting piano keys from sturdy cardboard. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Preparing the keys with aluminum foil surfaces in order to attach an input wire to each key. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The piano is finished and the successful father-son duo is happy! / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Hybrid designs also emerged. Here is a piano matchbox. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

As the night progressed, it became increasingly difficult to find tidy space for working. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Towards the end of the night, some participants explored colorful rubber sheets from the neighboring blinky patch workshop when making their noisemaker interface. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Helping hand was useful in sorting out the input wires. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Wearable 'cyborg synth' in progress. Fitting the armband size. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Connecting the input wires to aluminum foil with double-sided tape. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Testing a synth key after the big aluminum foil 'ground plate' was taped in place. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Two brothers made cyborg synths. Here is one of them wearing both - quite a cyborg effect! / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

Here's another cyborg synth inspired by the first two pilot projects. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

One participant also made a quiz device, which requested an answer to a challenging mathematical question. The answer was to be given by touching one of the options with the white wire. Correct answer resulted in playing a sound. Please note that the 'correct' answer in this case was actually '5', supposedly in order to make the quiz a bit harder. / CC BY Kati Hyyppä

The backside of the quiz device, which also reveals the correct answer (ground connection). / CC BY Kati Hyyppä