Engineering can be complex and difficult to understand, but music is a universal language that can
reach all audiences. The music machine is a public relations project with the purpose of attracting and entertaining an audience.
The device plays and displays fun elements such as colorful lights, whimsical moving parts, motion triggered actions, and musical
instruments which will play and move in time with our song. The various entertaining elements also represent the main branches of
engineering. For example, the light towers which look like buildings represent civil engineering, while the lights themselves
represent electrical engineering.
Historic machines were an inspiration for many parts of this project. For example, calliopes were
loud machines used by circuses to draw crowds, just like we want our device to draw crowds. To keep the crowd engaged, our machine
will play well-known music. Specifically, our machine will play excerpts from the FAMU and FSU alma maters. This machine is also
designed to inspire young people to take part in science, technology, engineering, and math career paths. Another source of
inspiration for our music machine included music boxes, which have also delighted people for ages. We are using the core of a music
box, the music roll, to play notes on an electronic keyboard. Our machine will also have new electric versions of some classic
percussion elements, such as drums and cymbals. Marbles and other moving parts will play these instruments while also providing fun
visuals. The electronic instruments also keep the option to use the sounds of instruments which are hard to move. All in all, with
the variety of music and visuals, our machine aims to engage audiences from all walks of life and showcase the fun side of engineering.
