UROP Openings

Telemetron ISS-1: Designing a Musical Instrument for the International Space Station (MechE focus)

Project Description

The microgravity environment will have a profound impact on the form and direction of human culture. This project, a continuation of a series of custom designed and built musical instruments flown and performed on zero-gravity flights (see telemetron.space), is a provocation to imagine and build that cultural future. The instrument, called the Telemetron, creates music from the movement of the instrument itself in microgravity, and is slated to be deployed to the International Space Station in 2021 where an astronaut will perform with the device and document their experience. You will work with the research team to design, build, and test this instrument. This UROP offers considerable hands-on experience and unique exposure to designing for microgravity and space launch environments. The majority of the work will need to be done on-campus. This project is a part of the MIT Space Exploration Initiative, which aims to prototype and design our sci-fi space future.

Pre-requisites

Motivated self-starter in MechE (seniors or experienced juniors) with in mechanical engineering, fabrication. Experience with structural analysis calculations is important for this role. Interest or experience in musical instrument innovation a plus. Experience/understanding/intuition with audio engineering is a big plus.