A: Because it had a virus and needed a byte of medicine!
In all seriousness though, my laptop is no longer functioning properly and will be sent in for a check-up despite my troubleshooting efforts this week. Consequently, software development had to take a backseat, which wasn’t what I originally planned.
On a brighter note, I’ve made progress in finding a solution for tracking the player’s hand position in the bell! After considering various options such as accelerometers, accelerometer/gyroscope combos, stretch sensors, pressure sensors, or utilizing the built-in sensors of a smartphone or smartwatch, I’ve decided to order a flex sensor. This type of sensor measures the amount it bends or deflects, making it ideal for detecting the nuanced movements involved in hand-stopping.
I chose the flex sensor because I wanted to pay homage to one of the distinctive aspects of classical horn playing: hand-stopping. Traditionally, hand-stopping was used to play diatonically/chromatically on the natural horn. Therefore, it was crucial to find a sensor capable of capturing the different degrees of hand-stopping. The flex sensor will be positioned on the inner wrist, possibly integrated into a glove of some sort, to accurately measure the bend of the wrist as it transitions from an open to a stopped position.
Onwards!