A Musical Controller Inspired by the Cicada’s Efficient Buckling Mechanism

Abstract

The cicada uses a rapid sequence of buckling ribs to initiate and sustain vibrations in the tymbal plate – the primary mechanical resonator in its sound production system. “ The Tymbalimba,” a music controller inspired by this mechanism, has a row of four convex aluminum ribs arranged much like the keys on a kalimba. Each rib is spring loaded and capable of snapping down into a V-shape (a motion referred to as buckling) under the downward force of the user’s finger. The displacement of the rib during buckling is measured by a sensor and then passed through a differentiating circuit to obtain velocity. The velocity is then converted to energy and used as the input signal to a computer synthesis model – a physical model which simulates the mechanical and acoustic elements of the cicada’s sound production mechanism.