Accipio Lux:

The In-home Visual Speaker

Team 6
Section 6

Matthew Rennekamp
Yi Song
Zachary Falk
Abstract:
Often times when listening to music, listeners desire a visual display corresponding to a song as
it is playing, similar to the lights on stage during a live performance. Incorporating a system of
colored LEDs controlled by frequency-dependent circuitry into a portable personal speaker will
provide a cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing solution. The result is an output of a spectrum
of light with intensity synchronized with any audio input, providing a concert-like visual
experience to at-home listener.

Introduction:
To create a fully immersive audio visual experience in the comfort of your own home, it is
impractical to purchase a full stage set with programmable cues to control colored lights as your
music plays. By incorporating a frequency controlled string of LEDs into our home speaker, the
Accipio Lux, this issue can be bypassed. Our design must meet three main design parameters:
the speaker must be capable of outputting 100 watts rms, must have a size no larger than 12l x
6d x 4h, and will have 7 LEDs corresponding to frequencies spanning from 20 Hz-20 kHz.
Each LED will respond to a bandwidth of 2854 Hz; red representing the lowest range and violet
representing the highest. The components needed to complete this task are cost-effective, and
are easily manufacturable, with only minor changes in code and digital logic needed to adapt
each filter circuit from one bandwidth to the next.

Rationale:
Accipio Lux satisfies three major characteristics: portability, flexibility, and fun. The small size of
our speaker is easily carried around by our customers. The adjustable volume feature and
user-customizable equalizer, as well as its dual connection option (wire or wireless) create
flexibility to customers in a majority of circumstances. Breathing LED lights that change color
corresponding with the frequencies of the music are fun and relaxing. In Fig.1, we show the
design of our digital filter, which analyzes the input, music, and splits it into different frequency
ranges. The equation will be be mainly based on is fourier transformation:

X () = x(t) * e j2f t dt

where x(t) is our input signal and X () is the resulted signal in frequency domain. After the
designated frequency ranges are calculated, logic high will be sent to the circuit and the
corresponding LED will turn on using pulse width modulation.

Implementation:
Our group has a solid knowledge base and practical experience in digital circuit and signal
processing. This project will be divided into three parts: audio amplifier design, digital filter and
software programming, and circuit construction. First, Accipio Lux needs to have both bluetooth
and 3.5mm audio jack connection available after purchase while the input signal needs to be
accessed and transmitted to a PCB. Then, we place a microcontroller with 7 digital output ports
on the PCB and program it so that each output port will correspond a frequency range. Finally,
based on the 7 output ports, we build 7 digital circuits with LEDs of 7 different colors from red to
violet. To record our progress, we will use the gantt chart for data tracking and status reports.
Each member will make his own gantt chart and the team will combine them into a complete
one. After finishing each step, the person in charge will update the chart and remind other
people his progresses.

Conclusion:
Accipio Lux provides consumers a portable, immersive, sensory experience in the comfort of
their own homes. Cost-effective, easily manufacturable, and portable, Accipio Lux uses LEDs
corresponding to different bandwidths of frequencies which pair visually pleasing effects to the
users music. Providing crisp sound and an amazing light show, Accipio Lux turns any room into
the life of the party.

Appendices:

Fig.1: Digital Filter Block Diagram

Fig. 2: High-level Block Diagram of Accipio Lux