Spurred by the desire to offer a low cost method of allowing those without a voice to speak, I created this little thing which anyone can put together for under £$€10.
The above video demonstrates a proof of concept, and will be refined further in the future. No coding is required. To make your own, you will need:
- Small Speaker – £2
- This is what I used
- DIY Rechargable Battery £1
- Bluetooth Module with Amplifier £6
- This is what I used
- A Power Switch, Container and a Tube, Plus Tools
- I also recommend the free Korg Kaossilator App, although anything that emits sound over bluetooth will work.
(You may need to “volume boost” if using a mobile phone.)
Many have given insights and have helped along the way. One of the advantages of producing these videos is that it allows people to give me feedback and advice. The following video is V0.1, where I did not know as much, and was under a false assumption that talk boxes require vocal chords to operate.
The following videos offered great understanding how a Talk Box works. I did not realise the sound gets constricted by tubes, which seems common-sense in hindsight.
There is also available the “ElectroSpit”, which seems very interesting, although expensive. A home-made version may be in the works in the future.
This page will be updated as the mission progresses. This project has really helped me come to an understanding of basic electronics, and could be a good first step for anyone looking to experiment with the field, or for anyone looking for a neat toy.