CBL - Project 1: Melodoodle

Creating an interactive musical game that blends physical movement with digital learning

Project Overview

Melodoodle is an innovative game that transforms how children learn music by combining physical movement with digital feedback. Players wear a custom-built foot device with color sensors that detect chalk-drawn patterns on the ground, playing corresponding musical notes as they hop on different colors. This creates an intuitive, embodied learning experience that makes music education engaging and fun.

Working in a team of five, I focused on developing the firmware for the ESP32 microcontroller and designing the electronic components that power the wearable device. The game promotes musical education, physical activity, and social interaction through multiple play modes including single-player, co-op, and remote challenges.

Project Gallery

Development Process

Research and Ideation

The project began with an extensive brainstorming phase where our team generated over 50 different concepts. Through structured evaluation and team discussions, we narrowed these down to 20 promising ideas. After further development and a team vote, we selected "Melodoodle". That is, an interactive musical game that combines physical movement with digital feedback to teach music concepts in an engaging way targeted towars young teens or kids.

(Robert B.)

Prototyping

I developed early prototypes of the electronics system using an ESP32 microcontroller and color sensors to test the core concept. These initial prototypes helped identify key technical challenges in color detection accuracy which was a bit of a challenge scenario with all the background light. While these early versions had limitations in both physical construction and functionality, for the final device they provided with a very clear insight on what had to be corrected or tweaked.

Final Implementation

The final implementation represents the culmination of our team's collaborative effort. I focused on creating the firmware for the ESP32 that processes color sensor data and generates corresponding musical outputs. Despite time constraints limiting some of our original ambitious features, we successfully created a functional device that effectively demonstrates the core concept of transforming physical movement into musical expression, creating a unique educational gaming experience.

Outcomes & Reflection

The project was successfully demonstrated at Demo Day and received positive feedback for its innovative approach to blending physical and digital gameplay. Educators and peers particularly appreciated the functional wearable device, which was praised for bridging abstract musical concepts with tangible physical experiences.

This project taught me the importance of iterative prototyping and user testing. I gained valuable experience in designing firmware for embedded systems, implementing sensors for real-world interaction, and creating stable electronic circuits for wearable devices. Working through multiple design cycles helped me understand how to balance technical constraints with user experience goals.