The LightSound Project

The History of the LightSound

The evolution of the LightSound and its journey around the world.

2017 North American Eclipse

The LightSound Prototype

The LightSound prototype was developed for the 2017 Solar Eclipse. We had 1 device in Jackson Hole, WY and 2 devices in Kentucky at Morehead State University and at the Kentucky School for the Blind.
2019 South American Eclipse

The Redesigned LightSound

The LightSound was redesigned with a new, higher dynamic range light sensor and a midi-board was added to improve the sound quality. The project built and distributed 20 devices across Chile and Argentina.
2019 Inspiring Stars Exhibition

Around the World

A prototype LightSound device with a color sensor (called Orchestar) was part of the International Astronomical Union's traveling exhibition called Inspiring Stars which was an exhibition highlighting Astronomy resources that promote egaliatarian participation of those with disabilities. The exhibition traveled the world (Belgium, Italy, UK, Argentina, Chile, France, Thailand, Colombia, and Japan) during 2019.
2020 South American Eclipse

The Project Expands

Despite the pandemic, and many thanks to our Chilean collaborators, Paulina Troncoso and Erika Labbe, and our Argentinian collaborator, Beatriz Garcia, we were able to distribute over 100 devices to communities across Chile and Argentina!
2023 North American Annular Eclipse

With a goal of building over 750 LightSound devices for the April 2024 total eclipse, the project is busy running workshops and building devices. We have donated over 200 new devices already in time for the annular eclipse.
April
8
2024

What is the LightSound?

The LightSound device was designed and developed in 2017 as a tool for the Blind and Low Vision (BLV) community to experience a solar eclipse with sound. The device uses a technique called sonification which is the process of converting data (or light intensity in this case) to sound. As the Moon eclipses the Sun during a Solar Eclipse the sunlight begins to dim and the LightSound device will output a change in musical tone. The device can be attached to headphones or to a speaker to project the sound for a group. LightSound is powered by either by a 9V battery, rechargeable Li-ion battery, or by connecting it to a laptop via USB. Data can be collected and saved for later analysis or sonification when the device is connected to a computer.

Example demo sound clip. The orange case was 3D printed for the 2019/2020 South American eclipses in Chile. The black circle slowly covers the light sensor as a representation of the dimming of the sunlight during the eclipse. Video credit: Paulina Troncoso Iribarren

Submit your LightSound eclipse photos, videos, and data!

Documentation

The LightSound Project is completely open source. Everything you need to build your own device is below in English, Spanish, and French.

English

Instructions to build

Wiring Diagram

3D case design

Operation Instructions - wired 9V battery

Operation Instructions - PCB rechargeable battery

GitHub - Device code and Plotting software

Spanish

Instrucciones para construir

Instrucciones de operación

Diagrama de cableado

GitHub - Descargar código y código de trazado

French

Instructions d'assemblage

Instructions d'utilisation

Schéma de branchement

GitHub - le code de l'appareil et le code de traçage

Workshops

Workshops are designed to both allow us an opportunity to build LightSound devices to be donated for upcoming eclipses and also provide an opportunity for groups to learn how to solder and lead future workshops!

Want to get involved?

Interested in running your own workshop? Know how to solder? Want to help prepare for upcoming eclipses in your area?

A set of helping hands holding a partially completed printed circuit board with two arduino components soldered on it and a soldering iron in the image.

UT Austin - Austin, Texas

January 2024

Two women woldering LightSound components at a table in the foreground while two women are standing behind them talking. In the background there is another table of five men who are working on building LightSound devices during a workshop at UT San Antonio.

UT San Antonio - San Antonio, Texas

September 2023

Four female students sitting around a table with soldering irons hold up their completed LightSound printed circuit boards while smiling and taking a selfie.

Harvard University - Cambridge, Massachusetts

July 2023

UT Austin - Austin, Texas

June 2023

A woman in a gray Colorado flag t-shirt with a pony tail is helping a male student learn to solder. Behind them is a table of three more students soldering during a LightSound workshop.

University of Arizona - Tucson, Arizona

April 2023

A room full of round white table and blue chairs with around ten people soldering during a soldering workshop.

Rochester Museum of Science - Rochester, New York

October 2022

A man with a beard and a blue short sleeve shirt is assembling a LightSound case at a table with a woman who is soldering her LightSound device.

American Astronomical Society - Honolulu, Hawaii

January 2020

Preparing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

The LightSound Project has a goal of building 750+ devices to be distrubuted at no-cost to groups hosting eclipse events. Our hope is to provide a tool to aid in the accessibility of eclipse events for the blind and low vision community. The device can also be used as an educational tool prior to events when describing eclipse phenomena.

A map of the locations of LightSound devices that have been distributed for the 2023/2024 North American eclipses. Each pin on the map has contact information for each site. This map will continually be updated as devices are delivered and as devices are moved around for the 2024 eclipse.

Submit your LightSound eclipse photos, videos, and data!

The LightSound Team

A woman standing with eclipse glases on. She is wearing black pants, a purple long sleeve shirt with a blue puffer vest. She has long brown hair and her hand are in her pockets. She is looking up at the Sun during an event of the October 14, 2023 Annular Eclipse. There are many people in the background.

Allyson Bieryla

Astronomer
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

A womne with curly, dirty blond hair is standing on a balcony with a telescope dome in the background. She has dark pants and a plaid, long sleeved shirt, standing with her arms crossed and a smile on her face.

Sóley Hyman

Graduate Student
University of Arizona

Elliot Richards

Engineer
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Wanda Diaz Merced

Astronomer

Image of a man kneeling and smiling wearing a blue lab coat and glasses. He is next to a large, several foot high lamp demonstration.

Daniel Davis

Director of Lecture Demos
Harvard University

This project would not be possible without the funding support from the International Astronomical Union, the American Astronomical Society, the National Science Foundation, and the Simon's Foundation.