Now that I have a better understanding of what I want (and need) to do, here’s the first draft of my new plan:

Using the 3D motion tracking data of the Microsoft Kinect, our goal is to create a virtual conductor application that uses gesture recognition algorithms in order to detect beats and control the tempo and volume of the music. Care must also be taken in order to minimize the latency of the system from gestural input to audio output for the system to be suitable for live performance. We will be testing various beat detection algorithms proposed by other papers in order to determine which is best in terms of latency. Moreover, in regards to the audio playback itself, we will generate the desired music from appropriate synthesizers, further allowing for the possibility of live musical performance as well as the possibility for custom instrument creation and music composition.

Advisors: Charlie Peck and Forrest Tobey