The Rubens Tube is a classic physics demonstration which shows how standing waves are generated within a resonant system. In this video we take that demonstration to the next level by adding a Xylophone interface which changes the driving frequency and creates varying flame patterns when struck. We introduce a method of capturing a drum hit and safely feeding it to a micro controller’s input as well as how to create sine waves from a pulse width modulated signal.
Bill of Material:
| Product Name | Manufacturer | Quantity | Buy Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7v Zener diode | On Semi | 8 | Buy Now |
| Piezo Element | Multicomp Pro | 8 | Buy Now |
| LM324 Op amp | TI | 1 | Buy Now |
| 100k Resistors | Multicomp Pro | 8 | Buy Now |
| 1k Resistor (substitute for 800ohm in low pass filter) MCF 0.25W 1K | Multicomp Pro | 1 | Buy Now |
| Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor, Gold Max, 0.1 µF, 50 V, ± 10%, Radial Leaded, X7R, 2.54 mm | Kemet | 2 | Buy Now |
Additional Parts:
| Product Name |
|---|
|
Custom development board (based on Microchip dsPIC33FJ128MC804) |
|
4” diameter Steel tubing (frame) |
|
4” full range speaker |
|
Latex membrane |
|
UHMW plastic plate (xylophone) |
Flaming Xylophone Rubens' Tube

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