How NYU Makers Turned Used Vapes into Mini Synthesizers
The squeaky, buzzy sound isn’t exactly musical, but playing or listening to a vape synth will definitely make you smile. David Rios, Kari S. Love, and Shuang Cai, instructors and researchers in the Tisch School of the Arts Interactive Telecommunications Program, are the creative hackers behind the synth, a novelty electronic instrument made from discarded vape cartridges.
Using a salvaged vape’s low-pressure sensor, lithium battery, and mouthpiece, they made a crude ocarina-like device that plays notes when the player sucks in air (sort of the opposite of a wind instrument) and presses buttons on the cartridge. The team also created a set of open-source instructions so that DIYers can try building their own.
Disposable vapes create a lot of e-waste, and repurposing them into synthesizers or anything else extends the life of the components, keeping them out of the landfill.
In the video below, the NYU makers test their synths and explain their effort to promote sustainability and creative repurposing of discarded electronics.
Video
David Song
ds3915@nyu.edu
Text
Peggy McGlone
peggy.mcglone@nyu.edu
