Chord Board

The Chord Board is a toy that allows children to see the relationship between the sounds that they hear and their underlying waveforms. It consists of four independent sound channels. Each channel has adjustable volume and pitch. The microcontroller generates a combined waveform output from the volume and pitch of each channel, and displays it on a small LCD screen. Children using this can see as well as hear the difference between harmonic combinations and dissonant combinations in an easy to use manner.

This toy uses mostly pre-existing components, but will likely end up in the $20 range due to the number of components needed. It should be fairly reliable as long as robust components are used. Batteries will be needed to power the microcontroller. The unit is fully enclosed and should not pose significant safety concerns.