Visual feedback to sonar clicks

Abstract: The wildlife park Kolmården in Norrköping, Sweden, asked for a device that could visually feedback how dolphins use their ultrasound signals while echolocating objects. By recording the sound from the dolphin, process the sound and then create a visual feedback by having LED's flash in different frequencies, depending on the distance between dolphin and device. The purpose of the device is having an opportunity to inform the audience about the dolphins behavior in a way that is fun for both the audience and the dolphin. The signals which will be processed are in the area of 20-160 kHz and they will be divided into three spectra, depending on their frequencies. The prototype will be using an Arduino Nano micro-controller and most of the processing will be done by analog electronics. In this project the priority has been to try to make the electronics and code work, one step at a time. It did however not come past measuring in the water tank because of noise which were picked up by the device. The shell which to make the device water proof has just been drawn, not actually built. There are a lot of potentials for further development, e.g, making the shell or implementing some other features to the signal processing.