# Capturing tree vibrations for real-time audiovisual translation **URL:** \ **Category:** General Guidance\ **Created:** [May 24, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621 "2026-05-24T13:12:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/1 "2026-05-24T13:12:22Z")
I'm developing a project that combines environmental sensing with sensory translation, and I'd love to get technical input, pointers, or hear from anyone who has worked on something similar. The idea: I want to attach sensors to trees in a forest — likely accelerometers or piezoelectric vibration sensors — and capture the subtle vibrations trees emit: responses to wind, internal stress changes, growth movement, and possibly even the flow of water through the trunk. In the first phase, the goal is to translate the raw data into other media — sound and/or color — by mapping the vibration signals to sonic parameters (pitch, amplitude, timbre) and dynamically shifting color palettes in real time. In the second phase, I’d like to make the system fully live: streaming the sensor data from the forest to a separate space — a gallery, installation room, or studio — where it is translated in real time into sound and/or light, allowing visitors to experience the “presence” of the forest remotely. Questions I’m currently working through: - Which sensors are best suited for capturing tree vibrations in outdoor field conditions? - What are established or interesting approaches for mapping vibration data to sonic parameters? - Which communication protocols would you recommend for live sensor-data streaming from a field environment (Wi-Fi / LoRa / LTE / something else)? Thanks in advance — I’d really appreciate any references, ideas, or examples of related work. ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/2 "2026-05-24T13:27:15Z")
What examples have your web searches turned up regarding the capture of tree vibrations? ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/3 "2026-05-24T13:28:32Z")
for the moment I've got recommendation to look into those sensors: ADXL345 ADXL355 MPU-6050 Geophone Sensor I also wonder if simple piezodisk could work? ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/4 "2026-05-24T13:30:04Z")
Those are all plausible starting points. Learn as you go! ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:37pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/5 "2026-05-24T13:37:01Z")
are you recommending to get al of those sensors and try them all? assuming I'm reading the data from those sensors into arduino - what should I look into in order to send the data remotly to different computer/arduino? Lora board is good place to experiment with? or Is the any other recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/6 "2026-05-24T13:40:50Z")
> [@hk\_jh](#): > > get al of those sensors and try them all? One at a time. Accelerometers, geophones and piezo disks respond to different ranges of vibration intensities and frequencies, and require different circuitry. It is a good idea to decide whether you can actually measure something interesting, before trying to figure how to send the data elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_KD7HB](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/paul_kd7hb/32/1127958_2.png) [@Paul\_KD7HB](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Paul_KD7HB)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/7 "2026-05-24T14:05:23Z")
Perhaps you should decide on the ranges of frequencies you wish to sense. In a forest you will have frequencies from zero to supersonic. A single sensor will not be able to convert that full range into an an electrical signal for your Arduino. ---
**Author:** ![robtillaart](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/robtillaart/32/1098811_2.png) [@robtillaart](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/robtillaart)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/8 "2026-05-24T14:18:07Z")
> [@hk\_jh](#): > > In the first phase, the goal is to translate the raw data into other media — sound and/or color — by mapping the vibration signals to sonic parameters (pitch, amplitude, timbre) and dynamically shifting color palettes in real time. For color my library might be useful as maps float variables e.g. from sensor to colors. It can interpolate between (RGB) color points, but also allows "sharp edges"/ - [GitHub - RobTillaart/map2colour: Arduino library for mapping a float to the RGB colour spectrum · GitHub](https://github.com/RobTillaart/map2colour) ---
**Author:** ![InquisitiveMind](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/inquisitivemind/32/1272398_2.png) [@InquisitiveMind](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/InquisitiveMind)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/9 "2026-05-24T15:29:45Z")
> [@hk\_jh](#): > > I'd love to get technical input One thing I would probably pay a lot of attention to is the mechanical side of the measurement. I could imagine that: - the way the sensor is attached, - the stiffness of the mounting, - cable movement, - wind acting directly on the sensor assembly may influence the signal almost as much as the tree itself. So recording and analysing raw data first before building the “translation” layer sounds like a very good approach to me. ---
**Author:** ![xfpd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/xfpd/32/1120236_2.png) [@xfpd](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/xfpd)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/10 "2026-05-24T15:54:22Z")
> [@InquisitiveMind](#): > > - the way the sensor is attached, > - the stiffness of the mounting, > - cable movement, > - wind acting directly on the sensor assembly > > may influence the signal almost as much as the tree itself. For each possible "influence" to the sensor, also have a "control" sensor. For example, have "wind" sensors (rate and direction) near, but not attached to the tree. Same with a rain sensor (current and accumulated), Sunlight (intensity over time). Trailcam (what animals are chewing on your experiment, is a bear climbing the subject, are bees nesting inside the tree).. so much fun stuff. Otherwise, [you get ducks](https://youtu.be/rf71YotfykQ). ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/11 "2026-05-24T16:17:30Z")
For a professional example, consider [this 2D/3D tomography system](https://rinntech.info/products/arbotom/) that uses vibration sensors to map and image rot inside the trunk of a living tree. The user supplies the vibrations with a small hammer. ![](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/6/4/d/64dc1ca95f42ecfc0631c966da006f711ae13f41.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/12 "2026-05-24T16:25:33Z")
> [@anon94801460](#): > > One at a time. Accelerometers, geophones and piezo disks respond to different ranges of vibration intensities and frequencies, and require different circuitry. > [@Paul\_KD7HB](#): > > Perhaps you should decide on the ranges of frequencies you wish to sense. In a forest you will have frequencies from zero to supersonic. A single sensor will not be able to convert that full range into an an electrical signal for your Arduino. I would like to capture a wide range as possible then decide if to use all of it or only some. I understand that for low frequency those three sensor might be the right ones? ADXL355 MPU-6050 Geophone Sensor What regarding supersonic frequencies? is AE Sensor is the one for that range of frequencies? ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/13 "2026-05-24T16:29:21Z")
> [@anon94801460](#): > > The user supplies the vibrations with a small hammer. Does the ARBOTOM system require active input — meaning the user must physically strike the trunk with the hammer each time in order to acquire data? Or can it also operate passively, capturing ambient vibrations on its own? ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/14 "2026-05-24T16:37:24Z")
Could a microphone can detect and capture vibration in a tree? if so which one to look for? ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/15 "2026-05-24T17:40:58Z")
> [@hk\_jh](#): > > Or can it also operate passively, capturing ambient vibrations on its own? Questions like that are best answered by studying the documentation. Presumably you can ask the manufacturer, as well. ---
**Author:** ![xfpd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/xfpd/32/1120236_2.png) [@xfpd](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/xfpd)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 6:03pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/16 "2026-05-24T18:03:33Z")
A value (measurement) is of no use without a control (measurement). What is "100?" If the control is "100" then the value is little. If the control is "10" then the value is large. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_KD7HB](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/paul_kd7hb/32/1127958_2.png) [@Paul\_KD7HB](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Paul_KD7HB)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/17 "2026-05-24T20:11:12Z")
Have you decided how you will attach the sensor to the tree so as to not damage the tree? ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/18 "2026-05-25T08:34:42Z")
not yet.. I'm still consider which sensors to order first. assuming I will try both ADXL355 and MPU-6050 - how it should be attached to the tree? ---
**Author:** ![robtillaart](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/robtillaart/32/1098811_2.png) [@robtillaart](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/robtillaart)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 8:47am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/19 "2026-05-25T08:47:27Z")
> [@hk\_jh](#): > > how it should be attached to the tree? There are wild camera's that are attached to trees by means of a belt with some soft layer. These do not harm the trees. Do not use tie wraps as these may damage the tree, esp. when you remove them. * * * > [@hk\_jh](#): > > I'm still consider which sensors to order first. assuming I will try both ADXL355 and MPU-6050 Just order them and start prototyping just to learn how such sensor works. Put the sensor and Arduino in a box with an SD card module and take it for a walk. You should be able to see the vibrations of your footsteps. That way you learn first hand the range and sensitivity of the sensors. ---
**Author:** ![hk\_jh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hk_jh/32/1013044_2.png) [@hk\_jh](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hk_jh)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 10:46am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621/20 "2026-05-25T10:46:28Z")
> [@robtillaart](#): > > You should be able to see the vibrations of your footsteps. I don't understand - it will sense my vibration while working? (when I hold it with my hand) how it can sense the tree vibration? I have real hard time to understand how this type of sensor can sense tree vibration ![Screenshot 2026-05-25 at 13.45.48](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/b/b/3/bb3cafef66b52c48cdcdc24b83611d3f079591be.jpeg) [Next page](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capturing-tree-vibrations-for-real-time-audiovisual-translation/1445621.md?page=2)