Thinking about using Linux in an animatronic display
 

I have a senior project to do next semester and I've decided I want to do a talking skull. My major is Electro-Mechanical Technology. I know a little bit about analog and digital circuits and motors, but very little about Linux.

My original plan was to record control signals of varying amplitude sine waves to a 4 track (8 channel) tape recorder, rectify each signal and convert it to a dc voltage, then convert that signal to a PWM signal to control the servos.

Then I got to thinking about using a CD player instead of tape, but I know nothing about getting more than 2 channels from a CD. I'm pretty sure it can be done with surround-sound, but I'm still trying to figure that out. I've read that OGG supports (at least theoretically) up to 255 channels, but again, I am unsure how to input the control signal, record it, and play it back on multiple channels.

I'm also considering using a more conventional digital method with Arduino, or some other software + servo controller route. The mini SSC II with Visual Show Automation looks like it would do everything I want to do, but that would be too easy, and I'm pretty sure my adviser wouldn't let me use it. Also I would like to avoid using proprietary software, mainly for aesthetic reasons.

I considered trying to use LinuxCNC as my software interface, but I'm fairly new to Linux, and I'm not too sure about getting LinuxCNC to sync up to the audio.

I would really like to use Linux. I have some time between now and the end of January to get a running start, but I want to invest my time wisely. So, of my three Linux based choices:

Recording and playing back multiple channels with OGG, then converting to PWM with analog circuits (already sync'd with audio, but there may be some lag time, which I would want to adjust by changing the relative positions of the audio, and control signal tracs)

Learning how to use the Arduino to control at least four servos, sync'd to audio,

or

Figuring out how to use LinuxCNC, and then convincing it to sync at least four servos to an audio file.

Which of these is the most feasible for a Linux newb with some knowledge of analog and digital circuits, and limited time?

I forgot to mention that I have had one class in C++.

i am pretty sure an iso9660 pcm audio cd can only do stereo (2 channel). there are audio-dvd's that can do 7.1 channels...

also my senior design project was to interface a palm pilot with a braille cell we created with cotter-pins, six serveos, and a mini-ssc. the previos group used a basic-stamp-2 instead of a palm pilot. you mite also want to learn a wdc-65c02.

whatever method you use, you will need to read the signal translate it to an on or off then write that to an output pin.


should this be in embedded ?