{
  "id": 1104251,
  "title": "eigendrum",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/eigendrum-1104251",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-14T22:15:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News Best",
    "slug": "hacker-news-best",
    "url": "https://eigendrum.com/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Eigendrum is an innovative online tool hosted at eigendrum.com, serving as the main source for this interactive drumhead. For those seeking the previous address, basilashraf81.github.io/eigendrum, it functions as a mirror site, redirecting to the main domain. Thus, eigendrum.com remains the official and recommended URL for citation and interaction.\n\nIndividuals interested in collaborating or advertising with the creators, Basel Ashraf, can reach out via email at u2679054@uel.ac.uk. The website offers a unique experience by allowing users to engage with the drumhead in various ways.\n\nUpon arriving on the site, users can press the Enter or Space bar to strike the drumhead at a designated point. This action triggers the generation of standing waves, each one conforming to the specific outline created by the user. By utilizing the arrow keys, one can move this outline to alter the percussion's shape and characteristics.\n\nIn addition to striking the drumhead, users have the option to switch on drawing mode. This feature enables them to trace a new outline using a pointer, thereby customizing the drumhead's shape further. Throughout this process, it is essential to remember that every mode generated is a standing wave, dictated by the outline's constraints.\n\nOne fascinating aspect of Eigendrum lies in its ability to produce different sounds depending on the location of the strike. When tapping the drumhead, the modes with nodal lines intersecting the mallet's position remain silent, resulting in a distinctive sound for each position. This phenomenon arises from the relationship between pitch and the area's size, determining the note that would naturally resonate from a circle of that dimension.\n\nMoreover, users have the freedom to adjust tension and density, as well as the fade effect, which encompasses both material and air properties. However, certain elements remain beyond the user's control. The fundamental frequency of each shape, its relationship to the reference pitch, and the overtone ratios are all computed automatically, leaving no room for manipulation.",
  "summary": "Article URL: https://eigendrum.com/#p=circle Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49305250 Points: 211 # Comments: 1",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hacker News",
        "title": "eigendrum",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/eigendrum",
        "published": "2026-08-14T22:15:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}