The Problem
Students struggle to understand Fourier transforms because textbooks only show static diagrams. The relationship between time and frequency domains remains abstract without interactive visualization.
Technical Approach
Built comprehensive educational tool:
- Dual Visualization: 2D traditional view and immersive 3D mode
- Real-time Synthesis: Web Audio API generates actual sine waves
- Interactive Controls: Adjust frequency, amplitude, and animation speed
- Performance Optimized: Object pooling, buffer reuse, 60 FPS cap
- Educational Landing: Explains concepts with real-world applications
Key Technical Features
- Three.js for high-performance 3D rendering
- Pre-allocated Float32Arrays for wave calculations
- Material pooling to reduce memory allocation
- Frame rate limiting to prevent CPU overload
Results
- Many unique users in first 3 months
- Adopted by local university for DSP curriculum
- Average session: 8 minutes (high engagement)
- Complex graphics