:theoreticalplayground.co.uk

Freqtric Drums is a drum machine enabling a performer to interact directly with the audience. Both the performer and the audience drums wear rings connecting them to an interface. Skin contact is detected using Electro Dermal Activity (EDA) and human skin resistance, which are used in Polygraphs. The drum sounds are triggered by the drummer touching an audience members hand (or even nose or forehead). It’s MIDI enabled to allow any drum sounds to be used. There are more videos here [1] [2]

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The perScrutinizer is an interactive sound installation providing multiple ways to produce and listen to sound. The system comprises of a cage environment in which remote-controlled moving objects reside. These objects can be controlled using a touchpad input device to make them move, collide and scrap which result in a variety of sounds. The user is provided with a stethoscope, which they can position anywhere on the cage, to listen to the sounds.

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The intention behind RGB is to encourage audience participation in the musical composition phase when performing live music. The system was developed by Tomas Dvorak, Alessandro Capozzo and Matous Godik. Flashlights are used to interlace red, green and blue colours which can be combined to produce more colours. The position and colour of the lights helps to determine the resulting sound output.

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Toshio Iwai demonstarting a Tenori-on at Artfutura 2005.

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The I/O Brush is a digital paintbrush that is able to detect the colour, texture and movements of objects. The brush is equipped with a small CCD video camera, force sensors and a ring of white LEDs. When the user pushes the brush up against an object the force sensors trigger the LEDs providing the video camera with enough light to make a successful recording for the period the brush is pressed against the object. The hope is that the people using it will develop their own unique ‘digital inks’ which they can use to draw on the canvas. The canvas itself is a backlight touchscreen display which is able to read from the brush and display the recorded video.

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Spencer Kiser has created a turntable that lets you arrange and play colours in real time. The spinCycle uses a camera to analyse the colours (red, yellow or blue) on the turntable before outputting sound and a visual display.

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The midiGun is a midi controller in the shape of a gun designed to control Ableton LIVE and Traktor DJ. It provides the user with “16 different controllers which can be cascaded in 16 switchable sets”, allowing for a total of 256 independent sound and effect controls.

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The Virtual Air Guitar is a gesture based input device developed at the Helsinki University of Technology. A mapping system is used to translate the user’s gestures, collected by the webcam, into the sound output.

The hands free method of interaction allows for the guitar to be played just like an air guitar! The webcam identifies all bright orange objects which is why the user must wear some orange gloves to control the guitar. The system also includes two foot pedals, one for starting the music and one for changing performance modes.

The synthesis method to create the sound of the guitar is based on Karplus-Strong technique modelling a Fender Stratocaster guitar combined with physical model of a tube amplifier.

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