SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 26 — Using nothing more than a special case and an app, the AUUG Motion Synth is a project that uses an iPhone or iPod Touch to turn its owner’s body into a musical instrument.
The idea is a very simple and, for any Theremin virtuosos reading, normal way of making music simply by waving a hand or changing a position. However, unlike rocking the Theremin, which is all about moving hands to manipulate magnetic fields, the AUUG uses a handset’s array of sensors to detect movement and to bend the pitch or sound to suit.
And to make sure that musicians don’t get carried away and end up launching their phones across the room while trying to perform a rather complex solo, the AUUG’s case features a much-needed elasticated strap that slips over the hand. The case also features eight ‘buttons,’ each of which represents a note.
However, probably the most appealing feature of the synth is that it doesn’t have a fixed sound. Instead it piggybacks other music and sound creation apps, such as Apple’s Garage Band, so that wannabe musicians can ‘play’ anything from a trombone to a grand piano.
The brainchild of a product engineering team at SGW Designworks featuring a neuroscientist among its members, the AUUG Motion Synth is currently attempting to raise US$70,000 (RM225,300) via Kickstarter to take the project from concept to reality. Earlybird backers will be able to pick one up for US$68 for a limited period, and if the campaign is successful, the first devices could be shipped as early as April 2014.
Aimed as much at serious musicians as enthusiastic amateurs, AUUG also supports MIDI interface, meaning that it can be plugged into and control non-wireless musical hardware. — AFP-Relaxnews
