8/21/2006

A Japanese company called Digital Information Development (DID) have developed a portable virtual piano. A small black box shoots lasers beams of light that shape the keyboard on any surface (except blacks ones, since they absorb the light). A CMOS camera in the box watches your fingers play on the projected keys and a speaker plays the notes you “hit”. The box only weighs 100 grams so it’s much easier to carry around than any electronic keyboard.

This model only displays 25 keys (two octaves) but it could be increased to the size of a grand piano if the box size is increased. The speaker will play organ, pipe organ and harpsichord sounds along with piano sounds.

Links:
Pink Tentacle
Yomiuri Shimbun