If you put your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care, you might actually end up with a new sound and a promising invention, according to scientists at HP. They've created the DJammer, a gadget that uses sensors and an MP3 player to collect sounds from other devices, create sounds from air motion, digitize them all and then play them back. Mark Smith, one of the gadget's creators, calls it "the next-generation electric guitar."
The small handheld device allows DJs, partygoers and other cool folk to make music together wirelessly. By waving their arms rhythmically while holding the device, they can produce those scratchy record sounds without a turntable. And they can rip bits of music off another source and mix, mash and mutate. Different hand movements will produce different results. At its best, the product allows music, motion and people to interact in new ways, says Smith.
But don't throw out your turntable just yet. HP is at the beginning of a long process of testing, pricing, planning and designing that will take at least six months, but could result in an inexpensive consum-er version of the DJammer. For now, "it's our concept car," says Smith, and its outings are limited to private demos for the likes of Sean (Diddy) Combs and those wild engineering parties at HP.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
