Airpiano
- Pocket-Sized Synthesizer - $23.95
- Stainless Steel Washboard Necktie - $17.05
- Theremin Touch-Free Music Maker - $149.95
- Instruments for the Talentless: Musical Spoons - $5.29
- Surprise Me - $7.99
- Coconut Shell Thumb Piano - $24.00
At first glance, the Airpiano looks like it could be a breakthrough musical instrument designed for the hearing impaired, but it's actually a MIDI and OSC controller that allows users blessed with the gift of sound to trigger invisible keys and faders in midair. Aaannnd the deaf get the shaft once again. The Airpiano connects via USB to a Mac or PC, where programmable software (included) generates the instrument's sounds. The software allows for the creation of up to 24 virtual keys and 8 virtual faders at a time, distributed between the piano's 8 infrared proximity sensors. Groundbreaking, soul-stirring, butt-rocking, or otherwise pleasing key combinations can be saved as presets, and presets archived to reflect different musical properties and vibes.
Hovering hands above the Airpiano's infrared sensors triggers the software. Each sensor houses 3 of the pre-programmed keys and 1 fader, with individual effects brought forth based on the hand's distance from the source. Red LEDs orient the user and provide visual feedback for gauging hand placement. This type of touch-free interface is the first of its kind in the musical world (though, of course, it's existed for centuries in the losers lusting after hot chicks world).
Airpiano is still undergoing tweaks, but to fund them, a few first runs are available for purchase to anyone who wants to spend over a grand to be a guinea pig. Dimensions are 37.8" x 6.2" x 1", weight is 6.2 pounds.
/suzuki-omnichord-om-108-62327.jpg?mode=crop "Suzuki Omnichord OM-108")
Suzuki Omnichord OM-108
Step into a retro-futuristic musical adventure with the Suzuki Omnichord OM-108. This isn't just any instrument; it's a nostalgic nod to the 1981 classic with a modern twist. Imagine strumming chords on a device that's...
/stylophone-theremin-62304.jpg?mode=crop "Stylophone Theremin")
Stylophone Theremin
Get ready to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care = and actually make music while doing it! Dubreq, the maestro behind the Stylophone, has conjured up its own version of the theremin, and it's set to make...
/touchme-midi-controller-62318.jpg?mode=crop "TouchMe - MIDI Controller")
TouchMe - MIDI Controller
Hey music lovers and gadget geeks, get ready to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary with the Playtronica TouchMe. This nifty little device transforms touch into sound, making music creation a literal hands-on experience...
Iron Samurai Blue LED Watch
As if the opportunity to wear a segmented steel LED-lit wristband that might make people wonder if you're under house arrest isn't reason enough to complete this purchase, the fact that the Iron Samurai also possesses...
/eulers-disk-of-infinite-spin-56895.jpg?mode=crop "Euler's Disk of Infinite Spin & Sound")
Euler's Disk of Infinite Spin & Sound
I'm not saying the Euler's Disk isn't fascinating and rad and a commendable utilization of the laws of physics, but watching and listening to it creates a great deal of anxiety in my heart. It's like the foreboding music...
/rplate-digital-license-plates-61456.jpg?mode=crop "RPlate Digital License Plates")
RPlate Digital License Plates
Neville Boston calls metal license plates "a 19th century feature of 21st century life." Boston is the co-founder of Reviver, a company that has launched digital license plates called RPlates, in an effort to make your...
Stick-N-Find Bluetooth Location Stickers
The size of a quarter, the value of your sanity. Stick-N-Find disks attach to any item--keys, luggage, pets--with which you tend to play frustrating games of hide-and-seek on a regular basis. Used in conjunction with...
/ravenchord-piano-61040.jpg?mode=crop "Ravenchord Piano")
Ravenchord Piano
The Ravenchord Piano. Surprisingly, that name checks out. Top to bottom. The instrument is a stunning new creation from Dan Harden, CEO of the award-winning product and experience design firm Whipsaw. They're also responsible...
/elbow-cassette-tape-player-27194.jpg "Elbow Cassette Tape Player")
Elbow Cassette Tape Player
Elbow recently completed a market test survey on their low-tech, ultra-portable concept that will revolutionize the way you play...uh...mix tapes. A clip-on arm with a pulley system, the Elbow cassette tape player spools...
SubPac M2 - Immersive & Tactile Audio Vest
Some people are born with music in their heart, rhythm in their bones. I was born tone deaf and with the dance skills of Doug and Steve Butabi head-bobbin' at the Roxbury. Maybe it's because just hearing music isn't enough...
/mag-lev-audio-ml1-levitating-34522.jpg?mode=crop "MAG-LEV Audio ML1 Levitating Turntable")
MAG-LEV Audio ML1 Levitating Turntable
MAG-LEV Audio's ML1 levitating turntable gives vinyl enthusiasts a reason to keep their eyes open even as they get lost in their old Sex Pistols albums or throw on a Bob Marley record to chill with a fat joint on the...
/mute-box-stop-sound-34910.jpg?mode=crop "Mute Box - Stop Sound Instantly")
Mute Box - Stop Sound Instantly
Dude, there are so many people whose mouth I'd like to hook a Mute Box up to. Most people in restaurants. Most people in my office. Most of my wife's friends. But alas, this little silencing gadget is for the instant...