Mictic turns body movements into music

One of the mesmerizing charms of an orchestra conductor is the way he (or she) appears to create music out of thin air with the wave of a baton.

That may be what a group opt Swiss engineers were going for when they invented Mictic. It's a wireless sensor that produces lush, fully-formed notes and chords from hand movements.

To see what I'm talking about, check out the video below. A cellist performs a short piece by moving his right hand across the strings while his left hand moves up and down the fretboard.

But look closely - there's no bow in his right hand and he soon lifts his left hand off the neck of the cello. He's playing music without an instrument.

The creators of Mictic call it "the world's first body instrument" that launches "the beginning of a new era:  audio augmented reality."

The device pairs a wrist sensor that's the size of a large watch with a companion app that interprets body movements and instantly transforms them into sounds.

Mictic developers plan to launch the device early next year. They have created a few sound kits that  match musical instruments and plan to expend into other sounds. Their website mentions plans for kits that will mimic the sounds of a lightsaber or a robot.

Mictic AG is currently looking for investors and plans to launch a pre-release sale by the end of April to raise development funding.

For more details, to get on the company's mailing list and to watch several more videos, visit the the Mictic website. You can also follow @Mictic_Move on Twitter.

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Written by Ric Manning

Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.