robot porn

Nintendo DS = wireless MIDI controller

Tob has just told me about DSMidiWifi — a program for Nintendo DS handheld gaming consoles that sends out MIDI data to a host application on a computer. Play any MIDI instrument, virtual or real, by tapping on the DS’s touchscreen, KaossPad-style. (Actually, you can control anything controllable via MIDI, which is about everything electrical in existance, given the right interface.) Chiptune fans also can have the DS receive MIDI data in realtime and use it as an instrument.

Now I really consider having a DS on my x-mas wishlist…

No hay bending.

I might be a sloppy researcher (in a way that using Google means researching), but are there really no people doing circuit bending and related hacking here in Berlin? Surely there must be some artists (not necessarily musicians) and noise explorers in the gallery scene, but where’s the basic lo-fi hands-on approach for the kids? Spaß am Gerät, so to say?

Please drop me a line if you are already doing something like that here in Berlin, or if we could work something out.

(Finally, I still feel a little stupid for passing a Casio SK-1, circuit benders’ favourite victim, on a flea market for 20 Euros some months ago. Having paid the same price for mine years ago, I was subsequently frustrated to learn that it now fetches a lot more on ebay and is not at all something you come across a lot anymore.)

voc, bs, dr, shirt

wmmna brings us the news of a wearable “air guitar” controller disguised as a regular T-shirt:

‘Freedom of movement is a great feature of these textile-based interfaces,’ [Dr Richard Helmer] says. ‘Our air guitar consists of a wearable sensor interface embedded in a conventional ’shirt’, with custom software to map gestures with audio samples. It’s an easy-to-use, virtual instrument that allows real-time music making, even by players without significant musical or computing skills. It allows you to jump around and the sound generated is just like an original mp3.’

Heh. He said “original mp3″. But besides, Régine also mentions the Bangarama developed by Students at Aachen’s RWTH university two years ago: A helmet to convert headbanging into guitar sounds using an acceleration sensor. That could be a cool add-on for my MIDI key-/guitar (still unfinished).

Jokes made by robots, for robots

For a blog named robot porn, there has been a considerable lack of robot content so far. Fortunately, Mr. J. Alex Boyd tells us some robot jokes:

A rabbi, an Arab, a robot, and a Catholic priest walk into a bar. Only the robot exits.

(via BoingBoing)