I call it the 'Human Laser Harp', and it consists of a person wearing one or two laser gloves, with 5mw green or red lasers, with four lasers on each glove. Along with an array of sensors connected to a wireless or wireless controller unit, a laptop computer and sound system.The 'Laser Harp player' is free to dance and move with their gloves, which are battery powered. they can trigger loops of background tracks, and then over lay those tracks with unlimited selected chords, single notes, different instruments of all sorts, all while triggering stage lighting, video projection and other DMX controllable effects.
I will be demonstrating this system at the DNA Conference in Los Angeles on May 15-16. DNA US Conference 2012 : New Interactive Frontiers in Leisure Facilities Innovative Digital Interactive Experiences http://www.thestingerreport.com/us-conference.html
The person wearing these gloves 'plays' music and other sounds or music and video /still image projections as well as stage lighting or any DMX controllable effect, by shining the lasers onto specially mounted photo-optic sensors, that are connected to a wireless or wired controller unit.The wireless controller is faster than Bluetooth, using our own protocol.
The controller sends the signals to a laptop computer and out to the sound system. The sensors are connected to the wireless controller via long wires that allow the sensors to be set onto the walls or scattered abut the floor of a performance space, or mounted and any way that can be dreamed up. There can be a large number of sensors, with several/many on each channel, or just exactly the same number as there is channels. The system can be from 8 to 32 channels.
Two additional sensors are 'control' sensors, that when shined on can change the programming of all the other sensors to a different pre-programmed selection of sounds and images/videos, in a 'song up', or 'song down' mode.. The software I use can also control any stage lighting, smoke, pyrotechnics, or and other effect that can be controlled via DMX. .
The OptiMusic software also allows for the sounds to be modified via the intensity of the light shinning on the sensors, with a higher level of voltage created when the lasers light is close to a sensor, as compared to further away. So pitch or volume of the sound can be varied in this way, via an analog effect.
Here are the specs on the software I use:
OptiMusic - OMPC1 Software
For real time total multimedia events control
Music! SFX! Images! Videos! Lighting! & more…….!
The OMPC1 software receives inputs from up-to 32 sensor units via the USB data communication hardware and is processing pre-programmed events. Channels input: OptiBeams / IR / switches / sonic / Laser / pressure - or any 5V input, can be connected to one computer.
Windows OS based application for XP, Vista and Windows 7
Software works on Apple Mac using Parallels Desktop (running Windows applications on your Mac)
The system triggers file formats for Audio: .WAV .MP3 .WMA, MIDI
The system triggers file formats for Image/Video: .JPEG .BMP .MPEG .VOB .WMV.AVI .MP4
The system has a built–in DMX 512 channel virtual mixer - for controlling lighting, stage FX etc.
Main features:
Processing up-to 32 inputs
Real-time triggering
2 triggering modes - Normal and Inverse
Outputs up-to 256 events per beam
128 settings per Auto Load project
Event sequencing per beam in any conceivable order
Outputs: MIDI or use internal audio card
Outputs: DMX for Lighting control and stage effects
WAV .MP3 .WMA, MIDI
Outputs: Jpeg, BMP, Mpeg2 Avi, WMA, VOB and more
Virtual MIDI keyboard for note editing and assignment
Record notes from any external MIDI source (keyboard)
Wave Mp3 file editor and assignment
3 Wave file play modes: On/Off, Play to End and Loop
Shutter / Relay control output up-to 32 channels
4 Shutter / Relay modes
Event Toggle
Remote control navigation from any channel input
Sensitivity input control per beam –Analogue input with thrash hold control
Global Mute mode
Global reset
