Considering that there are a significant number of Germans who yearn to be buried to the strains of AC/DC and Metallica, it comes as no surprise to learn that a pair of wacky interface design students from that country have come up with a sampler that is controlled... by headbanging.
Using a helmet with built-in accelerometers, Bangarama is able match the volume and speed of a guitar sample to the vigorousness of the banging. To enhance the experience, the inventors - Laszlo Bardos and Stefan Korinek from the Media Computing Group at RWTH Aachen University - have built a guitar-shaped sample selector which "would act as a "airguitar" simulation - a instrument which is widely used by headbangers".
Right now, as you can see from these videos, the design of Bangarama is fairly rudimentary, and frankly rather... unrock. Thankfully, Laszlo and Stefan are aware of this and have plans to "install a long haired wig on the helmet to maximize the "rockness" of Bangarama".
If you ask me, this is an idea whose time has come; and in less than a year, I expect to see videogaming arcades everywhere filled with the flailing tresses of young metalheads jerking away to its inevitable offspring, Headbang Headbang Revolution. (via We Make Money Not Art)
Posted by Warren at May 5, 2005 12:43 AM | Instruments