Computerized Toy Blocks for DAW?

[Alndln2]

Someone posted this link over at the Sonar forum and I thought it was intersting. There's a DAW type demo towards the end of the video.

[blue2blue]

First, I would think a bunch of technophiles like the TED folks would be a little less liberal with the rather loaded term, think ("the toy blocks that think"). These are cute but they're simply the sort of interactive modules we've seen on computers for a while, moved into the physical world, with accelerometers. By this token, I could call some of my database modules -- database modules that think. But they don't.

 

OK, cute titles and software precursors aside, the physicality of the blocks -- like the Wii controller before them -- seems to invite a more direct lower brain interactivity that will become more important as we go farther into a two tiered society where the majority of people are postliterate but still must master certain skills.

 

The music interface was cute but nothing much new in terms of actual interactivity, aside from the physicality of the interface. There are a number of software toys -- some of them completely on the web -- which allow similar music construction building blocks (you should pardon the full-circle expression).

 

 

And, finally, while the physicality of these may offer new, more direct ways of reaching the other-than-literate or differently-abled among us (and clearly that's important), in the real world -- in my real world -- the last thing I need is more small, losable discrete objects that have to be kept track of, stored, organized, maintained (whatever that entails but I suspect they would have to be recharged, etc).

 

For me -- and, really, this is important, the incredible power of the computer is that it is one potentially compact real world object which allows quick access to an extraordinary amount of stored information, new sources of information, and the tools to mangle and mash that information -- methods which are themselves malleable and extensible. And it allows me to impose order and discipline on that information that is extremely difficult and time-consuming in the real world. (I've worked in old-fashioned offices and in pre-computerized libraries, thank you.)

 

But, of course, I think I'm getting a little close to the screen here (as we would say in my old-fashioned computer-era manner of speech )... these blocks are exploratory and help extend our thinking about the interactions between so-called 'smart' machines and humans.

[Yoyas]

This is a very nice idea to develop many interest and help children learn. I love this idea.

[Alndln2]

-- the last thing I need is more small, losable discrete objects that have to be kept track of, stored, organized, maintained (whatever that entails but I suspect they would have to be recharged, etc).

True. I wouldn't mind a software program along those lines though. I'd be happy moving those virtual blocks with a mouse, as long as I could program what music they contained.

[WRGKMC]

What I'd like to see developed is the 3D audio interface. I saw a demonstration on the tube awhile back where a guy wore special gloves for mixing. Basically he would reach out and pull instruments in and out of the mix, change EQ, volume, panning, etc and operated many of the things done in a standard recording program. When he pushed an instrument back the sound would shift at the same time which made orchestration placement a nifty process. With tasks asigned to gloves vs using a standard mouse it would sure cut down on carpeltunnel. The guy also wore the 3D specs which gave a panoramic view which would bet you away from the flat screen monitor as well. I've seen a few plugind that has a simular interface including a cakewalk room reverb. The sound quality was lacking badly though. Asigning high quality plugs with some kind of standard there would be needed or a complete high quality package at a reasonable price to get it off the ground. Problem is, audio production is a nitche market that doesnt have the kind of dollars say Movie production has where I saw this kind of stuff being targeted for sound tracks and such.