bookofjoe

Talking Piano

Wrote Kottke: "The Talking Piano is a regular analog piano played by a computer-controlled mechanical machine and sounds like a person speaking."

More: 

Deus Cantando is the work of artist Peter Ablinger.

He recorded a German school student reciting some text and then composed a tune for the mechanical player to sound like the recitation.

I cannot improve upon Jason Noble's description of the work:

This is not digital manipulation, nor a digitally programmed piano like a Disklavier.

This is a normal, acoustic piano, any old piano.

The mechanism performing it consists of 88 electronically controlled, mechanical "fingers," synchronized with superhuman speed and accuracy to replicate the spectral content of a child’s voice.

Watching the above-linked video, it may seem that the speech is completely intelligible, but this is partially an illusion.

The visual prompt of the words on the screen are an essential cue: take them away, and it becomes much harder to understand the words.

But it is still remarkable that the auditory system is able to group discrete notes from a piano into such a close approximation of a continuous human voice, and that Ablinger was able to do this so convincingly using a conventional instrument (albeit, played robotically).

Don't need no stinkin' AI....

Ubiquitous Closet

Build one for yourself.

Then send me a picture and I'll publish it.

Who said it was hard to make it?

It's easier than ever to get your 15 minutes of fame in 2024.

[via Haw-lin]

Color Venn Watch

This is my favorite watch of 2024.

From the website:

Who needs numbers when you can use color? 

This colorful watch uses three rotating discs to show you the hour, minute, and seconds.

The discreet white line on each disc tells you where each hand is pointing and so reveals the time.

• Cyan: hour hand

• Magenta: minute hand

• Yellow: seconds hand

Where the discs overlap, new colors are formed, creating a constantly shifting palette of color.

The Color Venn watch is powered by a beautiful Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement,

which is visible through the glass exhibition case back.

This means it doesn’t have a battery.

Instead, the motion of wearing your watch provides the power to wind it up and keep it running.

Available in either black or silver case.

£595 ($755 USD).