Instruments
Designers Craft Braille-Based Instrument for Visually Impaired Musicians
A trio of Korean designers have crafted an innovative new instrument that’s likely to appeal to a new generation of visually impaired musicians. The Vitar, short for “visual guitar,” was developed by Eojin Roh, Seonjin Baek, and Yujeong Shin. While few instruments exist today that are specifically catered to the visually impaired, the Vitar is servicing a populace of musicians who respond especially well to auditory stimulation. The Vitar, a new musical instrument for visually impaired artists. Eojin Roh, Seonjin Baek, Yujeong Shin As neurological studies have concluded, the auditory cortex of musicians with impaired sightedness often becomes enhanced, leading individuals to be able to better discern more precise differences in sonic frequencies compared ...
This Air-Powered Hybrid of a Vehicle and Musical Instrument Tests the Limits of Sound
I don’t mean to toot my own horn… As part of its “Two Yamahas, One Passion” joint project, Yamaha Design Lab has designed an unexpected piece of technology: a mobile musical instrument powered by gas and air. With the new concept, dubbed “Untitled Instrument,” two Yamaha departments joined forces to re-envision the principle of sound and how it can be used in conjunction with modern day automotive engineering technology. If the airflow through a wind or brass instrument, like a trumpet, is controlled properly, a musical scale can be played. This same air is also used to power the propulsion of the bike. Depending on how the air is converted into energy, it can bring out different outcomes. The bike is able to move when air is converted into mat...
Innovative Digital Instrument Lets Disabled Musicians Make Music With Their Eyes
A new digital instrument is empowering disabled musicians and students to create music with their eyes. The assistive technology is called the EyeHarp, and it pairs with eye and head trackers so that players can control melodies—including chords, arpeggios and pitch—with only the smallest of movements. This feature makes EyeHarp uniquely accessible to players with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities, in therapy, teaching and performance settings. The technology is also adaptable to each user’s skill level and can change between the tones of more than 20 instruments, including piano, flute, trumpet and bass guitar. Watch it at work below, played by 11-year-old Joel Bueno. Recommended Articles According to founder Zacharias Vamvakousis, the idea for the EyeHarp wa...
New Synth “Dedicated to All Abused and Oppressed Women” Draws Backlash
“May our voices unite and bring light, joy and happiness to this world of injustice and inequality. Smash the patriarchy,” said Dreadbox in a statement on the company’s newest analog polysynth, the Nymphes. Despite the boldly supportive statement, however, the company has drawn less than savory reactions from the public upon announcing the release of the synth. While the analog synth maker goes even further to instruct prospective users, those potential buyers aren’t quite happy with the way the company seems to be piggybacking off of a cause without actually supporting it in any way. “Each time you play a note on this synthesizer, imagine that you soothe their pain away and you will become a better human being and synth player,” reads the statement. “Hey...
Jihadists kill all male Christians in two Nigerien towns, women flee
Jihadists in Niger Republic have killed all the male Christians in Fantio and Dolbel, two towns in the Tillabéri region in the south west. Survivors of the attack, a group of women, with small children and babies fled to the Dori region of Burkina Faso. AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED (ACN), which reported the attacks, quoted the women as saying the terrorists attacked the towns twice, killing the men. The two towns were abandoned by the rest of the inhabitants. In Fantio, the jihadists took a statue of the Virgin Mary, liturgical books and musical instruments and burned them. They then desecrated the Blessed Sacrament by throwing the sacred hosts on the ground and finally setting the church on fire. This is the third parish in this part of Niger that has been abandoned due to terrorist attacks ...
NPC: Census will not consider religion, ethnicity
The National Population Commission says the population census will not take into consideration the number of adherents of any religion or the number of members of ethnic groups. It, therefore, denied including a religious category in the questionnaires being distributed in the first pre-test exercise for the next population and housing census in the country. The Director, Public Affairs of the NPC, Udi Joseph, said this in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to viral Whatsapp messages claiming the NPC had made two separate categories for Muslims and one category for Christians in its questionnaire. In a statement titled, ‘NPC Refutes Fake News on Religion in Census Questionnaires’, the organisation said even in previous population census exercises, religion and ethnicity were not consi...
Fender’s New Guitar Brings Electronic Music Production and Performance Into the Future
The future of guitars is here and it’s called the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. Fender’s latest in their Acoustasonic series may look like their classic 1960s Stratocaster on the outside, but it’s far from just any electric guitar. Offering a wide variety of both electric and acoustic sounds, the hybrid unit is the ultimate guitar for electronic music artists like San Holo, Dabin or Sullivan King, who creatively utilize guitars both in the studio and during their performances. Color options of Fender’s American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Guitar. Fender What makes this guitar so special is that it’s the result of feedback from over 25,000 musicians who’ve used Acoustasonic guitars. With that in mind, it has a liberating form factor that ...
Femi Falana: Southern governors should legalise open grazing ban to prosecute offenders
Naijaloaded Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has urged southern governors in the country to back their ban on open grazing with a legal instrument to enable the prosecution of offenders. Falana spoke on Wednesday evening while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme monitored by newsmen. Newsmen had earlier reported that about 17 southern governors met on Tuesday in Asaba, Delta State, and resolved to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in the region. The governors also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation and convoke a national dialogue to address widespread agitations amongst various groups in the region. Speaking on the television programme on Wednesday, Falana said the ban on open grazing, night grazing, underage grazing wa...
Femi Falana: EFCC can mandate bank MDs, executives to declare assets
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of all laws relating to economic and financial crimes, Africa’s leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has said. Consequently, according to the senior advocate, the anti-graft commission is empowered to cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person as stipulated under Section 7 (1) (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004. Also yesterday, Transparency International (TI) argued that if the provisions of the Bank Employees, etc. (Declaration of Assets) Act, 1986 were effectively enforced, Nigeria could save between $15 billion and $18 billion illicit financial flows (IFFs) annually. Falana clarified the roles of the EFCC in a response to inquiries on whethe...
IOM sensitizes 25,500 Nigerian migrants on irregular migration, trafficking
United Nations migration agency, the International Organization on Migration, IOM, said it has deployed Community Dialogue and Theatre in its quest to curb irregular migration, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Nigeria. The UN agency said it has through the process reached out to 25, 545 migrants on the dangers of irregular migration and the need for safe and orderly migration. IOM’s Chief of Mission, Mr Franz Celestin stated this yesterday in Abuja at the launch of a Community Dialogue and Community Theatre Manual on irregular migration, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. Celestin who was represented by Cyprine Cheptepkeny, the Awareness Raising Officer of IOM Nigeria said the occasion marked a key milestone in contributing to the Federal Government effort...
FIDA: Women can now serve as surety in Gombe
International Federation of Women Lawyers, Gombe Branch on Friday, hailed the state government over the Administration of Criminal Justice Law which allows women to stand as surety in bail applications. According to the chairperson of FIDA, Elizabeth Okotie, this law enhances the rights and provides justice for Women and Children, adding that, prior to now, women can’t stand as surety in a criminal case in the state. Okotie stated that this will help boost the sphere of influence, likewise the morale of an average Gombe woman. “International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Gombe Branch wishes to congratulate the government of Gombe State on the successful passing of Administration of Criminal Justice Law in the state which now forms part of the Canon of the state laws. This law enhances...
AfDB provides $400,000 grant for SEC
African Development Bank Group (AfDB) on Friday signed a $400,000 grant agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to strengthen securities market regulation and broaden market instruments. The funds, according to a statement from AfDB, will go towards strengthening the risk-based supervision framework, regulation of derivatives and green bonds, and build capacity for green finance. The grant will be sourced from the Capital Markets Development Trust Fund, a multi-donor fund administered by the Bank. “This collaboration further underscores our mutual goal to grow our markets and create viable avenues for sustainable economic development for Nigeria and the region,” said Lamido Yuguda, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission at the virtual signing ceremon...
- 1
- 2
