May 22, 2006
Samsung to turn a cellphone into a full-size piano or a drum kit
Another great patent find from wonderful Barry Fox for New Scientist
"Samsung says it can turn a cellphone into a full-size piano or a drum kit, according to a recent patent filing which explains how.
Earlier in 2006 Motorola patented a way to use a cellphone screen and keypad to mimic a guitar. But there is little hope of squeezing 88 piano keys or a full set of drums into a handheld device.
Samsung's idea is to use a small video projector, embedded in the phone, to project an image of a keyboard or drum skins onto a plain, flat surface. As the owner presses the keys or hits the drums a camera in the phone would detect the motion and convert it into the appropriate musical sound.
The phone could either play the sound out loud or make a recording and the phone's camera could even make a video of the performance. The only issue the Samsung patent does not address is how much of a drain this will be on the phone’s battery life."
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