Lola Gielen is a Dutch designer that felt frustrated by her lack of musical talent and so, created a musical synthesizer that still incorporated the idea of tactile manipulation. 'Neo' is a machine that allows anyone of any and skill level to play beautiful, harmonious music.
The musical synthesizer only uses harmonious tones so that all combinations sound pleasant to the ear. By moving metal balls into different positions within the divots of the instrument, different sounds are produced. There are then four different silicone tops that can adjust volume, rhythm and even mimic the sound of wind.
Gielen sees Neo being effective in health and education industries, as it can be therapeutic to produce music, even if you may be tone deaf. Ideally, she hopes it will be incorporated into old age homes, schools and used with people suffering from autism.
Foolproof Musical Instruments
'Neo' is a Musical Synthesizer That Uses the Sense of Touch
Trend Themes
1. Musical Synthesizers for Tactile Manipulation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop musical synthesizers that incorporate tactile manipulation for a more inclusive and personalized musical experience.
2. Harmonious Tone-only Musical Instruments - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create musical instruments that produce only harmonious tones, making it easier for beginners to play pleasant music.
3. Therapeutic Music Production - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate music production as a therapeutic practice in health and education industries, catering to diverse needs and abilities.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement musical synthesizers with tactile manipulation in old age homes and therapy settings for the well-being of individuals.
2. Education - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce tactile musical synthesizers in schools to enhance inclusivity and creativity in music education.
3. Assistive Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop musical synthesizers for individuals with autism and other disabilities to aid in self-expression and communication.