Cyber punk is here for musos making music on the move: the fashion fab of wearable technology
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In Star Trek “First Contact” the crew of the Enterprise battle the Borg who augment their bodies with prosthetics and wearable devices. Although these denizens of deep space were defeated by Captain Jean-luc and his plucky crew the reason why the Borg could never conquer the universe is that no-one wants to look like them.
Like the Borg our own cybernetic journey also began with medical enhancement. Pacemakers, bionic ears and even a bionic spine (http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/human-trials-for-australianmade-bionic-spine-to-start-next-year-20160202-gmjqdj.html) were developed to restore or improve organ function. However, in 2006 our quest for human augmentation took a strange turn. Apple partnered with Nike to wirelessly link our shoes to a music player giving real time feedback on distance run and calories burnt. This has led to a proliferation of sleek, trendy biometric devices. Our evolution is no longer in just in the hands of scientist, the fashionistas have arrived!
Technology as wearable fashion has osmotically permeated music. Innovators such as Imogen Heap worked with a team tech geniuses to create devices such as the Mi.Mu glove (http://mimugloves.com/#TheGloves). This glove gives artists the power to manipulate sound, lights, or pretty much anything that can be MIDI linked through body gestures. In this interview with Dezeen magazine she explains her amazing gloves http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/31/imogen-heap-gloves-mini-frontiers-movie/.
Others such Remidi T8 (http://www.livescience.com/54102-high-tech-glove-turns-gestures-into-music.html) have followed suit. While their products may have less functionality than the Mi.Mu their sleek design and easy integration with mobile devices gives them wide market appeal.
Such technology has the power to shape how, when and where music can be created and performed. It liberates artists from their instruments while also providing an instrument to those with a disability that previously could only dream of creating their own melodies.
Other cool clothing
Mick Fleetwood’s waistcoat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgjkJfVHbs4
Wearable technology show http://www.wearabletechnologyshow.net/home
Interesting reading
Star Trek: First Contact 1996. [online]. IMDB.com. Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117731/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4 [Accessed 1 April 2016].
Smith, B (2016). Human trials for Australian-made bionic spine to start next year. The Sydney Morning Herald, [online] pages. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/human-trials-for-australianmade-bionic-spine-to-start-next-year-20160202-gmjqdj.html [Accessed 31 March 2016].
[online]. Mimugloves.com. Available at: http://mimugloves.com/#startpoint [Accessed 30 March 2016].
Sheikh, K (2016). Hand jive: high tech glove turns gestures into music. Live Science, [online]. Available at: http://www.livescience.com/54102-high-tech-glove-turns-gestures-into-music.html [Accessed 30 March 2016].
Pallister, J (2014). These gloves will “change the way we make music,” says Imogen Heap. Dozen Magazine, [online]. Available at: http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/31/imogen-heap-gloves-mini-frontiers-movie/ [Accessed 31 March 2016].
