Roberto M. Aimi
I recently finished my PhD at the MIT Media Laboratory.
My thesis was on hybrid acoustic/electronic percussion instruments.
Previously I was designing musical toys for children as part of the Toy Symphony project, some of which are documented in my master's thesis.
Selected projects:
Digital/Acoustic Percussion using Sampled Acoustics — 2005–2006
Developed an array of digital/acoustic percussion instruments that convolve the audio output of damped semi-acoustic physical objects with recorded impulses of real and synthetic instrument sounds to create highly expressive hybrid instruments.
Music in the Garden: Music Shapers — 2005
Installed and designed an interactive sound and music experience that allowed visitors to control layers of sound by squeezing soft fabric "Music Shapers". By varying the rate and amount of squeezing, a range of sounds could be produced.
Beatbugs — 2001–2004
Beatbugs are hand-held rhythm instruments designed to allow children and adults to explore, create and perform music that is generated by the interaction between the players, each other, and the system. In collaboration with Gil Weinberg.
Music Shapers— 2001–2004
Squeezable fabric interfaces for creating and reshaping music as part of the Toy Symphony project. Visual design by Maggie Orth.
Bluetooth Beatbug — 2004
Designed an application for solo wireless Beatbug that made use of an additional accelerometer to track inclination. In collaboration with Diana Young.
Previous projects:
