An completely innovative invention is rare. A student out of MIT has come up with one such device. The Ambient Addition, as the video explains, is a device that not only changes the way you listen to music, but how you look at the world. It is completely interactive and it is insanely creative. Noah Vawter further explains the purpose behind his invention and how it works:
Ambient Addition is a Walkman with binaural microphones. A tiny Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip analyzes the microphone's sound and superimposes a layer of harmony and rhythm on top of the listener's world. In the new context, some surprising behaviors take place. Listeners tend to play with objects around them, sing to themselves, and wander toward tempting sound sources. With Ambient Addition, I'm hoping to make people think twice about the sounds they initiate as well as loosen up some inhibitions.
Noah Vawter: Ambient Ambition
Ever since Brian Eno, ambient music has grown in popularity with each coming year. However, it has long been considered "background" music. What this device aims to do is systematically make you interact with each ambient sound your come across. Music, thus, is simply not something to passively listen to. In a sense, one is altering the Walkmen into a musical instrument. This is similar to what hip hop did to the turn table.
Now, I cannot wait till this device is mass produced. I'm not even sure if mass production is planned, but one thing is true: I want one. Hence, I believe it is the duty of every man, woman, and child who reads this blog to contact Mr. Vawter and tell him that there is a market for him.
Oh, and if you are interested in the further logistics of the Ambient Addition, you can read Mr. Vawter's thesis. Mayybe if you are more mechanically inclined than I am you can figure out how to build one yourself.
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