Things That Think: Symphony Painter

Research Photo

Slides from Spring 2004
presentation (PDF)
(sponsors only)

Toy Symphony Website
Hyperscore Website

Symphony Painter
A hand-held music composition tool for children.

Who:	From Fisher-Price: David Ciganko and Jeff Miller From the Media Lab: Prof. Tod Machover, head of the Opera of the Future group, and his students, Mary Farbood and Egon Pasztor
When:	2003-04
Where:	MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Why:	Fisher-Price wanted to add new functionality to its Pixter Color line of handheld drawing devices for children
How:	A new cartridge for the device was created that allows children to convert their drawings into music using Hyperscore software.

Details

Children point and touch as they learn. Rhythm movement and music also are important to their development.This product, to be released July 2004, marries these factors with what is known about how children play. It allows children to manipulate their own drawings and set them to music, transforming harmony line and harmonic progressions so that children can understand them.

This product is meant for children 4 years and up. The Hyperscore software from the Opera of the Future research group was specially adapted to be used on the Pixter Color digital drawing platform.


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