One of the reasons technology endears itself to us so much is because it’s so instinctual for children to pick up. So every generation grows up intuitively interacting with the latest tech—be it computers, Walkmans or augmented reality. And everyone from artists like Chris O’Shea to Hellicar & Lewis have created applications for children to play with since they’re a naturally receptive audience. Plus, the added dimension of interactivity heightens the experience and works well with children, who often lack the kind of inhibitions that plague us as adults—what kid doesn’t want to immerse themselves in a brand new fantasy world?And so, as part of the Manchester International Festival, which finished last Sunday, magneticNorth gave kids the chance to see what it was like to conduct an orchestra with their installation Maestro, a collaboration with the BBC R&D department. The kids stepped up to the screen and could see a fish-eye lens video of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They could then control the orchestra by waving their arms to exert influence over the dynamics of the performance, using Kinect-based motion technology to sense and interpret the movement. The fact that the technology is hidden from view makes the experience even more immersive, providing a fun way to engage with such a complicated task. Whether they actually learned anything from the experience or just threw their arms about is another matter.[via Creative Review]
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Kids Conduct London's Philharmonic Orchestra
They might be able to virtually shoot down alien hordes and play guitar, but can they virtually conduct an orchestra?