Prototypes on Display

The 3rd International Conference for Universal Design in HAMAMATSU 2010

for Music
P.T.A.（Palm Top Acoustic Series）

The value of music - feel it more profoundly and with greater ease.

To date, Yamaha has concentrated on the fields of sound and music, and we plan to continue these efforts in a deeper, broader fashion. "Music in the Palm of Your Hand" is an attempt to create a simple, portable sound terminal that everyone can use to create music, just by playing with it in the palm of their hands. It is a musical device that employs the best of both acoustic ambience and digital convenience.

[ Image ] Talking Castanet — Talking Castanet

for Communication
OTO-MADO

The value of music - enrich communication

We wanted to investigate if it might be possible for Yamaha to capitalize on the musical technology and sensitivity we have amassed over the years, to benefit in the next-generation field of communications. "OTO-MADO" (Japanese for "sound window") is an aural/tactile interface that features microphones and speakers attached to a transparent film stretched across a frame. This “sound window” allows you to “feel,” through their hands and ears, the presence and ambience of a person living in a distant location.

for Life
Sound Conditioning Meter

The value of music - make the most of music in a harmonious, sound-conscious society

The phrase "Sound Conscious" represents one of the things that we are able to do for the social environment as a company involved in sound and music. When people enter a room, they are usually aware of factors such as temperature and humidity, odors, and even other elements such as viruses. However, they are much less aware of how they are influenced by sound. Through on our understanding of the influence that sound has on the comfort of a room, we would like to work towards a society in which people are able to live in a better sonic environment. The "Sound Conditioning Meter" was conceived with this premise in mind. Designed to suit room interiors, it is a tool for improving environmental boundaries, allowing sound to be viewed as light, and offering a visual representation of the current state of the sound in the surrounding area.

[ Image ] Sound Conditioning Meter 1 — For creating awareness, digitizing invisible sound.

[ Image ] Sound Conditioning Meter 2 — By gentle light, conveying stillness and bustle.

[ Image ] Sound Conditioning Meter 3 — Like a pedometer, reviewing back the day through the sound.

[ Image ] Sound Conditioning Meter 4 — Like a firefly, coloring the atmosphere with the sound-generated lighting and movement.

[ Image ] Sound Conditioning Meter 5 — Like a weathercock, displaying the whereabouts of the sound.