opticaltheremin
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DIY theremin goggles marry the art of noise with steampunk style (video)
Sometimes annoying just isn't annoying enough. For DIY enthusiast and self-described "maker of awesome" Sarah Petkus, the incentive to irk was merely a happy by-product of her latest goggle design. The steampunk-ish effort, chronicled on Petkus' blog Robotic Arts, combines some artfully arranged scrap metals with an integrated optical theremin that lets the wearer manipulate an incredibly unpleasant tone just by waving their hands and adjusting the amount of light fed into the sensors. Since the volume control and speaker are housed inside the eyepieces, the goggles are little more than a head-mounted accessory. But that shouldn't stop cosplay types (or sociopaths) from strapping on a set and tweaking the nerves of unfortunate passers-by. That's if Petkus gets around to selling the "eyewear." For the public's sake, we hope this inventive mod remains a one-off. Head past the break for a video demo of this cringe-inducing, gesture-controlled cacaphony.
Beep-It optical theremin for the masses makes sci-fi sound anybody's game (video)
We've seen theremin mod after theremin mod, but those seeking that distinct sci-fi sound without the physical labor or hefty price tag haven't had much of an outlet until now. Meet Beep-It, a $35 analog optical theremin that sports a simple on / off switch, volume control, one quarter-inch jack, and light sensitive resistor to make you the master of that otherworldly sound. According to its creator, Michael Una, the little sonic music maker started off as yet another mod -- a "single-oscillator square wave theremin" in a petri dish -- back in 2008, and underwent a number of incarnations before getting the wood grain treatment you see here. Beep-It is now available at select retailers or direct from the company's website -- then again, we suppose you could hire Bobby McFerrin to do the same thing. Trippy demo after the jump.
