Carlos Guedes presents artificial intelligence project at the Porto music hall

Carlos Guedes presents artificial intelligence project at the Porto music hall

Carlos Guedes, a researcher from INESC Porto’s Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit (UTM), presented project Kinetic at the Music Hall in Porto (Casa da Música). The project develops algorithms for the generation of music which are controlled by interfaces that use human gestures.

10th March 2011

Project Kinetic was demonstrated on equipment composed of a gamelan, a traditional musical ensemble from Indonesia that was controlled using a Wii Remote controller, which allows the user to manage the tempo of the music, and a computer that is responsible for the generation of the music.

When talking to the Portuguese news channel TVI24 Carlos Guedes explained more about the project: “the innovation lies in what is between the interface, which may be a Remote control from a Wii console for example, and the music that is produced”. He goes on to say “what we are developing here is musical intelligence in algorithms that will allow users to control musical processes in real-time through an interface that uses human gestures.” The university lecturer adds “we are in the middle of creating a computer programme equipped with musical intelligence that is able to transform human gestures into musical phrases that produce a melody”.

Project Kinetic is being developed by researchers from INESC Porto and the University of Texas at Austin in partnership with the YDreams company and the project is integrated into the “Digitopia” programme at the Porto music hall (Casa da Música). “Digitopia” was created in July 2007 and is a platform that promotes digital music.

For more information see: http://smc.inescporto.pt/

Photo: The Porto Music Hall - Casa da Música

Source: BIP February 2011