Steampunk, to the novices out there, is a bit hard to peg down. For some, it is simply a genre of fiction that merges past and future in a beautiful pastiche of 1900s lunacy. To others, it is a reason to grow absurdly long handlebar mustaches. About the only thing everyone can agree on regarding steampunk is that it has an unabashed love of Jules Verne and a deep appreciation for quirky music instruments, like the theremin. The theremin is an amazingly weird musical instrument loosely based on the work of Nikolai Tesla, that makes notes just by waving your arms in the air. Think of it as a Kinect but, you know, decades older.
Now, thanks to wearable technology enthusiasts, there is a pair of goggles you can wear on your head that double as a functioning theremin. Sarah Petkus is behind the creation, chronicling it on her blog Robotic Arts. All you do is pop them on on your head, wave your arms around madly and beautiful music will instantly be made, much to the chagrin of everyone around you. It’s truly a great trick and a miracle of modern, and not so modern, design.
Of course, you can’t go into your local theremin goggle shop and pick a pair of these up. This is only a working prototype design. However, Petkus’ blog details how to create your own so you should have at it! Your mustache will be curled and handlebar shaped in no time. Oh, and give my regard to Jules Verne if you happen to see him aboard his steam-powered rocket ship. Also, the sound is sure to drive your cats crazy. We know from experience.
