Hailing it as the first motion-tracking controller for iOS (iPad/iPhone), IK Multimedia has introduced its iRing gizmo.
Although not aimed specifically at musicians, it could certainly be used with music apps.
iRing is a wearable ring with markers imprinted upon it. One side contains three dots in a line, while the other side has three dots in a triangular pattern. These can be picked up by the iPhone or iPad’s front-facing camera, and an associated app can then determine the exact position of the wearer’s hand in the space in front of the device. This information can then be translated into MIDI or some other communication method for passing on to other apps.
The iRing allows up to six musical parameters to be controlled without the user having to touch the screen.
iRing includes two identical double-sided ring controllers, plus two free apps for music applications, which target everyone from music lovers to DJs to seasoned musicians: iRing Music Maker and iRing FX/Controller.
Here’s a demo video of the iRing in action:
The developers have also created a Software Development Kit which allows other software writers to make use of the iRing in their apps.
