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Digital Planet: 23/09/2008

Factual: Science & Nature

23/09/2008

BBC World Service - Digital Planet, 23/09/2008

Political voice analysis, Google Android launches, Bill Buxton, human body instruments

Analysis of political voices using synthesis software. Google launches new operating system for mobiles. Microsoft interactivity guru Bill Buxton. Musicians turning their bodies into instruments.

ANALYSING POLITICIANS

What do politicians' voices say about their personalities? This week, Gareth talks to Branka Zei Pollermann from the Vox Institute in Geneva, who has used voice analysis software to study the voices of US candidates McCain and Obama, as well as UK prime minister Gordon Brown.

GOOGLE ANDROID LAUNCHES

Hot news this week is the launch of Android – Google's new operating system for mobile phones. The first Android powered handset will be released by the Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and on sale in a few weeks. But will it live up to expectations?

BILL BUXTON ON INTERFACES

Gareth chats to interactivity expert Bill Buxton about why technology should be treated as an artform. A former musician who grew up building synthesizers, Buxton is now Principle Researcher in Microsoft’s R&D department. He's led the field in developing new interfaces for products which change the way users interact with technology.

AUGMENTED INSTRUMENTS

Angela Saini reports from a gig in London where the instruments are old fashioned, but the sounds aren't.The musicians have all been writing their own software to change the way their instruments sound. 

French-Canadian musician Jean-Baptiste Thiebaut explains: "Rather than creating entirely new instruments, we enhance traditional instruments with sensors.

"For example we measure movements like the acceleration of your arm as you play a chord, and use those movements to transform the sound produced by the instruments."

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