Reactable

The Reactable is an electronic musical instrument in which physical objects placed on a shared tabletop display control synthesized sounds and music.

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Computer vision: Computer vision is the extraction of information about objects and scenes from images or video. A camera detects the objects and their positions on the Reactable surface.
Music Technology Group: The Music Technology Group is a research group at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. The Reactable was developed by researchers in this group.
Live coding: Live coding is the creation and modification of computer programs during a live performance. Both practices expose musical decisions as they happen, though Reactable uses physical objects rather than code.
Turntablism: Turntablism is the performance practice of manipulating records and turntables as musical instruments. Both make electronic performance visibly physical, but turntablism centers on records and decks.
Tangible user interface: A tangible user interface lets people control digital information through physical objects. The Reactable is a musical example of this broader interface approach.
Sergi Jordà: Sergi Jordà is a researcher and musician known for work in digital musical instruments and interactive music systems. He helped lead the Reactable’s design and research.
Electronic music: Electronic music is music produced or transformed using electronic instruments and technologies. The Reactable is an instrument for creating electronic music.
Theremin: The theremin is an electronic instrument played without touch by moving the hands near two antennas. It also maps physical gestures to sound, but uses hand position rather than tabletop objects.
Modular synthesizer: A modular synthesizer produces and shapes sound by connecting separate electronic modules. Reactable objects act like modules whose connections define sound behavior.
Günter Geiger: Günter Geiger is a computer scientist whose research includes interactive music systems and tangible interfaces. He contributed to the Reactable’s technical development.