In the third grade my music teacher had us make a miniature model of the musical instrument of our choice. I chose the cello. I was so proud of my creation and couldn't wait to showcase it in front of my peers. Much to my dismay, my cello didn't survive the walk to school. Yes, it was a mini version of the real thing, but it was still cumbersome. If only a cello was easier to transport.
Thirty-five years later I am still haunted by the cello failure, but a recent press release has made my failure seem less my fault and more of a universal problem.According to Bayer MaterialScience, children and young adults dream of easy-to-carry around instruments – specifically cellos. What? Were they following me around all those years ago? No matter, the company together with its partners is developing a concept for a futuristic cello. The use of a transparent plastic material makes the instrument lightweight and also makes it possible to incorporate a whole series of optical effects. The futuristic body of the cello is made of a crystal-clear cast resin that can easily be molded into the desired shape. The specific resin used is an aliphatic polyurethane. Shortly before casting, the polyurethane is prepared from two liquid, solvent-free components. Depending on the components selected, the materials can be adapted to the specific requirements in terms of hardness and flexibility.In addition to a sleek design, this bad-boy cello can accommodate different LEDs and mini video projectors. The partners are convinced that this visionary Cello 2.0 prototype can also serve as a source of inspiration for new uses of aliphatic polyurethane in electronic entertainment devices to make these developers’ dreams come true.I wonder what grade I would've received had I brought in a model of a cello that looked like this? Somehow, I don't think Mrs. Davis would approve. You can read the full news release here.
Traci Purdum is Chemical Processing's senior digital editor and no longer a failure when it comes to cello design.
