The AwesomeCorp VMIS Music Box is a variable music instrument made by AwesomeCorp in YE 34.

The Awesomecorp Volumetric Musical Instrument Simulator is a small portable leisure item that can generate on demand a single temporary full sized copy of most common music instruments across the galaxy. The theory is to conveniently allow musicians to practice their art (or arts, if proficient in multiple musical instruments) whenever and wherever without the need to carry or risk damage to their more heavier, expensive and permanent instruments. In practice however using the instruments generated by the Music Box requires its own practice, as the instruments reconstituted by the volumetric particles are mono-colour, slightly luminescent and sparkly, semi transparent, extremely fragile and does not have the physical properties to generate the sounds required, but rather feeds the tactile inputs of the user on the instrument to the Music Box, which then digitally processes the signal and outputs the appropriate sound through speakers built into the box. Proper care must be taken to use only 1/3rd of the usual force required to play the instrument, or the Volumetric Projection crumbles into dust.

While volumetric technology, which generates physical three dimensional shapes using magnetic fields and small airborne particles, has existed since time in memorial in the military, its use in civilian applications that isn’t merely visual has been slow to catch on. The Music Box at its time of creation at YE34 is the most practical use of such commercial technology at that stage. A single Music Box costs 400 DA or 200 KS at Awesomecorp or some of its resellers. A new Volumetric Particle Pack good for 1000 uses costs 30 DA or 15 KS.

• Designer: MiniDev
• Manufacturer: ProShip
• Name: AwesomeCorp Volumetric Musical Instrument Simulator
• Nomenclature: Ap-Q1-1A
• Type: Portable Variable Musical Instrument
• Length: H - (1in/2.5cm) W - (3.5in/9cm) L - (7in/18cm)
• Mass: 1lb./.5kg. Weight of the musical instrument generated is negligible.

The creation of the Music Box was the result of the usual interplay and cooperation between the Awsomecorp Technology Branches. With the latest Galactic War in full swing, old ships outdated by newer development in technology and/or doctrine were sent to the scrapyard one way or the other, either peacefully retired in whole by their owners or forcefully retired in pieces by the enemy. Where one man's scrap is another man's profit, Corporations and other private interests bought up these pieces of abandoned military hardware, either for immediate use or for reverse engineering of former military secrets. The story begins when a volumetric projection table, previously used for briefings on a sizable capital ship, was bought for both purposes by a DepMax employee of Awsomecorp.

Reverse engineering of the table was easy enough, given its large and uncompact size that gave the DepMax scientists a good look at every distinct component with distinct functions without the need for invasive mechanosurgery. About half an hour later DepMax had filed the schematics in the company server, called it a day, broke out the beer and started randomly conjuring representations of NMX Commanders, Yamataian Nekoes, ferocious wild animals and some Nepleslian primetime celebrities on the table to beat up or feel up. After an unspeakable episode involving a drunken scientists mistaking the posterior of a well muscled Kennewesian Wild Boar for Dee Dee's Dee Dees, it was discovered that the projector in the center of the table too large and occupied too much valuable space for more alcohol (They were too drunk to realize any table never held enough alcohol for Nepleslian standards), and thus the table was sent downstairs to MiniDev to rectify the situation.

While reverse engineering was turning practice into theory, turning theory into practice was a whole different and difficult ballgame for MiniDev, also not helped by the vague and slurred instructions from the DepMax representative. The end miniaturization was close to the current dimensions of the Music Box in size, but also in volumetric image physical durability. When it was sent back up to DepMax, one of the people there having already sobered examined the new projector noted the fragility of the projected image and then recalled a dainty activity reserved for the mythical gentlewomen of the Nepleslian upperclass. “Am I supposed to play the f**king piano on this?!” The purpose of MiniDev's new projector was now sealed.

True to MiniDev, the now christened Music Box was then crammed configurations for with about four thousand music instruments including two hundred types of piano and other things from the depths of the InterNep. The product was then passed on to AttraDes to make it aesthetically pleasing. One copy was sent to DestroMal for “Testing”, but the Music Box crumbled as soon as it passed through the doorway to DestroMal labs before anyone even knew it was there. MiniDev then assumed DestroMal had no complaints.

The Music Box is a small rectangular object covered in a matte black, silver, or polished wooden casing. There are no external details in this state other than a charging port and a few faintly visible seam lines. When both ends of the Music Box are pulled, the box unfolds along the seam lines to form an array of projectors and a small penny-sized vent in the center. The Music Box is folded in the same way.

These small studs on the array form a threefold purpose. Using a precise magnetic field, the projectors arrange the Volumetric Particles emitted by the vents into the shape of the instrument required and hold it in that state until the Volumetric Particles lock themselves into place. Later these same fields are used to manipulate piezoelectric crystals to generate sound as per normal speakers. Lastly upon finishing, the projectors form a magnetic funnel to direct the particles of a dissolving instrument back into the particle storage for future use. The projectors are extremely sensitive to damage, and due to the precise nature of the arrays, field repairs are rarely successful.

The Processor is a computer inside the Music Box that holds data concerning the shape and the function of the 4,000+ instruments that it is programmed with feeds said data to the projectors to form the requested instrument translates the tactile inputs of the user into musical notes to be sounded by the speakers, and play accompaniments. It is also capable of wirelessly interacting with the InterNep for updates and custom programs, external speakers, or other Music Boxes to form pieces of a large instrument or a whole band.

At the base of the array is a chamber that holds the Volumetric Particles that make up a Volumetric Instrument. Only a fraction of the maximum storable particles are used in the formation of any instrument, the remainder is replacements for particles that will inevitably flake off the instrument during use and never be recovered. Reloading the Music Box is simply dropping an unwrapped Volumetric Particle Pack into the magnetic funnel formed by the Projectors. The monotone color of the generated instrument is user determined, the instrument itself only lasts 15 minutes before it must be dissolved and re-formed, otherwise, they will disintegrate messily and much of the particles making up that instrument will be lost.

A very powerful, miniaturized, 60-volt battery powers the Music Box for up to six hours of constant use. Recharging of the Music Box can be done by connecting the Box to other powered devices or using a standalone charger. The battery is non-removable.

This page was made by Fian on 2012/09/13 15:36.

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