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KMI Introduces Next-Generation “3D Multi-Touch” Portable iPad-Sized Music Controller

Keith McMillen Instruments (KMI), a leading developer of innovative hardware and software technology that connects people to their computers, announced today the next generation of music software and hardware controllers for electronic musicians, DJs, VJs and DIY hackers, the QuNeo 3D Multi-Touch Controller.

“3D Multi-Touch” Technology for Pressure, Velocity & Location, Swipes and Pinching

Redefining music production and performance, QuNeo (pronounced kyoo-ne-oh) covers all of the functionality of other controllers, while adding the power of extra dimensions.  Quneo provides 27 pads, sliders and rotary sensors with 3D Multi-Touch recognition for pressure, velocity, and location sensitivity, which allows musicians playing electronic sounds to change their timbre (quality, brightness and volume) the harder or softer they are played by simply varying touch pressure. The pads are also responsive to X (left - right) and Y (up - down) and recognize multiple gestures for pinching and swiping.

Previously with first generation products, controlling music software and hardware was limited.  You could only hit a pad, twist a knob or push a button to manipulate sounds and effects.  KMI has resolved these restrictions with its innovative next generation line of Multi-Touch controllers:  SoftStep, 12 Step, and now QuNeo, that transforms musical intent into audio through physical control of 3D Multi-touch sensor technology. 

Fits with iPad Accessories – 251 Multi-Color LEDs Provide Feedback

QuNeo is built for portability.  A low-cost iPad-shaped music controller, it fits in iPad accessories and cases, such as clips, stands and more, providing greater physical control than an iPad.  In addition, its remarkable LED Light Feedback lumination scheme combines variably diffusive elastomers with 251 multi-color LEDs for visual feedback that is immediately responsive and delightfully informative.


Going Viral on Kickstarter with Record Setting Pre-Sales - Hitting Funding Goal in Just 36 Hours

Musicians desire a true Multi-Touch physical controller to perform and produce music effectively.  QuNeo has fulfilled that need, exciting musicians world-wide, with a viral campaign on Kickstarter.com—the first time that a music technology company has utilized the crowd-sourced funding of Kickstarter to pre-launch and fund the production of a product.  In a matter of a few days, QuNeo has generated record setting pre-sales for a music technology company using a Kickstarter funding campaign, hitting its funding goal in just 36 hours.  With 32 days left on the project, QuNeo is over 400% funded and has hundreds of backers.  The KMI QuNeo Kickstarter Campaign is enabling electronic musicians, DJs, VJs, and DIY hackers the opportunity to get in on the ground floor and order through a pledge of just $200.

“Great musical instruments push back and convey a sense of the physical.  They have depth and dimension and show you what they know.  We have developed sophisticated and innovative sensor technologies for musicians that enable this next generation of musical instruments - Controllerism 2.0,” said KMI founder Keith McMillen.

QuNeo Features:

• The Size of an iPad:  QuNeo is the size of an iPad 2 and fits in iPad accessories such as clips, stands and more.
• 3D Tactile Pads, Sliders, Rotary Sensors and Switches:  27 pads, sliders and rotary sensors that are pressure, velocity, and location sensitive, with 17 switches responding to how hard you press.
• LED Light Feedback:  a remarkable lumination scheme combines variably diffusive elastomers with 251 multi-color variable brightness LEDs providing visual feedback that is immediately responsive and delightfully informative.
• Class Compliant and Open Source Development Kit:  QuNeo works with USB, MIDI or OSC and will communicate with your favorite music software environments right out of the box.  More advanced users and programmers can download the development kit to create their own code to respond to QuNeo’s sensor data.

“Game changer!  Prepare to be blown away,” said Skratchworx, a leading DJ blog.  “Looking like a big touch pad, the QuNeo is in fact a thin physical iPad sized controller, resplendent with low profile tactile pads.  Now you might think that such controls might not do very much, but each of the controls is ‘pressure, velocity and location sensitive.’ Is it OK to say nextlevelness this time?”

“The addition of actual pressure/velocity sensing and a design that gives you some tactile feedback on where the controls are, would set it apart from a device like the iPad, which has no such usable pressure response and an undifferentiated surface,” – Createdigitalmusic.com, leading electronic music blog.

Available March 2012, QuNeo is priced at $200 for pre-sale at Kickstarter.com at:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kmi/quneo-multi-touch-open-source-midi-and-usb-pad-con.

About KMI

Keith McMillen Instruments (KMI) is a private company based in Berkeley, California that develops innovative hardware and software technology that connects and controls computer applications in the music, gaming, video, ergonomic and assistive technology industries.  Visit KMI on the web at http://www.keithmcmillen.com.

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