This object was created in a response to a brief titled "+One", in which I was tasked with creating a modern accoutrement to an existing collection of artifacts, specifically the "Hughes Typewriting Telegraph Instrument".

I was fascinated by the emergence of communication technology and early forms of long distance messaging - the keyboard as we know it is a descendant of the typewriter, the earliest iterations of which were letters mapped out on a piano keyboard. This project aims to explore that connection and create a dialogue between these two seemingly disparate objects, in order to explore the ways in which we learn and communicate.

In doing so, we've created a tactile toy for children, which can be used to learn the basics of music and visual communication. The piano is made from a combination of 3D printed and laser cut components, with xylophone chimes to produce sound. The keys are designed to be pressed in order to play notes, and simultaneously trigger a motor to print out a visual representation of the key press on the paper roll below. It also doubles as a tool to aid in reading sheet music, as the visual representation of the key press can be used to help children interpret the language of music in a simpler manner.