Now, make music with just your fingertips

An Australian researcher has created a sensor mechanism that translates finger movement into sound.

Musicians can now make music by just flexing their fingers in the air, as an Australian researcher has developed a system that allows groups of people produce sound with a sensor mechanism that translates finger movement into sound.

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"It's a form of wearable instrument," Dr Alistair Riddell at the Australian National University said.

Riddell has already given performances with other musicians using the system.

"It was a very strange kind of performance because people just looked at you and you were moving your hands in front of them and just basically staring at them," he was quoted by ABC online, as saying.

Each musician has flexible sensors strapped to both thumbs and six of their fingers.

As the sensors bend, this changes their electrical resistance, which in turn communicates changes in sound properties such as the type of sound, its pitch, volume, and effect such as echo.