Forget those tedious piano lessons that your mother made you suffer through as a child. Researchers at the University of Southern California have developed a computerized system that allows the user to play music using a steering wheel and gas and brake pedals. Essentially, the researchers say, the user "drives" his or her way through the music with the system, known as the Expression Synthesis Project. The device permits people to experience playing music without having to first master an instrument, the researchers say. The system is programmed to guide the user through Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor. (The Chronicle, subscription required)
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.