How OptiMusic Works

Simple Yet Sophisticated

At the heart of the system are two key components:

• OptiBeams: interactive light units
• OMPC1-AV software for PC computers

OptiMusic is a patented invention that uses normal light (non-laser) to create the ultimate interactive environment. In its simplest form, OptiMusic is a light controlled switch. When a beam is interrupted or broken, a signal is created, which activates previously selected events.

This beam interaction can trigger sound, lighting, visual images, video, special effects, smoke, pyrotechnics and other digital applications - all in real time. In practice, variations of this simple example are what give the OptiMusic system its power and versatility.

The OptiMusic software that controls the OptiBeams, runs on a normal Windows XP computer - your own or supplied by us ready to use. All systems come with many presets and libraries to choose from that require little or no setting up and no special technical knowledge. Some programmes are designed for general use, while some activities and games have been specifically designed for certain age groups and/or abilities.

Remote Control

OptiMusic systems are supplies with a User Button Box to control and change settings, sounds etc.

Award Winning Technology

Operation Modes

For the more technically minded, the programmes use the following methods which you can customize yourself with sounds, images or videos from one of our libraries or your own.

Application Modes

The OptiMusic interactive light units (OptiBeams) contain sensors that detect either when the light beam is broken or when it's reflected back.

The system has two ways of working:

• Normal Mode:  The unit is set to detect a reflected beam.
  This happens when a beam is interrupted with a reflective material (e.g. one of our special reflective gloves, pads or bats). It is the reflected beam that triggers a sound to be played or whatever other event has been set up.
• Inverse Mode:  The unit is set to detect a break in a reflected beam.
  Light is continuously reflected back by floor reflectors and the beam may be broken by any non-reflective material or object (including hands, feet etc.) to trigger an event.

With either mode there is a choice of what breaking the beams will do:

Play Modes

• Trigger Mode In this mode, breaking a beam always triggers the event, sound (a sample, loop or MIDI note), image or video that that particular beam has been preset to trigger. Each beam will always trigger its own preset event when broken. e.g. If the blue beam is set to play a bass drum and the yellow beam a snare drum; then the blue will always play a bass drum and the yellow a snare.
• Sequence Mode In this mode, breaking any of the beams plays a preset melody or song one note at a time. Familiar tunes may be played by the breaking the beams in time with the song. Little or no musical ability is required to play a tune. Similarly, a sequence of images could be dislayed or an image could be built up one part at a time.
• Event Mode When broken, a beam set to 'Event Mode' can change octaves, sounds, songs or programme settings for any or all of the beams.

Switch Modes

• On-Off A sound will play only while a beam remains broken. The sound stops when the beam is unbroken.
• Play to end Once triggered, a sound will play to the end regardless of when the beam is unbroken.
• Toggle Mode Breaking a beam the first time triggers a sound which plays to the end (or loops) until the beam is broken a second time.

All beams do not have to be set to the same Play or Switch Mode - each beam may be set up differently.