More and more of you have pre-ordered Exquis, and we thank you warmly for your trust and patience. Since the last news where we received the last electronic board, we are advancing simultaneously on many subjects, here are the latest news.
Progress of the latest prototype
The implementation of the controls on the new board works well: we now have lights under the action buttons, and the use of the touch slider is fluid. We are ready to finalize the creative workflow in symbiosis with the app.
(As the image shows, we haven’t yet received the final silicone for the keys and action buttons, but that’s not stopping us from moving forward.)
Pure version and standards
As Exquis has been pre-ordered from countries all over the world, in recent months we had to do a first pass on the different standards of each country, and do the prequalifications.
It turned out that delivering you a Pure version without a casing would not meet the requirements of all electronic protection standards. We thought it was possible (with examples like Teenage Engineering’s Pocket Operators), but in practice it turned out to be far too complex for Exquis.
Preview of the new Pure version
So we had to work on a Pure version with a casing; this has an impact on the manufacturing cost, but also on the compatibility between the Pure and Deluxe versions, whose aesthetic designs will be different from the initial ideas.
We are currently in discussion with our industrial partners to choose and offer you the best possible customization options for the Deluxe version.
Touch slider
The second important subject of the last few weeks, particularly in connection with the previous point, was the design of the touch slider.
Indeed, we were faced with a trade-off between the initial design of the slider and the expected performance in terms of responsiveness and sensitivity. In line with our desire to make an object as eco-responsible as possible, it was important to have only one electronic board for Exquis. However, the thickness of the casing must be minimal at the level of the slider to have the best capture performance. This constraint conditioned the design of the casing and the possible customization options.
First of all, the material covering the slider notably cannot be metal (which is conductive and therefore would make it unusable), and such a thin piece of wood is difficult to make and would not have been durable in time. For these reasons, we were forced to remove any possibility of custom casing of the slider itself.
3D printing tests of the different possibilities for integrating the slider
The other problem was that according to the solutions possible, the access to the slider was not pleasant, as you can imagine on some of the designs in the photo above. So we explored many possibilities in this area to guarantee maximum playing comfort while integrating mechanical and electronic constraints. We therefore had to consider that the slider area would have to be made entirely of plastic. To be continued in the next newsletter.
App
In parallel with the progress on the hardware part, the graphic design of the application and its integration continue. Here is an overview of the latest version of the structure of the different screens (desktop).
Virtual keyboard
Since the release of the dualo du-touch S (double-keyboard instruments) then the du-game (on-board educational game), our products have had a strong resonance in terms of pedagogy. For several years, we have been experimenting regularly in different structures and with teachers.
Thus, as part of our work in collaboration with National Education in France, and thanks to the support of the Edu-up French program, we have developed the first Exquis virtual keyboard on iPad, with a new “scoring” function giving direct feedback on the successful tracking of a MIDI score displayed on the keys.
Demonstration of the scoring system: the frame turns green on success and red on failure (omission or wrong note)
This keyboard will be integrated into the application for touch devices, and its evaluation algorithm will be used for the du-game – when it is ported to Exquis in 2024.
Release date
Many of you ask us if a delivery date is specified.
Following the change of casing for the Pure version and therefore the Deluxe version, the rheological study (study of the deformation of materials under constraints) is in progress, and during the month of May we are launching the manufacture of the moulds.
It is still too early to announce a delivery date, but it is certain that the trajectory adjustments in the designs of the Pure and Deluxe versions have caused us to fall behind. We are doing everything we can to ensure that Exquis arrives as soon as possible!
