Reader Gilles Mustar shared this video demo of the Pascal2049, a unique DIY inflatable instrument, inspired by Blade Runner.

“It’s a atmospheric pressure-sensitive controller for analog synthesizers and Eurorack,” notes Mustar. “For the look, I was inspired by both Blade Runner movies.”

The instrument is intended to be ‘ a very playful and experimental interface to control synths’. Mustar notes that an internal fan inflates the balloon, which creates the impression that it is ‘fighting’ against external pressure.

In this second demo, Mustar uses it to control a cutoff filter, to make wind sound effects:

How the instrument is made:

• The balloon is made of pieces of a space blanket sticked together with double-sided tape.
• The box is a used wine case (2 bottles).
• A computer Fan (you need one with enough torque to fight the pressure, so a small one seems more suited.
• There’s an atmospheric pressure sensor (bmp280) -which control CV out-.
• An Arduino Nano (a small computer)
• A digital/analog converter (arduino nano only outputs PWM)
• A Capacitive sensor (for the gate out)
• One potentiometer for tuning and another to change the range

Mustar says that the total build cost was about $12.