[sdiy] Emulating keyboard action with magnets; new synthesis method

[cheater00 .]

Reading up on the new Nord Piano 3, I was wondering if anyone ever
tried to emulate the feel of a piano keyboard - how the resistance of
a key changes depending on the state of the hammer mechanism, by using
electromagnets or hydraulics.

Either have electromagnets directly control the height of the key (in
opposition to the force exerted by your fingers) or use hydraulic
pistons feeding a reservoir, and have a small transducer constrict the
flow into and out of the piston (at which point you might even control
in and out separately).

In addition to piano keyboards one might emulate all sorts of
different feels. Say, how it would feel if you were scraping a wooden
stick across a comb, or the feel of silly putty. This could feed a
synthesizer model - each physical interaction model could feed a
different synthesizer model.

Also you wouldn't necessarily have to have the keys return
automatically. At which point you might want to think about making the
keys extend beyond the fulcrum - so that they can be pressed on one
end to press them inwards, and pressed on the other end in order to
depress them. For example, for ambient sounds, one might have a sort
of keyboard action that only very slowly returns the key - and the
height corresponds to the loudness of the note being played - while
letting you quickly stop a sound by pressing on the other end of the
keyboard.