An air-drumming peripheral is announced

A DRUMLESS DRUM KIT peripheral for an upcoming Rockbandeqsue game title was unveiled yesterday.

We know that Air-Guitar has a long and illustrious history - it even has its own World Championship event. But Air drumming, does that even look cool?

To the naysayers, Seven45 Studios is releasing Power Gig: Rise of the SixString, with an Airstrike drum controller. The peripheral recognises left and right stick movements, giving the player the most immersive experience, apparently without the need to clatter cheap plastic drums.

The controller has two drumsticks and a small disco-ball looking unit that that sits between your feet. I guess we'd call it the world's first drum-recognition sensor. It has four coloured infrared sensors that project the strike zones in front of the player that can be struck mid-air with the sticks. Which sensor detects the strike determines which drum you hit.

"We know that people may be sceptical of the AirStrike drums at first glance," said Seven45 Studios chairman and CEO, Bernard Chiu.

"But we also know that as soon as people sit down to play it, they are going to see how much more real and authentic it feels to be moving much the same way true drummers do when they play."

Because if there's one thing real drummers do, it's play air-drums. Phil Collins, where are you in our time of need?

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString will be out October. µ