Albuquerque, NM – April 15, 2014 Local start-up PanMuse LLC and STC.UNM recently signed an option agreement for the music application software Bandojo and for data analysis through a newly patented process called musification. These technologies were developed by composer and software developer Dr. Panaiotis, who is a UNM Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
The musification technology developed by Dr. Panaiotis turns data into continuous real-time music intended for analysis of non-music monitoring systems. Musification is currently being researched at Cosmiac, the Configurable Space Microsystems Innovations & Applications Center. A wide range of additional uses include use in shopping and dining venues and in office and industrial settings.
Another technology is the basis for the music software Bandojo, a collaborative music creation software application. Bandojo enables anyone, including non-musicians, children, and people with physical disabilities, to create original melodies that are automatically harmonized to a wide variety of accompaniments. Users can choose from a number of instrument combinations, musical scales and modes, and rhythmic patterns. Several players can play together as an ensemble, even if they are in different locations. Songs can be recorded and shared. Bandojo is currently being used in music education and performance with students from preschool through high school as well as differently-abled adults. PanMuse has three development goals for Bandojo: (1) as a music education tool version available to the educational and disabilities communities; (2) as a consumer product available in the App Store later in 2014; and (3) as a cloud-based music collaboration activity. The company expects to generate revenue through enterprise and customer licensing to schools and disability organizations, availability of a premium apps version with add-ons, and sale of anonymized data from user music profiles to online music providers. The company is currently running in a number of local test sites including Covenant Schools, ARCA, several APS K-12 schools, the Career Enrichment Center, and Very Special Arts of New Mexico. Subscriptions are currently being sold to educational entities.
STC CEO Lisa Kuuttila believes that the technologies and Mr. Kellerman are an excellent match. “Travis is an entrepreneur with the management and team development skills necessary to create a viable company along with enjoyable and useful products for apps users in a variety of industry sectors.”
Dr. Panaiotis has been a composer and performer of electronic and digital media and music for more than 25 years. He was part of a collaborative initiative between the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Department of Music begun in 2005 to bring musicians and engineers together to create technologies for New Mexico’s growing digital media industry. He has composed music for over 40 theater and dance productions as well as film. His dance work, The Ballad of Frankie Silver, which premiered in Basel, Switzerland, was performed at the UGArts 96 Olympic Cultural Festival. More recently he has developed music and user control systems for interactive virtual environments and is a founding member of the video and dance group Quicknoise.
PanMuse LLC was co-founded by Dr. Panaiotis, CTO, and Travis Kellerman, CEO. Mr. Kellerman, a UNM graduate, is enthusiastic about the commercialization prospects for the technologies. “After our initial user tests, we saw tremendous potential in the education market as a starting point for the tech. My goal now is to continue building strong products with our talented, all-local team.”
About PanMuse LLC
Proudly based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, PanMuse LLC was founded on the principle of empowerment through music creation. From data musification technology to educational and consumer music creation and collaboration, the mission is to allow anyone, anywhere to benefit from musical communication through technology.
For more information about the company, visit bandojo.us or contact CEO Travis Kellerman at traviskellerman@gmail.com or (505) 850-4108.
About STC.UNM
As the technology-transfer and economic-development arm of the University of New Mexico, STC.UNM protects and commercializes technologies developed at UNM by filing patents and copyrights and transferring the technologies to the marketplace. We connect the business community (companies, entrepreneurs and investors) to these UNM technologies for licensing opportunities and the creation of start-up companies. For additional information, contact Erin Beaumont, STC Innovation Manager, at (505) 272-7912 or ebeaumont@stc.unm.edu. To learn more about us, visit our website at http://www.stc.unm.edu.
Source: STC.UNM
For more information, contact:
Denise Bissell
(505) 272-7310
dbissell@stc.unm.edu