<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" = name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0px 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 5px 10px = 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bgColor=#ffffff background="" scroll=yes X-FVER="3.0" = ORGYPOS="0"> <DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Hi Robin:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>After a long wait, the self-tuning piano was finally = patented earlier this year.  Currently the self-tuning piano is queued = behind several other inventions of mine.  There are three = other devices that, though they were invented after the STP, are smaller and easier to get = on the market quickly.  I can't tell you what they are yet, but you will = see them in the coming months.  Only one of those three is piano related.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I have the prototype self-tuner here in my lab in = Kansas City.  I did extensive preliminary work on it along with = Soneticom, a firm QRS hired to do the production electronics design, this = summer.  Our biggest concerns were keeping the cost down and minimizing the = power consumption.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The power consumption is directly related to tuning = range: the more range you want, the more juice it takes.  All we have ever = really wanted is a reasonable range to cover normal, yearly climate changes = (about 20 cents or so).  With age and stretch it will obviously have to be = brought back into range from time to time by a tech, but this should be much = less time consuming and tedious than an actual complete tuning.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The point of the system is to allow the pianist to = have an in-tune instrument on a daily basis.  Rather than have a piano that = is noticeably out of tune after a few weeks, a musician can now touch it up = and play a perfectly tuned instrument at any time of the year.  That's = a basic luxury that all other musicians in the orchestra have always enjoyed.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I would happy to explain its operation in more = detail to anyone interested as well as answer any technical questions that = you have.  Thanks for your interest.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Don A. Gilmore<BR>Mechanical Engineer<BR>Kansas City</FONT></DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au = href="mailto:mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au">Robin Stevens</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, December 23, = 2003 12:32 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Don's "Self tuning = piano"</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 = width="100%" border=0><TBODY> <TR> <TD id=INCREDITEXTREGION style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; CURSOR: auto; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" = width="100%"> <DIV>Don...Would you mind filling us in with the latest news re = your "self tuning" piano. It seems to have gone quiet with your = invention progress. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> Robin Stevens</DIV> <DIV>Convener "INTUNE SA 2004"</DIV> <DIV>22-25 July 2004 Mercure Grosvenor Adelaide SA</DIV> <DIV>08 8633 0533 <A = href="mailto:mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au">mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au</A></DIV>= </TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="100%"></TD> <TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD> <TD id=INCREDIANIM vAlign=bottom = align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BLOC= KQUOTE></BODY></HTML>