In the course of daily life, most of us go up and down dozens of stairs every day. And usually, we don’t think much of it. But thanks to a transformation by undergrads in the Johns Hopkins Robotics Club, a staircase in one of the university’s academic buildings is now a whole different kind of experience.
According to Max Yelsky, president of the club, the students — many of whom study engineering and/or computer science — wanted both to make people smile and to spread the word about the newly-formed club. “We had a bunch of sensors lying around, and we figured it would be cool to build something the community might like,” he said. A bit of tinkering and some problem-solving later, and the university had its first-ever musical staircase.
The video above shows Hopkins students and staff fooling around on the steps, playing a song with their feet (or their hands!), and just generally enjoying the unexpected surprise of a musical staircase. Visit the university’s Hackerman Hall to try it out for yourself!
