Dr. Loock's research into fibre-optics may change the way that guitars are manufactured.

Hans-Peter Loock’s fibre-optics research is profiled in a new exhibition at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.

The exhibit looks at how fibre optic cabling can be used in both an acoustic and electric guitar to generate music from light waves.

"Originally, I was looking to create a proof of concept for some of my other work in vibrational sensors, and I thought, 'Hey, let's demonstrate it through music, something everyone understands,'" says Dr. Loock, a professor in the Department of Chemistry. "The concept worked and today we are working on commercializing this technology into mainstream guitar manufacturing."

The acoustic photonic guitar is strung with fibre-optic cabling, which when strummed, creates a light wave. The light signal is converted by digital equipment into sound. While it looks mostly like a traditional guitar, the instrument produces a richer, acoustic sound, allowing guitarists to mix with greater accuracy.

Dr. Loock collaborated on this research with Canada Research Chair in Future Photonics Systems Dr. Raman Kashyap of the École Polytechnique of Montreal. The project was funded by the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations (CIPI), a Network of Centres of Excellence funded by NSERC.

To watch a video of Dr. Loock speaking about his work, visit the NSERC website.