Taylor has developed a new health monitoring system for its guitars. Similar to fitness trackers like the Tickr X or Garmin's Vivosmart, TaylorSense keeps track of an instrument's well-being and sends status updates and alerts to a companion app running on a Bluetooth-connected smartphone.
Exposing an acoustic guitar to dry conditions for an extended period can cause the wood to crack, while high humidity can cause joint or finish problems. The TaylorSense is a smart battery box that can replace the 9 V box on any Taylor guitar that already hosts a 9 V Expression System, ES-T or ES-N pickup. It includes a digital hygrometer that keeps watch over humidity levels, triggering an alert over Bluetooth LE to an iPhone, iPad or iPod running the free Taylor Guitars app.
The box also includes a temperature sensor, which sends a notification if exposure to high heat or extreme temperature changes are detected, helping players to nip any potential damage in the bud. TaylorSense will also notify owners if an instrument gets dropped, bumped or otherwise roughed up during its travels, recording the time of the incident for evidence.
The app pushes alerts to a smart device's home screen for timely action, and each notification is accompanied by a link to a "how to" video for instructions from Taylor's service team on guitar care. A tuner, metronome and a practice tool that enables players to record songs on their iOS device using its built-in microphone are also included in the app. It will even help keep tabs on the onboard pickup system's remaining battery life.
The TaylorSense smart battery box and the app are due for release in Q2 2016.
Source: Taylor Guitars
