DART was born in the world of makerspaces and DIY workshops, where experimentation, salvaged materials, and technical limitations often become part of a creation’s character.

The idea behind the project is to use the screen not as something to read, but as the core of a musical machine. These small displays become expressive pads, showing and animating monochromatic sprites on an 8×8 grid, inspired by the primitive visual language of early computer systems. DART turns minimal graphics and constrained technology into something physical and playful.

Around this concept revolve the controller’s other elements: the side spinner – neither a knob nor a trackball, but more like a large industrial mouse wheel – meant to be grabbed from the side. The retro-style analog mini joystick recalls arcade cabinets and early game controllers, while the top optical spinner reveals part of its internal mechanism through visible openings in the enclosure as a signature design touch. Completing the instrument are the custom backlit knobs, handcrafted through long experiments with silicone molds and epoxy resin in search of a more personal visual and tactile identity.