The theremin is a musical instrument you play without touching.
[Source]In the early 1920s, physicist Léon Theremin was doing research on proximity sensors for the Russian government. He was trying to develop something like a land-based sonar device using an electromagneticfield to detect objects that entered a certain zone. Instead, Theremin came up with a musical instrument: his namesake, the theremin.
He demonstrated his creation to Russian leader Vladimir Lenin, who was said to have "adored" the new instrument [source: Beckerman]. Lenin sent Theremin on a world tour to show off the new technology, and Theremin delighted audiences throughout Europe with his "ether-wave" concerts. Theremin eventually found his way to the United States, where he patented the "Thereminvox" in 1928.
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