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This Nintendo Labo solar-powered accordion is so clever

It makes music with the sun.

Mike Sorrentino Senior Editor
Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making.
Expertise Phones, texting apps, iOS, Android, smartwatches, fitness trackers, mobile accessories, gaming phones, budget phones, toys, Star Wars, Marvel, Power Rangers, DC, mobile accessibility, iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal, RCS
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Mike Sorrentino

While it's not heavily advertised, the Nintendo Switch's right Joy-Con has an infrared sensor a la Nintendo's Wii Remote controllers. That sensor is the key to this solar-powered accordion that is among the winners honored Monday from Nintendo's Labo Creators Contest.

"This Nintendo Labo toy-con creation uses sunlight to trigger the sound instead of the iconic reflective stickers. That allowed me to keep the build simple and easy so anyone can try making one," Momoka Kinder wrote in the description of her YouTube video demonstrating the invention.

The right controller detects sunlight at all times, while the left controller detects rotation to change the music's volume depending on tilt, according to the contest entry page. This accordion was honored in the category of best original invention using Toy-Con Garage.

Other contest winners include a piano decorated with a Legend of Zelda theme, a dinosaur-themed RC car and a Tea Time time management game.

Watch this: A week with Nintendo Labo