Australian scientists have breathed life into the fantasies of millions of frustrated rockers by creating a T-shirt that adds a sound track when the wearer plays “air guitar”.

The invention could bring an end to the days of strumming a tennis racquet and belting out imaginary Led Zeppelin or Kurt Cobain anthems in the privacy of one’s bedroom or kitchen. The long-sleeved T-shirt has sensors in its elbows to detect and interpret the arm movements of the air guitarist.

	Contestant at UK air guitar championship

Information is then sent by wireless signal to a computer which interprets them and plays them as a series of guitar riffs. One arm chooses chords and the other strums imaginary strings. Because the T-shirt is based on wireless technology there are no trailing cables for budding Bon Jovis to trip over or become entangled in.

Scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation are calling the T-shirt a “wearable instrument shirt”. It allows would-be rock stars to live out their dreams - no matter how modest their musical expertise - and can be “played” by either right or left-handed people.

“It’s an easy to use, virtual instrument that allows real time music making, even by players without significant musical or computing skills,” said CSIRO engineer Richard Helmer, the head of the team which developed the T-shirt.

“The technology, which is adaptable to almost any kind of apparel, takes clothing beyond its traditional role of protection and fashion into the realms of entertainment,” said Dr Helmer. Demonstrating how the T-shirt works, he strummed an imaginary guitar behind his head and at knee level to the accompaniment of a heavy rock backing track.