I think this looks like what would happen if the Borg assimilated a guitar. The string pitch is being changed by tightening and loosening the strings with servomotors in real time. The player hits keys on a keypad to choose the notes but still picks the strings with the right hand like an ordinary guitar. This design uses an Arduino, 4 strings and has a 2 octave range.
The project is run by volunteers to promote the servoelectric guitar and experimental music. They encourage people to build their own and supply plans on the site. The designs are are free to use under an attribute/non-commercial/share-alike open-source license. Milwaukee Servoelectric Guitar Project website
