Musinger: Communication of Music over a Distance with Wearable Haptic Display and Touch Sensitive Surface

TL;DR

This paper presents Musinger, a wearable haptic system that translates musical signals into tactile feedback, improving musical accessibility and interaction for hearing-impaired users and remote collaboration.

Contribution

It introduces a novel touch-sensitive recorder and wearable haptic display that accurately transmits musical nuances through tactile sensations, advancing musical haptics technology.

Findings

High melody recognition accuracy (98% without noise, 93% with noise)

Effective transmission of complex musical information

Potential applications in music therapy, education, and remote collaboration

Abstract

This study explores the integration of auditory and tactile experiences in musical haptics, focusing on enhancing sensory dimensions of music through touch. Addressing the gap in translating auditory signals to meaningful tactile feedback, our research introduces a novel method involving a touch-sensitive recorder and a wearable haptic display that captures musical interactions via force sensors and converts these into tactile sensations. Previous studies have shown the potential of haptic feedback to enhance musical expressivity, yet challenges remain in conveying complex musical nuances. Our method aims to expand music accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments and deepen digital musical interactions. Experimental results reveal high accuracy ($98\%$ without noise, 93% with white noise) in melody recognition through tactile feedback, demonstrating effective transmission and perception of musical information. The findings highlight the potential of haptic technology to bridge sensory gaps, offering significant implications for music therapy, education, and remote musical collaboration, advancing the field of musical haptics and multi-sensory technology applications.