Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
CMU School of Drama
Thursday, October 17, 2019
the sound shirt lets deaf people feel music using haptic sensors
www.designboom.com: the soundshirt is a haptic wearable device that allows deaf users to feel music on their skin. designed by fashion tech company cute circuit, the sound shirt brings music to life using a series of haptic sensors that are built into the material.
12 comments:
Elena Keogh
said...
This is an incredible invention, which is apart of the movement to make art more accessible. While people who are deaf cannot hear the tones and notes in music, the music goes way beyond what you can hear. Music is also visual and sensory art. Dancers and movers react to the movement of art, and when you sit and listen to a concert or a symphony, you can sense the music with way more than your ears. I also think that paired with the sound shirt, it would be interesting to pair the music with a visual element to understand the ways in which the sound shifts and change, and how people respond to it. I also find it fascinated that the shirt responds with vibrations because that if often what is felt an audience member. Overall, I am very happy with the movement to make art available to all, and this is a great step in the right direction!
Not only is this suit cool because it looks like it could have come from the Tron series, but also the idea poses a cool solution to an issue that often creeps into my mind late at night when thoughts just go anywhere. Back to the point, though, I think this idea is really cool both in concept and in execution. I am very curious if the same feeling would be introduced to users of this device as with those who are not deaf listening to music. For instance, would a hearing-disabled person be able to distinguish various genres based on the bass beats? Would they still understand the power and meaning of some songs just from the vibrations of the songs? I guess what I think is that many of the songs I listen to nowadays mean a lot to me because of the words in the song itself rather than just the bass lines (not to discount the Parliament that’s just groovy). I worry that if a hearing-disabled person were to use this particular article of clothing, they wouldn’t get as emotional of an experience that some songs give. Granted, that also poses a point to music producers: can you make a song as powerful to audiences both deaf and not through strong and emotional lyrics in addition to a powerful background of music? Overall, I think the idea is incredibly cool, and I’d love to see it in action, but I’d also like to see how this sort of thing plays out.
Wearable technology is a unique combination of technology and clothing construction, Randy Paush would be proud. While this shirt is so interesting and unique, I fail to see the feasibility of it. Yes the shirt is amazing and so helpful for the deaf community members who enjoy going to the opera and/or symphony, but if it’s going to cost them over 3,000 dollars plus their ticket cost, I cannot fathom that many, if any, people would be willing to pay for this clothing when there are already other, cheaper, devices available. The article does a good job at highlighting the shirt, though. I really like how the article features a video showing the shirt in use to see how it works. It is also an interesting choice that the article is written with completely no capital letters. I find that it is easier on the eyes to read without capital letters, and I know that this format makes everything seem less formal, but for an article about wearable technology, it is not the most formal of a topic so it works.
This is such an amazing product to make. I know that in order for it to work as it's intended, it needs to be skin-tight, so that was a functional design choice. It's also great that it is thin and form-fitting because that way it can be worn under someone's clothing. Regardless, the design of it is super cool! I always admire when people create wearable technology, such as Zendaya's CInderella dress for the 2019 MET Gala, which was designed by Tommy Hilfiger. Her dress lit up and expanded, but unlike this shirt, it had very obvious mechanical parts (under the dress. as an onlooker the technology was undistinguishable). This shirt's textiles contribute to the technological experience that the wearer has, and I love how each instrument has a specific placement on the body. I would love to know how the designers made that work! Not only does it resonates the beats and tempo, but it has to distinguish between the various instruments. I feel like in the future, these could evolve to helping deaf people communicate and feel spoken word. The way that the different timbres of instruments have certain placements on the body, maybe it could work similarly with different words? I don't know, I'm not in CS. Either way, this is awesome.
Alright, this is fascinating. The artistry and science that have combined and synthesized to create this product is incredible. For $3000, it’s not exactly marketable to the average consumer, but it is a fantastic piece of artistic and scientific achievement that will hopefully pave the way for similar products that are more affordable and more prolific. I would love to read into the more technical design of it, to see how and why the designers chose to interpret each wavelength of sound and how different levels and pitches would translate physically. This also poses an interesting challenge to composers and arrangers in the world: how can we create music that has the greatest and most distinguishable physical impact? How can we create different arrangements of pieces so that the wearer of the shirt gets a different experience, but the core of the piece remains the same? I love where technology is taking the arts, but I hope that the average person will be able to take advantage of this someday.
This is shirt is amazing. I always love reading about new ways that different companies are starting to use technology to make art accessible to people of all types. I believe that art should be able to be enjoyed by everybody regardless of disability or other factors that may inhibit them. I'm interested in the way the shirt would translate the sounds of the different instruments and tones during a performance. The author described it all in such a fascinating way with the sound of the violins being felt in the arms while the sound of the drums is felt in the back. Considering how advanced this technology is, I'm not too surprised by the price tag, but hopefully, as more versions of this technology come into existence, the product will be released at a more affordable price truly making it available to all who wish to enjoy the sound of music.
Wow! This is such a cool and interesting idea!! I have never heard of wearable haptic telecommunication before reading this article. It is so amazing how technology is being used these days to improve people’s lives. People never realize how lucky we are to be able to hear and listen to music until you think about those of us who do not have that privilege. These shirts are a way for the deaf community to enjoy music in a new and exciting way! Although a deaf person will not be able to hear music while wearing the haptic telecommunication shirt, they will feel the vibrations made by the music. The detail put in to these shirts is incredible! The fact that different instruments will be felt in different places of the shirt is such an innovative idea! I really hope that this product becomes more readily available to the deaf community.
Wow this is awesome! I remember seeing this kind of sound vibration starting to come out a couple of years ago with the bass backpacks and chairs of such nature to enhance people’s experience but this is exactly the kind of direction the they should have gone. Being able to make art accessible to as many people as possible is soo soo important. The performing arts and the audibly impaired have always had a difficult relationship as often there are very little true solutions presented by companies for those patrons. There are interpreters of course but not every place can use or have them and that systems is dependent on people and doesn’t always work. This kind of wearable technology is really interesting and I would also wander to ask why they didn’t simply think about creating seats for those members to sit in thereby taking away the physical apparatus that they have to wear.
I think this sound shirt is a very cool idea, but as far as access technologies go, it seems pretty inaccessible. First of all, there is the high price of the shirts themselves. Granted, it is quite probably proportionate to the cost of materials, as well as research and development, but it is a barrier nonetheless. Second, even if it catches on as a technology that venues can provide to patrons, how well do these work for different bodies? The images in the article show young, fit wearers, but what if an older patron with hearing loss wanted to experience it--would it still work for them? Could the haptics unexpectedly aggravate a health condition? How well do they work when worn over clothes? How are they washed? Do not get me wrong, I want to see this technology and try it personally, but I doubt its effectiveness as an access device.
This technology seems incredible. Haptic sensors, like the ones in the phones we all have, are very good at being precise and simulating touch. The article is unclear, however, about how it functions for a user. Do they need to go to a venue or event where the performance supports this technology? Is it one size fits all? How would one clean it? It seems like a device that would be fantastic for a user if all these boxes were checked for them, but it is very pricy as well, so maybe it is not suitable for the average consumer. Something that does seem interesting to me though is the process that happens to create the haptic interpretation of a musical piece. How is placement and vibration pattern decided? Who's job is it to interpret someone's music and design a haptic response system? These are questions that would be very interesting to know the answers to in terms of understanding the development of this technology.
This is so frickin cool! I was surprised to learn that this technology has been around since 2002 and that this is the result of 17 years of refining and updating. I think that this is an incredible idea, and something that I am very glad is a focus for companies and experts in the technological aspects of theatrical design. We say that theatre is inclusive, and this is just one way that we're proving our dedication to that mission and truly mean it. I especially loved how the video showed the technology behind this garment, and how the different sections of the orchestra map onto the shirt. The fact that technology design and theatre have become so much more integrated in the recent past is a wonderful thing for all involved, and for the dynamic range of the work itself.
However, I also see what Chase is saying, and wonder about the practical application of these shirts as well. First of all, the cost is astronomical and I anticipate very few individuals being s able to purchase this for themselves. Although, I have to believe the price will drop the longer it stays on market, and if a concert house commits to the purchasing of a large number of these, there might be a package price discount that could be arranged. Additionally, I also wonder what this would mean for different body types, and am intrigued to hear the options Cute Circuit offers in these packages.
Something I have always been passionate about is music. I have also always been passionate about accessibility to music and making way for it to be accessed by the masses, because of it’s way to communicate and connect people from all different backgrounds. Last semester in my business class, I proposed an idea of a wearable sleeve device that had sensors in it to translate sound into vibrations to help the deaf and hard of hearing experience music, while allowing the hearing population to experience music in a new way. This haptic sensor shirt expands on this small idea I had even more and takes it to an incredible new place, encapsulating an idea I believe in fully. While this is a way to make music ultimately more accessible to deaf or hard of hearing audiences, it’s price is a barrier for many, since it costs nearly $4,000 (or upwards of $3,712 to be exact). I think an important part of accessibility is making things accessible for not only the financially elite, but the everyday person, and I hope that there is a way that this technology (or something similar to this technology) can be developed in a way that it can be used by the masses, not just those who have the disposable income for a $4k shirt and all the equipment that is associated.
12 comments:
This is an incredible invention, which is apart of the movement to make art more accessible. While people who are deaf cannot hear the tones and notes in music, the music goes way beyond what you can hear. Music is also visual and sensory art. Dancers and movers react to the movement of art, and when you sit and listen to a concert or a symphony, you can sense the music with way more than your ears. I also think that paired with the sound shirt, it would be interesting to pair the music with a visual element to understand the ways in which the sound shifts and change, and how people respond to it. I also find it fascinated that the shirt responds with vibrations because that if often what is felt an audience member. Overall, I am very happy with the movement to make art available to all, and this is a great step in the right direction!
Not only is this suit cool because it looks like it could have come from the Tron series, but also the idea poses a cool solution to an issue that often creeps into my mind late at night when thoughts just go anywhere. Back to the point, though, I think this idea is really cool both in concept and in execution. I am very curious if the same feeling would be introduced to users of this device as with those who are not deaf listening to music. For instance, would a hearing-disabled person be able to distinguish various genres based on the bass beats? Would they still understand the power and meaning of some songs just from the vibrations of the songs? I guess what I think is that many of the songs I listen to nowadays mean a lot to me because of the words in the song itself rather than just the bass lines (not to discount the Parliament that’s just groovy). I worry that if a hearing-disabled person were to use this particular article of clothing, they wouldn’t get as emotional of an experience that some songs give. Granted, that also poses a point to music producers: can you make a song as powerful to audiences both deaf and not through strong and emotional lyrics in addition to a powerful background of music? Overall, I think the idea is incredibly cool, and I’d love to see it in action, but I’d also like to see how this sort of thing plays out.
Wearable technology is a unique combination of technology and clothing construction, Randy Paush would be proud. While this shirt is so interesting and unique, I fail to see the feasibility of it. Yes the shirt is amazing and so helpful for the deaf community members who enjoy going to the opera and/or symphony, but if it’s going to cost them over 3,000 dollars plus their ticket cost, I cannot fathom that many, if any, people would be willing to pay for this clothing when there are already other, cheaper, devices available. The article does a good job at highlighting the shirt, though. I really like how the article features a video showing the shirt in use to see how it works. It is also an interesting choice that the article is written with completely no capital letters. I find that it is easier on the eyes to read without capital letters, and I know that this format makes everything seem less formal, but for an article about wearable technology, it is not the most formal of a topic so it works.
This is such an amazing product to make. I know that in order for it to work as it's intended, it needs to be skin-tight, so that was a functional design choice. It's also great that it is thin and form-fitting because that way it can be worn under someone's clothing. Regardless, the design of it is super cool! I always admire when people create wearable technology, such as Zendaya's CInderella dress for the 2019 MET Gala, which was designed by Tommy Hilfiger. Her dress lit up and expanded, but unlike this shirt, it had very obvious mechanical parts (under the dress. as an onlooker the technology was undistinguishable). This shirt's textiles contribute to the technological experience that the wearer has, and I love how each instrument has a specific placement on the body. I would love to know how the designers made that work! Not only does it resonates the beats and tempo, but it has to distinguish between the various instruments. I feel like in the future, these could evolve to helping deaf people communicate and feel spoken word. The way that the different timbres of instruments have certain placements on the body, maybe it could work similarly with different words? I don't know, I'm not in CS. Either way, this is awesome.
Alright, this is fascinating. The artistry and science that have combined and synthesized to create this product is incredible. For $3000, it’s not exactly marketable to the average consumer, but it is a fantastic piece of artistic and scientific achievement that will hopefully pave the way for similar products that are more affordable and more prolific. I would love to read into the more technical design of it, to see how and why the designers chose to interpret each wavelength of sound and how different levels and pitches would translate physically. This also poses an interesting challenge to composers and arrangers in the world: how can we create music that has the greatest and most distinguishable physical impact? How can we create different arrangements of pieces so that the wearer of the shirt gets a different experience, but the core of the piece remains the same? I love where technology is taking the arts, but I hope that the average person will be able to take advantage of this someday.
This is shirt is amazing. I always love reading about new ways that different companies are starting to use technology to make art accessible to people of all types. I believe that art should be able to be enjoyed by everybody regardless of disability or other factors that may inhibit them. I'm interested in the way the shirt would translate the sounds of the different instruments and tones during a performance. The author described it all in such a fascinating way with the sound of the violins being felt in the arms while the sound of the drums is felt in the back. Considering how advanced this technology is, I'm not too surprised by the price tag, but hopefully, as more versions of this technology come into existence, the product will be released at a more affordable price truly making it available to all who wish to enjoy the sound of music.
Wow! This is such a cool and interesting idea!! I have never heard of wearable haptic telecommunication before reading this article. It is so amazing how technology is being used these days to improve people’s lives. People never realize how lucky we are to be able to hear and listen to music until you think about those of us who do not have that privilege. These shirts are a way for the deaf community to enjoy music in a new and exciting way! Although a deaf person will not be able to hear music while wearing the haptic telecommunication shirt, they will feel the vibrations made by the music. The detail put in to these shirts is incredible! The fact that different instruments will be felt in different places of the shirt is such an innovative idea! I really hope that this product becomes more readily available to the deaf community.
Wow this is awesome! I remember seeing this kind of sound vibration starting to come out a couple of years ago with the bass backpacks and chairs of such nature to enhance people’s experience but this is exactly the kind of direction the they should have gone. Being able to make art accessible to as many people as possible is soo soo important. The performing arts and the audibly impaired have always had a difficult relationship as often there are very little true solutions presented by companies for those patrons. There are interpreters of course but not every place can use or have them and that systems is dependent on people and doesn’t always work. This kind of wearable technology is really interesting and I would also wander to ask why they didn’t simply think about creating seats for those members to sit in thereby taking away the physical apparatus that they have to wear.
I think this sound shirt is a very cool idea, but as far as access technologies go, it seems pretty inaccessible. First of all, there is the high price of the shirts themselves. Granted, it is quite probably proportionate to the cost of materials, as well as research and development, but it is a barrier nonetheless. Second, even if it catches on as a technology that venues can provide to patrons, how well do these work for different bodies? The images in the article show young, fit wearers, but what if an older patron with hearing loss wanted to experience it--would it still work for them? Could the haptics unexpectedly aggravate a health condition? How well do they work when worn over clothes? How are they washed? Do not get me wrong, I want to see this technology and try it personally, but I doubt its effectiveness as an access device.
This technology seems incredible. Haptic sensors, like the ones in the phones we all have, are very good at being precise and simulating touch. The article is unclear, however, about how it functions for a user. Do they need to go to a venue or event where the performance supports this technology? Is it one size fits all? How would one clean it? It seems like a device that would be fantastic for a user if all these boxes were checked for them, but it is very pricy as well, so maybe it is not suitable for the average consumer. Something that does seem interesting to me though is the process that happens to create the haptic interpretation of a musical piece. How is placement and vibration pattern decided? Who's job is it to interpret someone's music and design a haptic response system? These are questions that would be very interesting to know the answers to in terms of understanding the development of this technology.
This is so frickin cool! I was surprised to learn that this technology has been around since 2002 and that this is the result of 17 years of refining and updating. I think that this is an incredible idea, and something that I am very glad is a focus for companies and experts in the technological aspects of theatrical design. We say that theatre is inclusive, and this is just one way that we're proving our dedication to that mission and truly mean it. I especially loved how the video showed the technology behind this garment, and how the different sections of the orchestra map onto the shirt. The fact that technology design and theatre have become so much more integrated in the recent past is a wonderful thing for all involved, and for the dynamic range of the work itself.
However, I also see what Chase is saying, and wonder about the practical application of these shirts as well. First of all, the cost is astronomical and I anticipate very few individuals being s able to purchase this for themselves. Although, I have to believe the price will drop the longer it stays on market, and if a concert house commits to the purchasing of a large number of these, there might be a package price discount that could be arranged. Additionally, I also wonder what this would mean for different body types, and am intrigued to hear the options Cute Circuit offers in these packages.
Something I have always been passionate about is music. I have also always been passionate about accessibility to music and making way for it to be accessed by the masses, because of it’s way to communicate and connect people from all different backgrounds. Last semester in my business class, I proposed an idea of a wearable sleeve device that had sensors in it to translate sound into vibrations to help the deaf and hard of hearing experience music, while allowing the hearing population to experience music in a new way. This haptic sensor shirt expands on this small idea I had even more and takes it to an incredible new place, encapsulating an idea I believe in fully. While this is a way to make music ultimately more accessible to deaf or hard of hearing audiences, it’s price is a barrier for many, since it costs nearly $4,000 (or upwards of $3,712 to be exact). I think an important part of accessibility is making things accessible for not only the financially elite, but the everyday person, and I hope that there is a way that this technology (or something similar to this technology) can be developed in a way that it can be used by the masses, not just those who have the disposable income for a $4k shirt and all the equipment that is associated.
Post a Comment