Modern technology has been quite helpful when it comes to making the lives of people with impairments easier. As technology progresses, so do the inventions that go into making life more convenient, which led us now to haptic suits that let you listen to music through feeling.
Haptic Suits for Music
The haptic suits are developed by the company Music: Not Impossible, and come with a backpack, two wristbands, and two ankle bands. The wearable tech allows a user to feel the vibrations as an alternative to hearing the songs.
People who have hearing impairments try to listen to music by standing close to speakers so they can feel the beat. With the haptics technology, they won't have to position themselves to speakers as they can feel the music wherever they stand.
The suit is designed in a way that separates various drum beats. For instance, the kick drums are felt on the ankles and the snare drums are felt on the spine through the backpack. According to The New York Times, the device has been tested years ago but is only accessible now.
A researcher at the University of Southampton in Britain, Mark Fletcher says that there is a revolution in haptic technology right now. It is made possible by the advancement in components like microprocessors and batteries, as well as wireless technology.
The founder of the company that develop the haptics device, Mick Ebeling was inspired to create it back in 2014 after seeing a video of a deaf DJ. The music playing had a loud bass and the speakers faced the floor as people danced barefoot.
The first version of the device was "not satisfying," according to tester Jay Alan Zimmerman. He described it as having several different cellphones strapped to various parts of the body attached to wires, as they all go off randomly.
The device has since been improved, and Zimmerman also tried out the latest version. He said that with the haptic system, it can "go directly to your body at the exact same moment, and there's real potential for you to actually feel music in your body."
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Haptics in Other Functions
The body suits have been used for years, especially in the gaming industry. Players are able to wear haptic equipment which allows them to experience what the character in the game does. For instance, getting punched in the chest will feel more life-like.
With the technology, the game can feel more immersive as players will not be limited to just visuals and sound. There are already a lot of haptic suits available for purchase that are compatible with gaming devices like consoles and PCs.
There have also been haptic devices that allow people to see through vibrations. According to Tech Explore, there is such a device that is developed by the Technical University of Munich. It is a feedback sleeve that tells blind people about their surroundings through vibrations through their arms.
It comes with a pair of goggles that are equipped with infrared cameras. It creates a 3D image of the environment that is seen through the goggles. This will then be translated to haptic data that the user can feel.
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