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Music for the deaf: the Sound Shirt

May 9, 2017

A young German orchestra wants to bring classical music to the hard of hearing. The Sound Shirt was developed to convert sounds into nuanced vibrations on the body. It creates a moving concert experience.

https://p.dw.com/p/2ce6b
Screenshot sound-shirt.com
Image: sound-shirt.com

The Jungen Symphoniker Hamburg, or Young Symphony Hamburg, and a London design agency have developed the Sound Shirt. It enables people with hearing loss to experience classical music. The orchestra sound on stage is captured by eight microphones, digitalized, and transmitted to the shirt via WLAN. Sixteen miniature motors in the fabric vibrate in accordance with the rhythm and intensity of the music.