Catch Your Breath - Musical biofeedback for breathing regulation

Abstract

Catch Your Breath is an interactive musical biofeedback system adapted from a project designed to reduce respiratory irregularity in patients undergoing 4D-CT scans for oncological diagnosis. The medical application system is currently implemented and undergoing assessment as a means to reduce motion-induced distortion in CT images. The same framework was implemented as an interactive art installation. The principle is simple - the subjects breathing motion is tracked via video camera using fiducial markers, and interpreted as a real-time variable tempo adjustment to a MIDI file. The subject adjusts breathing to synchronize with a separate accompaniment line. When the subjects breathing is regular and at the desired tempo, the audible result sounds synchronous and harmonious. The accompaniments tempo gradually decreases, which causes breathing to synchronize and slow down, thus increasing relaxation.