Effects of spectral features of sound on gesture type and timing

Abstract

In this paper we present results from an experiment in which infrared motion capture technology was used to record participants' movement in synchrony to different rhythms and different sounds. The purpose was to determine the effects of the sounds' spectral and temporal features on synchronization and gesture characteristics. In particular, we focused on the correlation between sounds and three gesture features: maximum acceleration, discontinuity, and total quantity of motion. Our findings indicate that discrete, discontinuous motion resulted in better synchronization, while spectral features of sound had a significant effect on the quantity of motion. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.