Embodied sound media technology for the enhancement of the sound presence

Abstract

In this paper, the paradigms of Embodied Sound Media (ESM) technology are described with several case studies. The ESM is designed to formalize a musical sound-space based on the conversion of free human movement into sounds. This technology includes the measurement of human motion, processing, acoustic conversion and output. The first idea was to introduce direct and intuitive sound feedbacks within the context of not only embodied interaction between humans and devices but also social interaction among humans. The developed system is a sort of active aid for an embodied performance that allows the users to get feedback for emotional stimuli in terms of sound surrounding the users. The overviews of several devices developed in this scenario and the potential applications to physical fitness, exercise, entertainment, assistive technology and rehabilitation are also addressed. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.