- Wearable technology is making live entertainment more inclusive by turning audio into a tactile sensation.
- Some brands are using 5G to enhance their technology and make their shows more accessible to people with hearing loss.
- More wearables are expected to use 5G due to lower latency and expanded connectivity.
- This article is part of Build IT, a series about digital technology and innovation trends that are transforming industries.
Jill Stark remembers the dazzling production of The Wandering Dutchman as if she were a part of it. In a way, she was.
While attending an opera performed by Chicago’s Lyric Opera in October, Stark wore an innovative piece of clothing called a sound shirt. The garment transmitted her sense of touch to microactuators (devices that create controlled movements) embedded in her fabric, allowing her to feel the sounds of the opera.
The Sound Shirt wirelessly received sound data captured by a microphone near the stage and transmitted it through vibrations to the torso and arms. The instrumentals, vocals, and story were vibrant.
For Stark, who is deaf, it was a game-changing experience.
Stark told Business Insider that she was fascinated by the technology’s ability to “create unique and immersive experiences, especially for those of us with severe hearing loss.” The unique sensations created by the different instruments, such as her feeling the bass in her arms along with the highs, “was an amazing experience,” she said.
“Music has a powerful way of transcending boundaries and connecting us to different realms, especially through sound shirts,” she said.
Wearable technology is used in multiple industries such as healthcare and fitness. Now, we are advancing the entertainment industry by delivering immersive music experiences to a wider audience.
Music and entertainment wearables, such as the Sound Shirt, commonly use haptics to convert sound into vibrations that can be felt by the body.
According to a September report from Fortune Business Insights, the global wearable technology market is estimated to grow and reach a market valuation of $20 million. 931.31 billion by 2030. of 5th generation wireless technologyThe technology known as 5G is expected to play a big role in driving the connectivity boom.
5G sets itself apart The shorter delay, which refers to the time delay between sending and receiving information, is significantly reduced from previous iterations of mobile wireless networks. Low latency and fast download speeds enable the real-time experience required for wearable technology.
With these features, 5G will help enhance and create new ways to experience hearing.
Chicago Lyric Opera uses wearables to create a more immersive music experience
Francesca Rosella, co-founder and chief creative officer of London-based wearable technology brand CuteCircuit, helped create Sound Shirt to enable a higher level of human connection through the senses, she tells BI. Told.
“There’s a tremendous amount of research being done on how touch affects human-to-human connections,” Rosella said.
According to her, the wearable’s main purpose is to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music in an inclusive way.
CuteCircuit manufactures two versions of the Sound Shirt. One is made for orchestral performances and professional events using standard wireless networking protocols (the kind Stark is wearing), and the other is his 5G-enabled version that anyone can buy.
CuteCircuit and Chicago Lyric Opera launched the Sound Shirt pilot program last fall to expand the impact of live performances and improve accessibility for hearing-impaired audiences.
This program was launched in partnership with the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. Rachel Alpha, the agency’s commissioner, was invited to wear the shirt and provide feedback while watching the production of “West Side Story.”
Alpha is a long-time disability rights activist and member of the deaf community. Shared her experience on LinkedInwrote that despite their initial skepticism, they were shocked by the clothing’s ability to enhance their experience.
Rosella told BI that the delay for the SoundShirt garment is about 20 milliseconds. If you use , you will not be able to operate at full capacity. Past generations of 3G and 4Gthe delay is approximately 100ms and 30-50msEach.
“A real-time experience is possible when you have a network that guarantees speeds with the lowest latency,” she said.
Rosella said that while delays are normal, delays of less than 40 milliseconds are generally imperceptible. Any longer and there can be a noticeable disconnect between what someone feels and what is actually happening.
“Everything has a delay, especially when it comes to sound and touch,” Rosella said.
5G expansion means more wearable tech will rely on wireless networks
Experts working in the personal technology space said 5G is expected to expand the capabilities of current wearables by increasing network speeds and reducing latency.
For the past 10 years, innovation studio Not Impossible Labs has been working on Music Not Impossible, a project focused on musical creation. Vibrotextile wearable technology. Vibrotextile is a tactile vest with two ankle bands and a wristband that transmits vibrations to 24 points throughout the body.
The current version of Music Not Impossible’s Vibrotextile doesn’t have 5G, but the company plans to integrate 5G into its vests next year. Daniel Belquer, co-founder of Music Not Impossible, told BI that 5G is a key part of his Vibrotextile’s connectivity innovation.
“We wanted two-way communication,” Berkel said. “So instead of just broadcasting vibrations, we can also know, for example, battery status, maintenance issues, crowd location, etc.”
Two-way communication allows the individual unit (in this case the vest) to send information back to the music control. Creating this kind of feedback loop is critical to improving the user experience.
Berkel said that by knowing the audience’s location and having the vest respond to audio in real time, it would also be possible to send movement to the entire audience. It would be similar to a stadium crowd waving, except the movement would be felt through vibrations. Best.
Belquer said 5G’s two-way communication capabilities also allow for latency adjustments. Wireless technology can sense whether the user is near or far from the show stage. The vest’s vibrations can then be synchronized with the show’s audio, taking into account the speed of sound traveling to the user’s location within the venue. For example, people far away from the stage will experience a slight delay in vibrations compared to people in the front row.
“Everyone is going through the same thing right now,” Belker said. “In the future, with 5G, you’ll be able to say, ‘Oh, we’re close to the stage, right? OK, OK. So this is the most immediate experience.'”
5G allows for a more personalized experience, all of which will help create a stronger sense of community, Belker and Rosella said.
“People want to be connected, and I think that’s the most important aspect of technology,” Rossella said.
