HarmonicThreads – An Interface That Supports Accessibility in Musical Interaction

Authors

Ellie Nguyen, Chapman UniversityFollow
Miyuki Weldon, Chapman UniversityFollow
Franceli L. Cibrian, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

3-2025

Abstract

Traditional musical instruments often can create boundaries due to their cost, training, mobility, and cognitive requirements, making musical expression inaccessible. To address this challenge, we developed HarmonicThreads, a novel pervasive computing interface consisting of a responsive, flexible fabric. HarmonicThreads provides a tactile and auditory experience, allowing users to easily create and control sounds. Using embedded sensors and real-time processing, HarmonicThreads interprets the user's natural movements and interactions to create adaptable musical outputs. This enables context-aware musical interaction, demonstrating the potential of pervasive interfaces in reducing barriers and making musical expression more accessible.

Comments

This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops and other Affiliated Events (PerCom Workshops) in 2025 following peer review. This article may not exactly replicate the final published version. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.1109/PerComWorkshops65533.2025.00122.

Recommended Citation

E. Nguyen, M. Weldon and F. L. Cibrian, "HarmonicThreads - An Interface That Supports Accessibility in Musical Interaction," 2025 IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops and other Affiliated Events (PerCom Workshops), Washington DC, DC, USA, 2025, pp. 543-545, https://doi.org/10.1109/PerComWorkshops65533.2025.00122.

Copyright

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