VibraSound: A Mobile Application for Immersive Musical Experience for the Hearing Impaired
摘要
The improvement of the quality of methods and tools in music education for the hearing impaired is a driving force behind the present study. Motivated by this goal, an assistive technology application for mobile devices was developed, where hearing-impaired individuals are presented to a synchronized visual and vibro-tactile experience with music playback. The limitations in translating and interpreting audio tracks in music education for the deaf, combined with daily academic interaction with the deaf in a technological innovation environment, created a demand for an accessible digital solution. Through TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) evaluation with hearing-impaired users, it was found that the built-in visual interpretation is a very useful tool for music teaching and perception and actively contributes to entertainment. Users also reported that while the vibrations used in the application validate the study, they need further refinement to characterize a scalable solution that contributes to high-fidelity music perception. Based on the results obtained, a new study is suggested to be conducted combining VibraSound with wearable technologies, with more vibratable hardware and greater synchronization and fidelity to audio tracks.