The Magnetic Musical Training project aims to enhance music pedagogy by using magnetic force to manipulate a user's gestures. The core idea behind this project lies in the hypothesis that computer-controlled force can be used to teach students how to play an instrument at a faster and more efficient rate than would occur in an unaided learning environment.
In our applications, computer-controlled electromagnets are used in concert with permanent magnets worn by the user to guide the user's movements through an idealized set of motions associated with the target instrument. Currently, two magnetically actuated instruments, the FielDrum and the Trainer Piano, are under development. These instruments will be tested in a set of rigorous pilot studies designed to quantify the timing and force parameters necessary to facilitate a "learning by feel" experience.
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