Haptic Music Playback Using Frequency-Shifted Vibrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for enabling the hearing impaired to experience music haptically are limited by the decline in perception of vibrations at higher frequencies, leading to the exclusion of musical information in these frequencies, which are filtered out and not translated for transducers.
Innovation Solution
A system that filters an audio signal into low and high-frequency bands, with high-frequency components translated into a low-frequency band below the perception cut-off, allowing these frequencies to be experienced haptically by shifting and amplifying them for transducers, thereby enabling the perception of musical information above the perception cut-off frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-frequency components are filtered out from the audio signal, then the transducer can operate within the perception range, but musical information in high frequencies is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies frequency transformation to convert high-frequency musical information into low-frequency vibrations that fall within the human perception range. This parameter change allows the transducer to reproduce musical content that would otherwise be imperceptible, resolving the contradiction between maintaining perception accuracy and preserving complete musical information
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary frequency transformation process that acts as a bridge between high-frequency audio content and the transducer's operational range. This intermediary mechanism translates high-frequency signals into perceivable low-frequency vibrations, enabling both information preservation and reliable perception
2Loss of information
If the full audio signal including high frequencies is supplied to the transducer, then complete musical information is preserved, but perception of vibrations declines at high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the frequency parameter of high-frequency audio signals into the low-frequency range where human vibration perception is most sensitive. This parameter transformation maintains the integrity of musical information while ensuring it falls within the optimal perception bandwidth of the transducer and human skin
Solution Approach 2:
The system effectively adds a dimension of frequency translation, mapping high-frequency information into a different frequency dimension (low-frequency range) where it can be physically perceived. This dimensional transformation allows preservation of complete musical content while ensuring perceptibility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the hearing impaired to experience and enjoy music haptically by translating high-frequency musical information into a perceivable low-frequency band, allowing for a more comprehensive haptic experience of music, including frequencies above the perception cut-off.
Implementation Method 1
a first frequency shifter that transforms at least a portion of the original high-frequency band into a first synthesized low-frequency band
Implementation Method 2
a first first-location exciter that is configured to receive the original low-frequency band and produce corresponding vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for enabling a person to experience music haptically includes splitting an audio signal representing music into an original low-frequency band and at least one high-frequency band, and translating each high-frequency band into a corresponding synthesized low-frequency band. The original low-frequency-band signal and each synthesized low-frequency-band signal is used to excite a respective exciter, which can produce vibrations corresponding to the received signal. By placing the exciters in contact with or proximate to the body of a person, the person can experience the music, including not only the low-frequency components of the music but also, at least to some extent, the high-frequency components.