Jay Alan Zimmerman, a renowned deaf composer and musician, has always struggled to experience the joy of music due to his hearing impairment. However, his excitement peaked when he was given the opportunity to test a groundbreaking technology called a haptic suit. The haptic suit is designed to allow individuals like Zimmerman to feel music as vibrations on their skin, offering a unique and immersive musical experience.
Zimmerman, who began losing his hearing in his early twenties, explained in a recent video interview that traditional methods of accessing music, such as captioning and sign language interpretation, require the brain to be in multiple places at once. However, with a haptic system, the music can be directly translated to the body in real-time, allowing individuals to truly feel the music within them.
The haptic suit that Zimmerman first tested nearly a decade ago is now becoming more readily available to the public. These devices were showcased at various events this summer, including Lincoln Center in New York City and the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Developed by Music: Not Impossible, a Philadelphia-based company, the haptic suit consists of ankle and wrist bands along with a backpack that provides a full-body hugging sensation.
While haptic suits have been around for decades and are commonly used in virtual reality and video games, the Music: Not Impossible suits are unique in their ability to translate individual notes of music into specific vibrations. Other companies are also developing haptic products to enhance the sensory experiences of various events, ranging from the crack of a baseball bat at a sporting event to the sound of a dog barking in everyday life.
According to Mark D. Fletcher, a researcher at the University of Southampton, there is currently a revolution in haptic technology thanks to advancements in microprocessors, wireless technology, batteries, and artificial intelligence. These advancements are key in the emergence of wearable haptic devices, such as the Music: Not Impossible haptic suit.
The idea for the haptic suits originated in 2014 when Mick Ebeling, the founder of Not Impossible Labs, was inspired to find a better way for deaf individuals to experience music after encountering a video featuring a deaf DJ. Daniel Belquer, a composer with a master’s degree in theater, joined the project to find a way to transmit the experience of music directly to the brain. This mission expanded to create a tactile experience of music accessible to everyone, regardless of hearing ability.
Belquer collaborated with engineers at Avnet, an electronics company, to develop a more refined haptic feedback system for musical experiences. The goal was to create a sensation of touch through vibrations and wireless transmission without any delays. The initial prototypes were heavy and lacked sensitivity, but Belquer continuously improved the technology, allowing up to 24 instruments or vocal elements in a song to be translated to different points on the suit.
In 2018, the first version of the current model was created. It offers three levels of intensity that can be customized individually and boasts a fully adjustable fit. People who have tested the suits, such as Amanda Landers, a sign language instructor with progressive hearing loss, have been impressed by their precision and intensity. Landers described the sensations as being both subtle and powerful, allowing her to truly experience the music.
Music: Not Impossible currently offers the haptic suits as part of a comprehensive package that includes up to 90 suits, on-site staff assistance, and a team of trained “vibro DJs” who customize the vibrations for each song in a set. The price for these packages starts at a few thousand dollars for a basic experience and can reach six figures for larger-scale events.
While the haptic suits have the potential to revolutionize the way deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals experience music, their high cost makes them currently inaccessible to most consumers. However, Music: Not Impossible ensures that the deaf and hard-of-hearing community will never have to pay for the experience. Inclusivity is a key aspect of their vision, aiming to create a shared musical experience for all concertgoers.
While the haptic suits offer an exciting and innovative way to enjoy music, some individuals, like Dickie Hearts, a Deaf artist and actor in New York, prefer the combination of live American Sign Language interpretation and captions to fully understand the lyrics. Each person has unique preferences when it comes to accessing music, and it’s important to consider a variety of options to accommodate different individuals’ needs and preferences.
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