Georgia Tech’s Center for Music Technology has developed a piece of assistive technology that integrates music and therapy. This device helps people with limited or no feeling in their hands. The Mobile Music Touch (MMT) system is designed to provide an engaging hand rehabilitation aid through music.
MMT consists of:
- a wireless tactile glove with a vibration motor for each finger
- a lightweight computing device such as a laptop or a smartphone
You play instrumental music and the glove vibrates to indicate to the musician which fingers play which notes. So, people using the MMT can hear a song and feel it playing on their hands. This assistive technology device can augment the stimulation of the sensory nerves while encouraging patients to use their hands. It also teaches people that playing music can be relaxing and fun! The idea is that be showing that playing music is fun, it may motivate people to use their hands for the long term.
George Tech did a pilot study that showed that learners who received song driven vibration stimuli, were able to learn new songs faster and more accurately.