Nick Constantinou‘s Tremor tactile music sleeve is a piece of clubwear that allows the user to “feel” the music that is being played in the club.
Constantinou wanted to enhance the overall musical experience in a new way. Rather than just hear the music he wanted to be able to map it on to the body in a tactile way.
The sleeve works by listening to the music through a tiny microphone and filtering the frequencies into bass, middle and treble. 5 miniature vibration motors housed within the sleeve react to these frequencies. The vibrations can be customised using the 3 buttons on the palm of the hand. They are ergonomically positioned to allow them to be pressed by the same fingers on that hand.
Lights on each vibration motor are triggered in tandem – these give a performance type viusal appeal and let others know that this is no ordinary piece of clothing. The power for all the electronics comes from 3 ultra slim rechargebale batteries.
The overall feeling of the sleeve is a tingling sensation that runs up and down the arm. The experience is enhanced if a sleeve is worn on both arms. According to the industrial design engineer, this technology could be applied to other pieces of clothing and there is also the potential that it can enhance the musical experience for those with hearing difficulties.
See also Go Dance, a remote Vjs control glove.