Bronze Digital and Electronic Device Design · 2021
Body Voice Innovative Devices
by Lihsing Wang and Yulin Tsai
- A' Design Award 2021 Bronze Winner in Digital and Electronic Device Design
- Awarded April 15, 2021
- CLIENT: Lihsing Wang
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 31,165
- Verification code 4E58226C79 · Verify this award
About Body Voice Innovative Devices
Body Voice is a wearable instrument that allows dancers to create music through their dance moves. The set includes wireless clips, a mobile application and a Bluetooth speaker. Each clip holds a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor and can be attached anywhere on the body, usually on the arms and legs. Movement data is sent to a mobile phone by Bluetooth, and the application converts the movements into sound. The sound is played through the Bluetooth speaker. The clips are charged wirelessly. Body Voice reverses the usual relationship between music and dance.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Body Voice is driven by technology, a wearable instrument that allows dancers to create music through their dance moves. Body voice is a set of designs, including the Clips, an App, and a Bluetooth speaker. The wireless Bluetooth clips are motion sensors that clip anywhere on dancer's bodies to collect their movements digitally and send them to the mobile phone. The user modifies it on an App where converts movements into music and plays it on the Bluetooth speaker.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- A single clip device, size:30*24*14.6mm. The speaker, size:140*125*180.4mm. The wireless charging, size:85*62*65.3mm. The Unity engine, Bluetooth 3.0.
- Tags
- Wireless, sound, movement, innovation, digital device, dance, instrument.
- Production Technology
- The wireless clips use a gyro-sensor and acceleration sensor to detect dance moves then transmit them to a mobile phone via Bluetooth 3.0 chip. The clips are charged wirelessly. And the App is driven by Unity software for converting movements to sounds. The speaker connects to a mobile phone by Bluetooth.
- Design Challenge
- In the most beginning, I considered hands as the way to express body emotion. Thus, I decided to design a product that can detect hand gestures and movements. Gloves, I used several sensors inserted in them for capturing the movements of hands and send the electronic signal to a computer for analyzing the gestures guided by the specific sound effect. However, after testing this prototype on dancers and receiving feedback from them, I decided to use a different way to capture the dance move; finally, using a clip functions as a motion detector gained great feedback from the users.
- Project Duration
- The project began in Taiwan in November 2017 and was completed Taiwan in June 2018.
- Operation Flow
- Open the Body Voice’s App for pairing your phone with the Clips. You can apply the Clips anywhere on your body, usually arms and legs, to receive your movements and transmit them to analysis on an App where you can define a dance move correspond to sound, customize your actions and music tracks. Choose the solo mode or ensemble mode to play it yourself or with friends. The solo runs on a smartphone, but the ensemble needs to connect each user’s phone to a computer and run on Unity.
- Research
- If dancing is no longer a movement to follow music but to create music? Music and dance, in the general point of view, usually follow the rhythm of the music. Our brain processes the signal of music and reacts through the body. However, is it possible to reverse this process? In other words, our dance movements or gestures can create sounds and music? The Body Voice is a set of digital devices for dancers to create music through their dancing. Driven by technology, a wearable instrument reveals new possibilities in the art of dance.
- Inspiration
- Although music and dance are two art forms, dance often follows the rhythm of the music. The dancer’s creation is based on others, musicians, and work. It is contributed to a second creation. What if dance is no longer a movement that follows the music but creates music? The body voice subverts the conventional relationship between music and dance, redefines the possibility of free creations by analyzing dance’s movement, and converts it into music.
- Image Credits
- Image #1：Designer Lihsing Wang, Body Voice, 2018.
Image #2：Designer Lihsing Wang, Body Voice, 2018.
Image #3：Designer Lihsing Wang, Body Voice, 2018.
Image #4：Designer Lihsing Wang, Body Voice, 2018.
Image #5：Designer Lihsing Wang, Body Voice, 2018
Colors of Body Voice Innovative Devices
Design Interview about Body Voice Innovative Devices
Reverse the relation between music and dance, reveal a new possibility for creators.
Although music and dance are two art forms, dance often follows the rhythm of the music. The dancer’s creation is based on others, musicians, and work. It is contributed to a second creation. What if dance is no longer a movement that follows the music but creates music? The body voice subverts the conventional relationship between music and dance, redefines the possibility of free creations by analyzing dance’s movement, and converts it into music.
This award is a milestone for this studio and myself, it will encourage the team to develop more good products in near future.
Six months.
Initially, I want to challenge exciting designs for their justification by rethinking their relationship with users. And subvert it with a new design that benefits more people.
I'm willing to share my work with people who have the same vision and goal as me.
Art of music and dance are two important elements in my life, they help me through bad moods and difficulties. So I like to contribute to their community with good design that helps artists create more work.
I appreciate my professor and friend who advise and assist me on this project.
Dancer and musician.
If dancing is no longer a movement to follow music but to create music? Music and dance, in the general point of view, usually follow the rhythm of the music. Our brain processes the signal of music and reacts through the body. However, is it possible to reverse this process? In other words, our dance movements or gestures can create sounds and music? The Body Voice is a set of digital devices for dancers to create music through their dancing. Driven by technology, a wearable instrument reveals new possibilities in the art of dance.
"Body Voice" is the name that simple and easy to understand the concept that dancing movement from dancers body can create sound and music, its creating process is smooth as how we speak to make voice.
Rhino 3D, Arduino, unity, processor, fusion360.
The Body Voice is driven by technology, a wearable instrument that allows dancers to create music through their dance moves. Body voice is a set of designs, including the Clips, an App, and a Bluetooth speaker. The wireless Bluetooth clips are motion sensors that clip anywhere on dancers' bodies to collect their movements digitally and send them to the mobile phone. The user modifies it on an App where converts movements into music and plays it on the Bluetooth speaker.
Body Voice implement wireless technology and various sensor to accomplish its function. Thus, technology plays an important role in this design.
In the most beginning, I considered hands as the way to express body emotion. Thus, I decided to design a product that can detect hand gestures and movements. Gloves, I used several sensors inserted in them for capturing the movements of hands and sending the electronic signal to a computer for analyzing the gestures guided by the specific sound effect. However, after testing this prototype on dancers and receiving feedback from them, I decided to use a different way to capture the dance move; finally, using a clip function as a motion detector gained great feedback from the users.
Good design needs to be shared and needs more people involved.
Learning different skills beyond industrial design discipline.
Participating in an A' design compitition was a fun and interesting experience because I can know my score before submitting my work, this feature gave me more chances to revise my work for a higher rate winning the prize.