Music for Deaf People? It’s Possible

A concept device from German designer Frederik Podzuweit may provide an answer on how hearing-impaired people can be able to listen to music.

Before anyone could react, yes, it is possible for deaf people to “hear” music with the help of synesthesia, a condition wherein one sensory stimulus leads to automatic, involuntary experiences of an different sense. In this case, people who are hard of hearing can listen to music by vibrations felt in their bodies, which our featured gadget intends to do.

The Music for Deaf People device, or what CrunchGear would like to call “Portable Ears,” is worn on the shoulders like a collar. It then transmits bass, midtones, and treble as vibrations from any portable audio device. The treble vibrations are felt right above the breastbone, while the mid-range sound are released on the collarbones, and the bass can be felt on the back.

The volume and track number can be adjusted by pressing the controls in the front. The device is also expandable, making it fit for any size. Even people who could hear music can even try one of these simply because it looks cool.

Source: Fast Company, via CrunchGear

Related articles

• Music For Deaf People Headphones Produce “Sound” Through Synesthesia [Headphones] (gizmodo.com)
• Sound collar delivers the good vibes of music to the deaf (dvice.com)
• The hearing world (guardian.co.uk)

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