Sonicstrument: A Musical Interface with Stereotypical Acoustic Transducers

This paper introduces Sonicstrument, a sound-based interface that traces the user‟s hand motions. Sonicstrument utilizes stereotypical acoustic transducers (i.e., a pair of earphones and a microphone) for transmission and reception of acoustic signals whose frequencies are within the highest area of human hearing range that can rarely be perceived by most people. Being simpler in structure and easier to implement than typical ultrasonic motion detectors with special transducers, this system is robust and offers precise results without introducing any undesired sonic disturbance to users. We describe the design and implementation of Sonicstrument, evaluate its performance, and present two practical applications of the system in music and interactive performance.