BeatBud helps people feel the beat of the music around them. BeatBud is a wearable device that detects the song that you are listening to, or even consistent patterns of sounds in your environment, and vibrates in sync with the BPM (beats per minute) of the audio. This device assists you in recognizing the pulse of the music and your surroundings. To better translate the beat into movement, BeatBud has an active learning feature in which the user can tap on the device and see a live visualization of your accuracy with matching the BPM. This feature serves to record the BPM noticed in the user's surroundings, creating interesting data visualizations that can potentially be made into new music memories.

BeatBud consists of a NodeMCU which calls for BPM information from the Spotify API. The NodeMCU then vibrates two motors at the speed of the BPM, and the user can wear the device around their neck, arm, or leg to receive peripheral haptic stimuli.

The Space Between : In a time when a majority of human interaction occurs virtually through video calls or social media, people need to embrace what connected us before the internet, or even electricity. Rhythm is the key to human connection. Being able to feel and move to the beat greatly increases personal confidence and the potential for social connection. Using technology and haptic stimulation can provide an approachable step to building an innate sense of rhythm and moving in sync with both their minds and their community.

Designer : Amy Zasadzinski

Course : Digital Media

Instructor : Zach Pino