Vibrating jackets to help the hearing impaired enjoy musical performances

Dance to the rhythm of vibrations rather than the rhythm of sound? It is a solution that is being offered to the hearing impaired by more and more theaters and other festivals. The latest in this innovative device is the festival of classical and baroque music Savalaure, at Arnac in Cantal.

The principle is rather simple, but it was necessary to think about it: through a jacket worn by the hearing impaired, magic works. Once behind, the low frequencies of the music are felt in the vibrations thanks to an algorithm responsible for translating sounds into beats.

Before the start of the festival scheduled for the weekend of July 31, organizer Natalie Perdue came to make sure this jacket really satisfied the people involved.

To do this, it is Marie Claire Hall, who is severely deaf, who plays the guinea pig. And from Michael Jackson’s first musical notes, Marie Claire began swinging to the beat of the melody. “I am without a jacket, I cannot hear the music, She explained. I do not hear anything. Thanks to the vibrations, I feel everything. I’m very happy.”

Initially, these jackets were designed to double the sensibilities of video game players, moviegoers or even virtual reality. But then, its initial use was diverted to make cultural performances more accessible: “I think this is a huge step forward for this audience that is often an audience on the fringes of many cultural events”, destined Natalie Lost. Of course, when there are lyrics, the song remains essential so the hearing impaired can get the most out of the experience.

Sold at just under €1,000, the equipment remains a significant investment and often requires recourse to public subsidies to be able to get it. Other structures give out loans during important events. However, more and more music venues in France are realizing the importance of making their shows as inclusive as possible and having these jackets can help them do just that.