Tactile Tone System: A Wearable Device to Assist Accuracy of Vocal Pitch in Cochlear Implant Users

Abstract

Cochlear implantation is an effective tool in speech perception. However, activities such as listening to music and singing remain challenging for cochlear implant (CI) users, due to inaccurate pitch recognition. In this study, we propose a method for CI users to recognize precise pitch differences through tactile feedback. The proposed system encodes real-time audio signals to 36 musical tones (from C3 to B5), represented by tactile codes using nine vibration motors in a glove-type device. Two CI users participated in 15 h of training using our system and showed significant improvement in pitch accuracy while singing. In addition to the quantitative results, both participants expressed satisfaction in distinguishing and vocalizing musical tones, which led to increased interest in music. This study provides opportunities for CI users to engage more deeply and participate in musical education as well as achieve improved aural rehabilitation.