New clothing design mimics muscles used when singing
researchers teamed up with a professional opera singer to develop a mediating technology that would allow audience members to feel the muscular movements, tensions and engagements when singing. Photo: Ozgun Kilic AfsarResearchers from MIT, KTH, and other institutions have developed a garment called the Corsetto that mimics the movements and physical efforts of a singer, providing an interactive and immersive concert experience. The robotic upper body garment utilizes air-driven artificial muscles to recreate the muscular movements, tensions, and engagements of a singer. The aim is to allow audience members to feel the entire performance and establish a new level of connection between performers and their audience. The design, developed in collaboration with a professional opera singer, explores the concept of intercorporeality, where bodies become mediators of a performative experience. The researchers believe this technology can lead to new innovations in technology-enabled incorporeality and enhance the connection between performers and their audience.