Exploring the Myo controller for sonic microinteraction

Abstract

This paper explores sonic microinteraction using muscle sensing through the Myo armband. The first part presents results from a small series of experiments aimed at finding the baseline micromotion and muscle activation data of people being at rest or performing short/small actions. The second part presents the prototype instrument MicroMyo, built around the concept of making sound with little motion. The instrument plays with the convention that inputting more energy into an instrument results in more sound. MicroMyo, on the other hand, is built so that the less you move, the more it sounds. Our user study shows that while such an "inverse instrument" may seem puzzling at first, it also opens a space for interesting musical interactions.