'Sound Sculpt' by Yiqi Zhao: Innovation in Interactive Music Synthesizer

Sound Sculpt

Interactive Music Synthesizer for MIT Media Lab

Imagine a world where sound is sculpted by movement, creating a mesmerizing audio-visual landscape. SoundSculpt is an generative music tool that fuses spatial sound, motion, and visual art. Drawing inspiration from traditional sculpting, it empowers users to become central to their creative process. With AR Frames, head movements are captured and transformed into real-time audio modulation via a MIDI framework. Developed on runtime engine, SoundSculpt offers an immersive experience that blurs the lines between creator and creation, redefining artistic exploration.

Yiqi Zhao 2025 Professional Iron Press Kit № 168315

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Sound Sculpt by Yiqi Zhao

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Interactive Music Synthesizer by Yiqi Zhao

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Yiqi Zhao Sound Sculpt

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Yiqi Zhao Interactive Music Synthesizer

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Harness the clarity of this 1800-pixel image for your prints—perfectly sharp at 6 inches with 300 DPI and equally clear at 12 inches when adjusted to 150 DPI. With press accreditation, enjoy watermark-free, high-res downloads. Low-res images are available immediately for all. Image Credits Section holds all necessary photo accreditation details.

Unique Properties

Revolutionizing Perception through Immersive Music Making Imagine sculpting with sound, where body movement generates a mesmerizing audio visual landscape. SoundSculpt is an innovative, generative music tool that fuses spatial sound, motion, and visual art, redefining the boundaries of creative expression. By harnessing the power of Bose AR Frame, this interface enhances perception performance, providing a novel medium for artistic exploration, emotional regulation, and mental well being.

Production Technology

SoundSculpt employs XR tech, integrating spatial audio and visual processing for immersive experiences. Bose Frames, with gyro sensors, capture 6 dof head movements, translating them into real-time audio modulation via a MIDI framework. Developed on Unity with C# scripts, it enables real-time user interaction. Mesh deformation and vertex manipulation allow dynamic bubble surface control, creating a responsive interface that enhances engagement and emotional connection.

Design Challenge

The hardest part was integrating multi sensory feedback into a seamless flow. Creatively, it was challenging to synchronize audio-visual elements with inputs in real-time. Internally, balancing human vulnerabilities, historical concepts with modern tech required innovative thinking. Externally, limitations in sensor accuracy and data processing posed obstacles. Overcoming these required iterative testing and leveraging cutting-edge XR technology to ensure fluid interaction and emotional impact.

Project Duration

The project began in fall 2019 at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, MA, and concluded in summer 2020. It was subsequently exhibited to the Bose Frame AR team at Bose Corporation in Framingham, MA.

Operation Flow

SoundSculpt immerses users within a virtual bubble, enabling them to shape its surface through intuitive gestures. As they tilt their heads or press buttons, Bose Frames capture these actions, converting them into dynamic audio-visual feedback. This interaction fosters a seamless cycle of "listen," "sculpt," and "art generation," empowering users to transform their environment. The system's innovative design ensures a fluid, captivating experience that boosts creativity and emotional well-being.

Research

This HCI research aims to develop an immersive tool for emotion regulation. Using a mixed reality approach, data was collected via user testing and biometric feedback with Bose Glasses and Real-time 3D engine. Participants included designers and non-designers. Results showed enhanced perception of spatial volume, sound, and motion, with a more stable emotion stage. Insights suggest adoption in psychiatry with art therapy, impacting society by improving emotional well-being with playful creation.

Inspiration

SoundSculpt is inspired by the tactile art of sculpting, where shaping materials evokes profound emotional expression. Echoing ancient pottery, where your hands transform raw material into art, SoundSculpt revolutionizes this dynamic by turning it inside out, empowering users to become integral to the creative process. By integrating spatial audio and visual art, I offer you an immersive experience that blurs the boundaries between creator and creation, redefining interaction for a new era.

Image Credits

Image 1: Yiqi Zhao, 2024. Image 2: Yiqi Zhao, 2024. Image 3: Yiqi Zhao, 2024. Image 4: Yiqi Zhao, 2024. Image 5: Yiqi Zhao, 2024. Video Credits: Yiqi Zhao, 2024.

Project Overview

Sound Sculpt Interactive Music Synthesizer has been a Iron winner in the Digital Art award category in the year 2024 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

Iron Recognition

Yiqi Zhao was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2025, a testament to excellence of their work Sound Sculpt Interactive Music Synthesizer .

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