SoniBand: Understanding the Effects of Metaphorical Movement Sonifications on Body Perception and Physical Activity

Abstract

Negative body perceptions are a major predictor of physical inactivity, a serious health concern. Sensory feedback can be used to alter such body perceptions; movement sonification, in particular, has been suggested to affect body perception and levels of physical activity (PA) in inactive people. We investigated how metaphorical sounds impact body perception and PA. We report two qualitative studies centered on performing different strengthening/flexibility exercises using SoniBand, a wearable that augments movement through different sounds. The first study involved physically active participants and served to obtain a nuanced understanding of the sonifications' impact. The second, in the home of physically inactive participants, served to identify which effects could support PA adherence. Our findings show that movement sonification based on metaphors led to changes in body perception (e.g., feeling strong) and PA (e.g., repetitions) in both populations, but effects could differ according to the existing PA-level. We discuss principles for metaphor-based sonification design to foster PA.CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Interaction paradigms; Auditory feedback.

Effects of pitch and musical sounds on body-representations when moving with sound

“…Second, the emotional processes triggered by the high frequency sounds, which made participants feel happier, as shown by the results, may have interacted with the bodily feelings, or both processes may have influenced each other. Our findings here relate to those from a previous qualitative study where bodily movement was paired with a sound rising in pitch similar to the musical sound we employed in Experiment 3; this study suggested that this sound could lead to more pleasantness and feelings of movement fluidity, body lightness and flexibility in the context of exertion 45 .…”

“…Further, note that the constant sound was included as a "control" or reference condition with which to compare the effect of the sounds changing in pitch (as in 13,37 ). This was preferred to a "no sound" condition, as it allowed controlling for the effect of simply listening to a sound (see other studies using similar control condition 28,45 ). Table 1.…”

“…In a qualitative study people reported that a sound rising in pitch paired with bodily movement induces pleasantness and feelings of movement fluidity and body lightness and flexibility 45 Sequences of tonal beeps or notes changing in musical pitch and sonifying trunk movement during forward reach exercises help to build confidence and motivate people with chronic pain to move despite pain and fear of injury [46][47][48] Effects of harmonic content: Musically resolved sonifications accompanying stretching and squat movements increase feelings of reward and achievement, as well as motivation to continue the movement 32,38,49 Movement exercise. A side arm raise exercise was chosen, as this is a basic exercise that involves the challenge of raising the arm to different angles and strengthening the upper arms (see Fig.…”

“…Limitations and future research. Systems that provide sound feedback on movement in real-time have been found to increase bodily awareness and influence movement (e.g., 46,47 ) and are increasingly being used in the context of musical expression 95 , dance (e.g., 96 ), sports (e.g., [97][98][99] ), general physical activity (e.g., 38,45 ) and physical rehabilitation (e.g., 100,101 ) for example, in people with chronic stroke [102][103][104][105] , vestibular disorders (e.g., 106,107 ), chronic pain (e.g., 47,49 ) or autism (e.g. 108 ).…”

“…Still the arm raise exercise chosen for this study is a generic gesture that is often part of dance sequences and of many warm-up or toning routines of programs oriented to dance, general physical activity (e.g., 54 ) or physical rehabilitation (e.g., 109 ). In a previous qualitative study 45 , participants were asked to use the ascending pitch musical sound paired with bodily movement in the context of exertion, and they used it to accompany squat and step-up exercises. For these exercises, there were reports of changes in bodily feelings (movement fluidity, body lightness and flexibility) which suggests that our findings may generalise to those movements.…”