Integrating Passive and Active Practice for Augmenting Piano Education

Abstract

Passive haptic learning (PHL) is the technique of training the muscle memory of a user through repeated vibrotactile stimulation, even when the user directs their attention towards other tasks. Teaching users to play piano songs is a promising application of PHL; however, the benefits of playing the piano require users to actively play the instrument. In this paper, I discuss passive haptic rehearsal, in which active piano practice is augmented by sessions of passive stimulation, and present a framework developed to realize passive haptic rehearsal in an integrated digital setting.