By Nely Guerrero
Subpac technology and Silencio AC’s incredible initiative – this combination has changed the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people forever! It has opened up a space in musical presentations so that they can truly “feel the music”; it has turned that popular expression into an amazing reality.
Subpac is the name of a new device that allows you to feel the vibrations of sound. It is a vest that has patented tactile transducers and vibrotactile membranes, that is, sensors that have the ability to react to the low-end frequencies of sound. It is practically the same effect that we see in subwoofers, which vibrate with the low tones of the songs. This allows for an immersive experience when listening to music or playing video games.
The main objective of this vest is to allow the wearer to experience sounds in a physical way, making different parts of the torso vibrate in relation to the frequencies emitted by songs or the sound effects of video games. Its development was focused on complementing the virtual reality environment.
Subpac connects via bluetooth and is compatible with mobile devices and virtual reality video games.
What the creators of this component may not have initially imagined, is that it could be used in a way that would revolutionize entertainment in an inclusive way. This was made possible thanks to María Laura López and Carlos Verástegui, who created Silencio AC, an association that promotes making entertainment inclusive.
Their first contribution was made in the ninth edition of the Corona Capital Festival, which with the support of OCESA and the host brewery of the festival, provided Subpac equipment for deaf and hard of hearing attendees so they could experience the live musical concert in a sensory way. To enhance the impact, sign language interpreters complemented what the guests of Silencio AC experienced.
As an additional contribution, Facebook Mexico together with the association carried out the first live-streaming for the deaf in the world through Facebook Live.
Nely Guerrero
Computer Systems Engineer / Writer / Poet
Instagram @Nelyy14
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