The Navi Activity Monitor: Toward Using Kinematic Data to Humanize Computer Music

Motivated by previous work aimed at developing mathematical models to describe expressive timing in music, and specifically the final ritardandi, using measured kinematic data, we further investigate the linkage of locomotion and timing in music. The natural running behavior of four subjects is measured with a wearable sensor prototype and analyzed to create normalized tempo curves. The resulting curves are then used to modulate the final ritard of MIDI scores, which are also performed by an expert musician. A Turing-inspired listening test is conducted to observe a human listener’s ability to determine the nature of the performer.