<< Previous       Next >>

Innovation Spotlight: 'Musical Heart' A University of Virginia computer science graduate student has developed a biofeedback-based system called "Musical Heart" that helps smartphones select music to suit the mood, getting hearts pumping during exercise and slowing them down to relax. "Whether I am driving, jogging, traveling or relaxing – I never find the appropriate music to listen to," said student and inventor Shahriar Nirjon. "The problem is: The heart wants to hear something, but our music player does not understand the need. My joy was in connecting them together – in a non-invasive and cost-effective way." The system uses a pair of earphones equipped with tiny sensors that monitor the wearer's heart rate. That physiological information is then sent to a remote server, which provides dynamic music suggestions to help the user maintain a target heart rate. Alas, 'Musical Heart' is not on the market yet, but is expected to cost about $20.

<< Previous       Next >>