AIRDRUMS: VIRTUAL DRUM KIT
AIRDRUMS: VIRTUAL DRUM KIT

Summary/Abstract: Gestural based interfaces have been widely researched over the last decades, with promising results especially found and implemented in the field of artificial reality. In keeping with this desire to create immersive experiences using technology, we have created a virtual drum kit to be used in the personal space of a user, with the possibility of ultimately creating an interactive musical learning game - AirDrums. This application, based on a Natural User Interface, can be used for practice or for fun by anyone who wants to play drums, while not being appropriate for professional drummers. Users can play a track of their choice in the background and try to jam along with it, or try to create an interesting track through the recording feature anduse that with other songs or rhythms. AirDrums was implemented in two versions, a direct playback solution and a NAudio solution, and was assessed empirically by 12 testers, 9 men and 3 women, aged between 18 and 28. The final NAudio version has an improved accuracy of 80% and more, depending on rhythm. Both solutions were subjectively evaluated as fun, easy to master, and affording a comfortable posture, similar to a real drummer. The main limitation consists in the fact that the application cannot replicate some of the hand movements used for real drum kits, such as placing a hand across the others, as well as much faster strikes. AirDrums can be used as a standalone application or as an element in larger e-learning games and platforms.

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