Movementbecomes music.
With a keyboard: Tab to a band. Hold the space bar to pull it, or press Enter to have a hand hold it.
MELODIC is building an fitness band that turns movement into music, together with people living with dementia, families and carers.
Pull a band. Let go at a hand to keep it pulled.
From use to sound
It looks like an ordinary fitness band from physiotherapy. Woven into it are conductive fibres whose electrical resistance changes as the band is used and pulled. A small controller measures this and sends the values via Bluetooth to a tablet, where an app turns them into music in real time.
- Usethe band
- Measureconductive fibres
- Sendcontroller, Bluetooth
- Soundapp on a tablet
More effort, fuller music
A simplified preview. Drag the grip to the right and hear tempo, rhythm, instruments and volume grow with effort.
- Tempo
- Rhythm
- Instruments
- Volume

- The prototype:fitness bands with sensors, developed with DITF Denkendorf.
- In a group:up to four people exercise together while music and images appear on screen.
- Seated:the exercises also work at a table.
Built together, tested in everyday care
MELODIC takes shape where it will be used: in care facilities, together with the people who live and work there.
Understand
30 interviews and 10 days of observation show what daily life looks like for people with dementia, their families and care staff.
Design together
In 15 workshops, residents, families and care staff help shape the system.
Build
The sensor band becomes robust enough for daily use by up to four people at once, with a tablet app and a personal music selection.
Evaluate
LivingLabs in three care facilities, a pilot study with 15 and a final study with 50 participants examine what changes for quality of life and social participation.
Three years, eight aims
October 2026 to September 2029
- Research
- Design and development
- Evaluation
- Ethics and transfer
Today:
- Understand daily life and needs, Research: Months 1 to 3
- Co-design workshops, Design and development: Months 2 to 6, Months 20 to 24, Months 26 to 30
- Develop prototype and app, Design and development: Months 2 to 30
- LivingLab trials, Research: Months 3 to 20
- Pilot and final study, Evaluation: Months 24 to 26, Months 30 to 34
- Train carers and families, Ethics and transfer: Months 20 to 22
- Ethics, law and society, Ethics and transfer: Months 2 to 34
- Share results, Ethics and transfer: Months 2 to 36
The team
The project team at the University of Siegen. New members will be introduced here as they join.
Meet the teamDr. David Unbehaun
Project lead
Human-computer interaction and care technology. Leads MELODIC at the University of Siegen.
david.unbehaun@uni-siegen.deElisabeth Raß
Research associate
Qualitative research and implementation in everyday care.
elisabeth.rass@uni-siegen.de
Partners and funding
Funded by
Project lead
Information Systems and New Media
Study design and data analysis
Leipzig
Sensor fitness bands
Denkendorf
Contact
Questions about the project? Write to us. Your message goes straight to the project team.
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