The Miburi is a wearable musical instrument which was released commercially by the Yamaha CorporationâÂÂs Tokyo-based experimental division in 1995.
The Miburi can be characterized as an âÂÂinside-inâ system according to Axel MulderâÂÂs three categories of motion sensing systems:
It conforms to what Todd Winkler refers to as the âÂÂbody sensorâ group of controllers (the other are spatial sensors, acoustic models and âÂÂnew instrumentsâÂÂ).
The Miburi system consists of a vest with embedded capacitive displacement sensors, two hand-grips, and shoe inserts with pressure sensors, and a belt-worn signal distribution unit joined by a cable to a small synthesizer/MIDI converter. A wireless version, conforming to Japanese wireless frequency regulations was available within Japan only.
The Miburi's belt unit, âÂÂMBU-20âÂÂ, processes data from the sensors into MIDI pitch and velocity information. The unit can be programmed to interpret the data using three âÂÂtriggerâ modes: âÂÂCross-pointâ mode; âÂÂStopâ mode and âÂÂAllâ a combination of both modes. âÂÂCross-pointâ mode measures the speed of the transducerâÂÂs flexion as it traverses its zero point (when the flex sensor is straight). The six âÂÂflexâ sensors send 12 notes â this is because they measure inward and outward movement of each joint as separate notes. âÂÂStopâ mode sends note and maximum velocity values at the conclusion of a gesture. âÂÂAllâ interprets sensor data in both modes simultaneously.
The mapping of each sensor is highly programmable. Each sensor can be mapped on the synthesizer unit, âÂÂMSU-20âÂÂ, to any MIDI note, interpreted in any of the three modes outlined above according to 48 different response modes. The response modes (preset by Yamaha) define the manner in which the sensorâÂÂs output is graphed to velocity. All the above definitions are components of a single Map âÂÂPresetâÂÂ, there are 32 programmable preset positions available.
These features make the Miburi extremely effective as a computing input device. However the MiburiâÂÂs synthesizer unit is limited in its possibilities as a sound source and more importantly is only able to process gestures in a direct one-to-one relationship to the sounds they produce.
The need to âÂÂtetherâ the Miburi to its synthesizer unit is also clearly a drawback for movement detection and a restriction for the dancer. However, the Miburi has the robust design, and very predictable sensor output that might be expected from one of the principal electronic musical instrument manufacturers.
The Miburi may be combined with more sophisticated sound sources and software-based interactive mapping such as MAX/msp. Extensions of its basic functions include control of video, lighting, utilization as a component of a âÂÂmultimedia orchestraâ and âÂÂto help children engage their whole bodies while interacting with computersâÂÂ.