Abstract:
A system of learning through practice of rhythmic activities includes detectors that receive sounds from a musical instrument and convert the sounds to a response signal, a sensory device that is activated in response to a cuing signal that cues a student to play the musical instrument, a processor to control the cuing signal of the sensory device, receive the response signal, and analyze the response signal to determine a score based on a skill level of the student, and a storage device to store the response signal and the score of the student.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to a system and method for enhancing learning capacity and improving neuromotor skills 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Development of neuromotor coordination can be enhanced through the use of rhythmic activities, such as for example, through training with a musical instrument. This type of training can be challenging, particular for children with learning or attention disabilities. 
         [0003]    An instructor works with a student an exercise and to provide feedback. The instructor can help the student, maintain focus, recognize errors, and to suggest exercises to improve in specific areas and to set a course of instruction that is commensurate with skill level. 
         [0004]    Hiring a qualified music instructor, particularly one that is experience with learning disabilities, can be expensive and time constraints may limit instructor availability. A student practicing alone may lose the ability to focus or become bored if the exercise only involves reading sheet music. Practicing alone can also cause a student at any level to repeat errors or to reinforce bad habits. Even with an instructor, some errors may also be hard to identify. Thus, a need exists for a rhythmic learning system that helps a student maintain focus while measuring progress. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In one general aspect, a system for learning to play a musical instrument includes detectors that receive sounds from a musical instrument and convert the sounds to a response signal, a sensory device that is activated in response to a cuing signal that cues a student to play the musical instrument, a processor to control the cuing signal of the sensory device, receive the response signal, and analyze the response signal to determine a score based on a skill level of the student, and a storage device to store the response signal and the score of the student. 
         [0006]    Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. For example, the processor may analyze the response signal to measure various parameters such as the timing between the cuing signal and the response signal and the accuracy of the response to the cuing signal. 
         [0007]    As another feature, the musical instrument may be a drum set with several percussion instruments such as a snare drum, bass drum and cymbals. In this embodiment, the processor analyzes the response signal to measure the multitasking ability of the student to simultaneously play more than one percussion instrument in response to the cuing signal, the velocity of the student reaction by measurement of the impact level of the response to the cuing signal, and the motor movement ability of the student by measurement of the time between playing each percussion instrument in response to the cuing signal. 
         [0008]    The processor may analyze the score of the student to select a practice program for the student to drill one or more skill that includes timing, accuracy, velocity, multitasking ability and motor movement ability. The processor may compare a score to one or more earlier score to produce a progress result. The processor may also analyze the score of the student to select a practice program for the student. 
         [0009]    The sensory device may be lights that illuminate to cue the student. As another feature, the sensory device produces a tactile sensation such as vibration. 
         [0010]    In another general aspect, a method of assisting a student learn to play a musical instrument includes cuing, via a sensory device, the student to play the musical instrument, detecting a sound played on the musical instrument in response to the cuing, converting the detected sound to a response signal, measuring the response signal against a reference signal to produce a score based on a skill level of the student, and selecting a practice program based on the score of the student. 
         [0011]    Embodiments may include one or more of the above or following features. For example, the method may include comparing a score of the student to one or more previous score to produce a progress report. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates components of the invented system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the first use of the system—creation of an account and initial testing; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  schematically shows the work flow of the system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  explains different styles of work the system allows; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a formal structure of a work session; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a visual representation of the results available in the system; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  represents different applications in the system—samples of the games available; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows skills which can be improved by using the system; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  represents a brief description of the skills; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  shows more detailed description of the skills which can be trained with the system—timing, accuracy, multitasking, and motor movement; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  shows a possible way of measuring velocity; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  shows a possible way of measuring velocity and accuracy at the same time; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a description of the Color Matching game; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a description of the Simon Says game; 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a description of the Notation game; 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a description of the Composer Mode; 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is a description of the Jam-Along game; 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  is a description of the Race Car game; 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  shows a structure of the databases used for storing personal user information; 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  shows a structure of the database used for storing N top results of the user; 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  shows a structure of the database for storing the results of the current custom style training session; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  shows a structure of the database for storing the results of the current course learning style session; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]    The system  10  can be used in many different fields such as to serve as a training system for musicians of different levels of proficiency, for testing musicians, for special needs to work on coordination, or just for entertainment. The system  10  eliminates the necessity of a teacher/special personnel, as it can be used for direct interaction with a user  12  (with light  20 , sound  22 , tactile actions  24 , voice, etc.) and be fully adjustable for user&#39;s needs. Different kinds of instruments  14  can be used to work with the system  10 . One of the applications is using the system  10  with a drum set  94 , but it is not limited to this one instrument. 
         [0035]    The system  10  is very flexible, it has many adjustable settings, for example it allows choosing the skills  80  which the user  12  wants to train in the current work session. The system  10  can also automatically create the training sessions for the user based on his previous results.  FIG. 1  shows a training system  10 . A User  12  works with instruments  14 , and through sensors  16  a computer  18  gets the user&#39;s actions. Computer  18  interacts with the user  12  with lights  20 , which can be shown on the computer  18  screen or on the instrument  14  itself. Also a computer—user interaction can be realized through sound  22 , and tactile stimulation  24 . The results  26  are formed after each session and include report on the user&#39;s progress, storing user&#39;s data in different databases  60  and, possibly, generation of a new work session based on the current results. 
         [0036]    The work with the system  10  starts with a creation of an account  28  for each new user  12 , as shown on  FIG. 2 . Initial tests  30  should be completed after a creation of an account  28  in order to define the levels of the user  12  in all available skill areas  80 . They will be used later as a reference point for the first automatically generated session and also for comparing next sessions&#39; results and for possible entering new high scores in the top results database. Additional user&#39;s personal information can be requested (such as age, gender, medical conditions, level of education, etc.) in order to be able to create comparison charts/graphs with other users with similar conditions. 
         [0037]    Working with the system  32  shown on  FIG. 3  starts with login  33  into the user&#39;s account. The user can choose the style of using the system. Two styles are available—a course learning style  36  and a custom style  38 . The custom style allows the user to select any possible settings  40  and levels of difficulty to play training sessions. The user chooses a game  44  and plays it  46 . The results can be stored in the special custom database  50 , or in the general database  48  if desired by the user  12  or just left unsaved. For the course learning style  36  the user  12  is more limited in the options to choose from, for example, a user is not allowed to choose the level of difficulty, which is defined automatically by the system based on the previous user&#39;s results. The user has to play the session  42  that is generated by the system. The results are stored in the database  48  after every session to keep track of the user&#39;s progress. In the course learning style the user still can choose the skills  80  to work on during the current session, and the session will be generated automatically with taking into an account the user&#39;s preferences. After a session is completed the user&#39;s results for each skill trained can be seen, as well as the results of all previous sessions  52  in a representation shown on  FIG. 6 . The results always show the scores for all skills  80  separately, as well as the final (aggregate) score for a day. The percentage of the time spent on working on each of the skills  80  can be also seen. The comparison of the user&#39;s results with other users&#39; results  54  is available if desired. 
         [0038]    More detailed description of different styles of work with the system is shown on  FIG. 4 . The formal structure of a session  56  presented on  FIG. 5 , where input data (log in  32 , settings  34 , and hits  64 ) and output data  58  after playing games  62  are shown. After finishing a session all the scores are calculated as well as the number of points earned. The number of points shows the progress of a user  12  for the current session—for each of the skills  80  trained a user gets a point and double points if the score is entered in the top results database. The user&#39;s results can be stored in different databases  60  depending on the style of the work with the system. 
         [0039]    There are applications/games  66  in the system shown on  FIG. 7 : the Color Matching game  68 , the Simon Says game  70 , the Notation Game  72 , the Composer Mode  74 , the Jam-Along game  76 , and the Race Car game  78 . There are also skills  80  which can be worked on using the invented system shown on  FIG. 8 : timing  82 , accuracy  84 , velocity  86 , multitasking  88 , and motor movement  90 . Each game is associated with some number of skills  80  (it is also depends on the settings of a game, for example, “time delay” parameter with “one-hand-play” setting chosen will be associated with a motor movement skill  90 , but with “two hands—two feet” setting will be more associated with multitasking  88 ). 
         [0040]    A brief description of the skills  80  is given in the table on  FIG. 9 , but the system  10  can be easily expanded by adding skills  80  along with the new games/applications  66 . Somewhat more detailed description of the measurement of the timing  82 , accuracy  84 , motor movement  90 , and multitasking  88  skills is shown on  FIG. 10 . Measuring velocity  86  may be more challenging and more depends on the instruments  14  chosen to work with the invented system  10 . An example shown on  FIG. 11 , illustrates measuring velocity  86  when a drum set  94  is a part of the system  10 . The 0/1 sensors can be used. Then the number of sensors  16  affected will determine the strength of a strike. The strength of the vibration is different depending on the segment/area  92  of the drum  94  that was hit. For each segment  92  there will be different numbers of sensors  16  affected even with the same hardness of a strike. In order to measure the velocity  86  the number of sensors  16  affected within the segment should be counted. 
         [0041]    If the sensors  16  attached to the drum  94  allow measuring the force of the strike, then the data showing velocity  86  will be taken from the closest to the hit area  92  sensor  16  (the sensor with the maximum value). 
         [0042]    Measuring velocity  86  and accuracy  84  can be done at the same time, an example with a drum set  94  is shown on  FIG. 12 . A user  12  should hit exactly in the place where the sensor  16  is located—it allows simultaneous measuring velocity  86  and accuracy  84 . It is also possible to use the multiple sensors  16 . 
         [0043]    In the Color Matching game  68  ( FIG. 13 ) the user  12  should hit the part of an instrument  14  he/she works with, which corresponds to the color flashing. The metronome element can be added with the color flashing on the downbeat and the strike of the corresponding part of an instrument  14  on the offbeat. Timing  82  can be measured as a reaction time needed for the user  12  to strike; accuracy  84 —as the hitting the correct part; velocity  86 —as measuring the correct strength of a strike; multitasking  88  (if setting for “two-hands-two feet” was chosen)—as ability to use different parts of the body simultaneously; and motor movement  90  (if setting for “one-hand” was chosen)—as ability to quickly change the position of the body when reaching different parts of instruments  14  using just one hand with a help of the movements of the body for that. 
         [0044]    In the Simon Says game  70  ( FIG. 14 ) the user  12  chooses a sequence from the pre-made ones or enters a new one to be played with the lights flashing along with the music. The user  12  should play back the sequence as close to the sequence given as possible. The architect mode for choosing a sequence may be selected—then the next sequence is generated automatically based on the previous sequence. Timing  82  is measured as the deviation in intervals between the notes; accuracy  84 , velocity  86 , multitasking  88 , and motor movement  90  are measured exactly as in the Color Matching game  68 . 
         [0045]    The purpose of the Notation game  72  ( FIG. 15 ) is to teach a user  12  the musical notation. Black/color or black and color notes (depending on the settings) will flash on the screen. The user must strike the corresponding instruments  14  to activate the next note. Notes can progress from single notes to combined single strikes to sequences of both. All the skills&#39; scores can be measured the same way as in the Color Matching game  68 . 
         [0046]    The Composer mode  74  ( FIG. 16 ) allows the user  12  to compose its own musical pieces. With every strike, the corresponding musical note is placed on the staff. Notes are color-coordinated with the instrument  14 . After creating a piece the user  12  can play back the notes as recorded on the staff. All the skills  80  are measured as in the Simon Says game  70 . A musical piece can also be saved in the system and downloaded later for the other applications/games  66 . 
         [0047]    The Jam-Along game  76  ( FIG. 17 ) allows a user  12  to download song packages with classical or popular songs or self-created musical pieces from the Composer Mode  74 . The user  12  can play along with the selected music piece, playing the Color Matching game  68 , the Simon Says game  70 , or the Notation game  72 . The skills  80  trained in this game depend on the settings chosen. Generally this game is for the use by more advanced musicians who can follow long sequences. The speed can be adjusted for the user&#39;s needs. 
         [0048]    The Race Car game  78  ( FIG. 18 ) is a visual representation of the competition between a user  12  and his opponent online (or a previously played game by an online user or the user&#39;s own previous games) or between a user  12  and a computer  18  (with a possibility of a level selection). The cars race across the screen on a multicolored track. Each colored section corresponds with a colored instrument  14  and depending on which section the car is on, a user  12  must strike that instrument or a combination of the instruments. The closer they are to the beat with their strikes, the faster the car moves. The track can also be black and rest above a staff notation where a sequence is shown that must be played by the user. The more accurate the user repeats the sequence the faster his car moves. The skills  80  can be measured in the ways similar to the other games, depending on the settings. 
         [0049]    There is some number of databases needed to store all the information  60 . The personal information and main personal settings of the user can be stored as shown on  FIG. 19 . The database for the top results of the user is shown on  FIG. 20 . The separate databases for a custom style of the sessions  38  and a course learning style of the sessions  36  should be created as shown on  FIG. 21  and  FIG. 22 .