# A Wearable Sonification System to Improve Movement Awareness: A Feasibility Study
## 7 Conclusions  
This feasibility study explored whether continuous and discrete tones generated from balance rotation movements can aid in correcting balance back to a desired reference region. The results demonstrated the efficacy of the auditory feedback system in enhancing participants' ability to maintain movement within the specified reference region.  
Specifically, in addressing RQ1 on whether a low-cost IMU device attached to the torso effectively generates data for auditory feedback, the validation results showed that the IMU sensor data could be reliably integrated with the sonification algorithms to produce real-time auditory cues. The changing continuous tones and discrete bell sounds directly corresponded to the participants' movements, confirming the feasibility of using an inexpensive wearable sensor for posture data.  
For RQ2 on whether the auditory feedback aids in balance correction, the reduced sway and faster recovery times evident in the results, particularly for the eyes-closed condition, indicate that both the continuous and discrete tones helped guide participants back to the desired reference region. The auditory cues likely enhanced their movement awareness and supported more rapid balance adjustments.  
In summary, this preliminary study demonstrates the potential for wearable sonification systems using low-cost IMU sensors and real-time audio feedback to improve movement control and balance. The auditory augmentation provides an intuitive sensory channel for conveying postural information to facilitate skill acquisition and rehabilitation. Further research with more extensive testing is warranted to optimize and validate the approach for balance applications and other movement-based needs.  
The following supporting information can be downloaded at [[https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10477131](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10477131)]([https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10477131](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10477131)) (accessed on 14 January 2024). The dataset comprises the following: 1. MATLAB code and Max patches, both presented in MATLAB file format. 2. The input data from the IMU provided in a CSV file format. 3. the corresponding outputs presented in the form of audio tones, which are made available as MP3 files.  
Conceptualization, F.F., T.Y.P. and C.-T.C.; methodology, F.F., T.Y.P. and C.-T.C.; software, F.F., C.-T.C. and T.C.; validation, F.F., C.-T.C. and T.C.; formal analysis, F.F., T.Y.P. and C.-T.C.; investigation, F.F. and T.C.; resources, F.F. and T.Y.P.; data curation, F.F. and T.C.; writing--original draft preparation, F.F., T.Y.P., C.-T.C. and T.C.; writing--review and editing, F.F., T.Y.P., C.-T.C. and T.C.; visualization, F.F., T.Y.P. and T.C.; supervision, F.F., T.Y.P. and C.-T.C.; project administration, T.Y.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by the Strategic Impact Fund 2023, coordinated through the Enabling Impact Platform of the Research & Innovation Portfolio of RMIT University.  
The study was conducted in accordance with the research protocol approved by the College Human Ethics Advisory Network of the RMIT University. Approved ID 26627 (15 August 2023).  
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.  
The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy.  
**Acknowledgments:** The authors thank the volunteers who participated in this research.  
**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflicts of interest.  
**Abbreviations**  
CAF Continuous auditory feedback  
CoM Center of mass  
DAF Discrete auditory feedback  
HS Heel strike  
HMI Human-machine interfaces  
IMUs Inertial measurement units  
IP Internet protocol  
IoT Internet of things  
OSC Open sound control  
RAS Rhythmic auditory stimulation  
TO Toe off  
UDP User datagram protocol