Ishin-Den-Shin: Transmitting Sound Through Touch

In this project we explore the use of the human body as sound transmission medium. Called “Ishin-Den-Shin,” a Japanese expression for communicating through an unspoken mutual understanding, the technology turns an audio message into an inaudible signal that is relayed by the human body. When the communicator’s finger slightly rubs an object, this physical interaction creates an ad-hoc speaker that makes it possible to hear the recorded sounds.

A special case of Ishin-Den-Shin is when the communicator touches another person’s ear. In this case, a modulated electrostatic field creates a very small vibration of the ear lobe; the finger and the other person’s ear, together, form a speaker which makes the signal audible only for the person touched.

The Ishin-Den-Shin system includes a handheld microphone connected to a computer. When someone speaks into the microphone, the computer turns the sound into a looped recording. The recording is then converted into a high-voltage, low-current inaudible signal that flows into a thin wire connected to the interior of the microphone. This looped, inaudible signal creates a modulated electrostatic field and produces a very small vibration as the finger touches an object, forming a speaker.

The Ishin-Den-Shin technology thus can turn everyday artifacts into interactive sound devices without the need to instrument them with any special technological apparatus. It can be used to explore new approaches for inter-personal communication and can be used to transmit sound from person to person via any sort of physical contact.