[Science & Technology―The Next Generation of Young Leaders] Dynaformics — Breaking Through the Limits of Musicians’ Skills, Based on Principles of Brain and Body | SEPTEMBER 2025

This coaching methodology makes use of sensors and AI to investigate finger actions to determine physique parts and moments essential to be improved.
Photo: Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.

Dynaformics is a brand new subject that makes use of the energy of science to assist musicians’ mastery and stop accidents in an effort to assist them obtain wealthy musical expression. We spoke with FURUYA Shinichi, a pioneering dynaformics researcher working to deliver science into the world of music, simply because it has been in fields like sports activities.

It is alleged that in an effort to obtain wealthy musical expression, pianists and different musicians need to domesticate 4 parts: sensitivity, interpretation, operate, and ability. Active analysis on the right way to nurture sensitivity and deepen interpretation has been carried out in music training settings. In order to play as they envision based mostly on their sensitivities and interpretations, they want the skill to coordinate and management a number of muscle tissues of their our bodies to maneuver their fingers rapidly, exactly, and easily — that’s, they require operate and ability. Efficient use of the physique and coaching strategies based mostly on human anatomy have been established in the subject of sports activities, however there was hardly any specialised scientific analysis of this nature in music or different arts. As a end result, even after practising for lengthy hours on their very own, many musicians discover that they can’t obtain the hoped-for efficiency. They typically really feel  restricted in how a lot they’ll enhance their abilities, and generally, some put on themselves out bodily and mentally by practising excessively.

The scientific method to enhancing the capabilities and abilities of musicians is known as “dynaformics.” FURUYA Shinichi, Research Director of Tokyo Research at Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., has been finishing up analysis and improvement on this subject. FURUYA obtained the twenty first (FY2024) JSPS Prize (see field for particulars) for his examine titled “Interdisciplinary Study on Supporting Skill Acquisition in Performing Art and Treatment of Diseases Caused by Overtraining,” which is predicated on dynaformics.

FURUYA’s analysis staff developed a coaching methodology that permits customers to expertise high-speed and complicated finger actions that can’t be carried out voluntarily by sporting an “exoskeleton robot” that permits every of the 5 fingers to maneuver independently at excessive speeds. With this coaching methodology, customers can passively study exact finger actions, resulting in enhancements in ability that might not be attained by means of standard observe alone. Skills additionally improved equally in the fingers of the different hand, which didn’t endure the coaching. However, the lack of numerical modifications seen in finger muscle power or quickness earlier than and after coaching steered that the coaching doesn’t enhance power or quickness, however relatively works on the central nervous system that controls the actions. In reality, non-invasive¹ magnetic stimulation assessments on the scalp at pre-training and post-training revealed plastic modifications (versatile modifications in the workings of the mind) in the areas of the cerebral cortex² that management finger motion. These analysis findings obtained a giant response once they had been printed in the worldwide scientific journal Science Robotics on January 15, 2025. FURUYA and his staff are additionally supporting the enchancment of musicians’ abilities through the use of strategies reminiscent of measuring keystroke power and finger motion utilizing sensors, and quantifying and analyzing the information to search for extra particular methods to maneuver the physique. This type of scientific method aimed toward maximizing the creativity musicians possess and empowering them to play what they hope to, might stop accidents brought on by extreme observe in addition to present vital assist with overcoming what has till now been thought-about the “limits of talent.”

The JSPS Prize
In order to boost the degree of scientific analysis in Japan to the world’s highest commonplace, you will need to acknowledge and assist younger researchers with wealthy creativity and superlative analysis skill at an early stage of their careers. To maintain the zeal of such researchers whereas providing them assist in advancing their work, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science³ established the JSPS Prize in FY2004. For extra particulars, see the website of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

A groundbreaking system that measures and analyzes the actions of performing musicians
The system makes use of software program that may synchronize a number of sensors, in addition to keyboard sensors, pedal sensors and different authentic {hardware}, to provide high- precision, high-resolution measurements of varied points of the physique’s actions whereas taking part in the piano.

1. Finger place estimation

Vision-based hand pose estimation

2. Precise contact and pedaling measurement 

“HackKey”: contact sensing system

Pedal Sensor

3. Full physique posture evaluation

Depth-image based mostly bone estimation

4. Video and audio evaluation

3 x Web-camera & micophone

Photo: Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.

• 1. Methods and applied sciences utilized in the fields of drugs and testing that don’t hurt the physique or trigger bodily burden.
• 2. The layer of gray matter that covers the floor of the mind. Its neurons are organized in an everyday layered sample. Its totally different areas handle higher-level mind capabilities, together with notion, motion, considering, and reminiscence.
• 3. Established in 1932 with an endowment from Emperor Showa, JSPS is immediately Japan’s solely impartial funding company with a mission to advance science. JSPS carries out all kinds of packages in pursuit of this mission. They embrace packages to fund scientific analysis, foster researchers, promote worldwide scientific change, and reform college programs.

By FUKUDA Mitsuhiro
Photo: Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.; FURUYA Shinichi

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