Music is said to be a universal language.But for Chase Burton,a deaf filmmaker,music has always been a different experience.
"When I was a kid,I'd lie on the floor above our garage so that I could feel the vibrations (震动) from my brother's band rocking out below my body.That was one of the first times I began building a relationship with music," said Burton.
In 2016,his ability to experience music changed completely,thanks to the California-based technology company Not Impossible Labs.It designed a vibrating suit that enables deaf people to "feel" music through their skin.The suit can translate audio into a range of vibrating pulses (脉冲) that are felt at 24 contact points.Burton has been wearing the suit for four years."The sound drubs different parts of my body," said Burton."Maybe it will strike me in my ankles first.And then I'll start to feel the vibrations in my back and wrists."
The creators want to extend the musical experience beyond the deaf community.In 2018,they gave out 150 vibrating suits at a rock concert where half the audience members were deaf and half could hear.Since then,the creators have been working to improve the technology and want the suit to become a consumer product accessible to all,which will be used in live sports broadcasts,or video games.
As a writer and director,Burton has been working to make the movie world more inclusive.For his latest movie he hired all-deaf staff and actors.Burton hopes that the vibrating suits will be available to his film audiences in the future.He believes that the suits can improve emotions while people are watching a movie for normal people as well as the deaf."I see the tech as a real opportunity to help people understand that music or movies don't always need to be enjoyed through the ears," said Burton.