ANN ARBOR—The search is on for portable, wireless devices that would enable deaf or hard of hearing people to experience live music by feeling sound waves. A University of Michigan contest will award a total of $10,000 to teams of students who develop the best prototypes.

Contest designers say such devices could enhance the experience of music for the hearing community as well.

This technology challenge is led by the College of Engineering’s Center for Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the entrepreneurship student organization MPowered and the Department of Performing Arts Technology in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. The University’s Arts on Earth initiative is also a sponsor.

Also cooperating in the contest is the Deaf Performing Artists Network (D-PAN). The contest will officially open on Sept. 19 at a gala event to release D-PAN’s debut video compilation of American Sign Language-focused music videos titled “It’s Everybody’s Music Vol. 1.”

“This contest is an opportunity for our best student engineers and entrepreneurs to develop devices that allow members of the deaf community to experience music in a new way,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship.

This contest emerged from a chance meeting. Zurbuchen sat next to D-PAN co-founder Joel Martin on a plane.

“The idea with this contest is for the participants to design something that works wirelessly so that it can be worn to any concert, as a belt, or as part of some article of clothing,” Martin said. “It should not segregate a person who is deaf from the rest of the audience. It should be something a hearing person could also wear to enhance the musical experience.”

Jason Corey, an assistant professor in the Department of Performing Arts Technology, said this task goes beyond just adapting technology. It will involve interpretation and arrangement, in a sense.

“If you sent the audio signals from all members of a musical ensemble to one of these devices, it might not make as much sense to the audience as if you only sent certain musical parts,” Corey said. ?The teams will have to consider which musical parts give the best interpretation of the full musical event.”

The top team will win $5,000. Five runner-up teams will win $1,000. To participate in the contest, teams must include at least two people who are full-time U-M students in the fall of 2008. The winners will be announced in January. More details are online at www.feelthemusiccompetition.com.

Michigan Engineering:

The University of Michigan College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. At more than $130 million annually, its engineering research budget is one of largest of any public university. Michigan Engineering is home to 11 academic departments and a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. The college plays a leading role in the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute and hosts the world class Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. Michigan Engineering’s premier scholarship, international scale and multidisciplinary scope combine to create The Michigan Difference. Find out more at http://www.engin.umich.edu/.

Feel the Music ContestCenter for EntrepreneurshipMPowered EntrepreneurshipDepartment of Performing Arts TechnologyDeaf Performing Artists Network