Real-Time Heart Rate Sonification Using Spectral Filtering of Preferred Music for Running Training

Steel J, Ripley N, Williams D. Real-Time Heart Rate Sonification Using Spectral Filtering of Preferred Music for Running Training. In: Convention Paper. Audio Engineering Society; 2026. Paper 10262. Available from: https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23178

@inproceedings{Steel2026_23178,
  author = {Steel, Jay and Ripley, Nicholas and Williams, Duncan},
  title = {{Real-Time Heart Rate Sonification Using Spectral Filtering of Preferred Music for Running Training}},
  note = {Paper 10262},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  url = {https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23178}
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Real-Time Heart Rate Sonification Using Spectral Filtering of Preferred Music for Running Training
AU  - Steel, Jay
AU  - Ripley, Nicholas
AU  - Williams, Duncan
M1  - Paper 10262
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/28
UR  - https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=23178
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate a sonification system that maps live heart rate data to real-time spectral filtering of a runner's preferred music. Assessed using a within-subjects design (n = 13), the system employs high-pass and low-pass filters to indicate deviations from target heart rate zones, providing instantaneous biofeedback without requiring visual attention. Quantitative analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in target zone accuracy or response time between auditory, visual, and combined conditions. However, qualitative thematic analysis identified a clear division in user preference. Participants favoring the auditory condition demonstrated faster mean response times to audio biofeedback. Findings suggest that while sonification promotes environmental focus and "gamifies" training, its efficacy is highly dependent on individual processing styles and music familiarity.
ER  -