DiaVest 1.0

Wind-instrument musicians requirement proper diaphragmatic breathing to product a consistent tone and improved performance. However, visually assessing breathing technique is difficult which causes instructors to rely on subjective cues from the student which is not consistent. This gap in evaluation leads to inconsistent practice and slower skill development. In order to address this issue, DiaVest 1.0 was created. This is a smart feedback-enabled vest that helps wind-instrument musicians in developing proper diaphragmatic breathing using real-time visual cues and haptic signals. The system integrates dual Vernier GoDirect respiration sensors, haptic motors, and an Arduino-based control interface to track breathing patterns and detect incorrect breathing technique. The vest employs a user friendly interface to provide graphical feedback in addition to haptic feedback. First the musician needs to calibrate the vest to themselves. This is done by taking 5 deep breaths. Afterwards, the user is taken to the live feedback mode that compares their breathing to the personalized threshold. The vest is connected to a haptic sensor that alerts the musicians when improper technique is being used. The vest was tested on 14 musicians. They all showed improvement of their breathing technique. They all started to use proper diaphragmatic breathing after participating in the training session with the vest. The results indicate that DiaVest 1.0 has strong potential to enhance respiratory training for musicians by offering objective, intuitive, and accessible guidance that complements traditional instruction.