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The SoundShirt™ translates sound into touch in real time. With 28 micro-actuators woven seamlessly into the fabric, every cheer, drumbeat, or violin note is mapped across the body as a gentle vibration.
You don’t just hear sound—you feel it.
From orchestras to stadiums, from playlists to video games, SoundShirt opens a new dimension of experience: a multi-sensory connection that everyone can share.
The SoundShirt™ is a revolutionary wearable that transforms sound into touch. From concerts to football matches, from opera to gaming—it lets everyone feel the energy of live performance through their whole body.
The SoundShirt has been recognized worldwide for design, cultural impact, and inclusivity.
Awards & Honors: Twice named a TIME Best Invention; Winner of the 2025 Webby Award (Best Wearable & Connected Device); Recipient of the UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Award for digital inclusion; Multiple international honors including Dubai Lynx Grand Prix, Clio Sports Gold, The Drum Awards Gold, AWE XR Auggie Award, Innovate UK Audience of the Future Award, Fast Company Innovation by Design, and more.
Permanent Installations: Integrated into Newcastle United’s Premier League stadium; Installed at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Navy Pier Chicago, and other leading global venues.
Exhibitions & Events: Featured in the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (New York); Presented at VivaTech Paris and other international innovation events.
Media Recognition: Praised by The New York Times, Wired, Vogue, BBC, CNN, and more.
Microphones or audio feeds capture the sound →
custom software transforms it into haptic data →
and 28 actuators across the shirt translate it into vibrations you feel instantly.
🎶 Music: Feel violins on your arms, bass on your chest, drums across your back.
⚽ Sports: The roar of the crowd spreads across your torso when your team scores.
🎮 Gaming: Explosions, footsteps, and world-building come alive in real time.
It’s fast, wireless, and designed to feel completely natural—like a new sense.
Artists & Creators
A new creative medium. Translate your sound into touch and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Audiences
For the first time, music and sport can be experienced in full—not just seen, but truly felt.
Fans & Festival-Goers
From concerts to football, every beat, goal, and cheer comes alive on your skin—turning live events into unforgettable, multi-sensory experiences.
For Artists & Creators
Push creative boundaries with haptic soundscapes.
Connect with your fans emotionally, not just sonically.
Differentiate your live shows in a saturated market.
For Venues & Festivals
Expand your audience and sell more tickets.
Create unforgettable, inclusive experiences that keep fans coming back.
Build permanent infrastructure for accessibility—like installing WiFi or LED screens, now there’s haptics
For Brands & Sponsors
Innovation and inclusivity that last beyond a single campaign.
Make every live moment more powerful.
Create stories that audiences love to share.
Challenge
Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members often miss the full emotional impact of live opera. While surtitles provide words, they don’t convey the music’s depth or the vibration of an orchestra filling the hall.
Solution
The Lyric Opera of Chicago introduced the SoundShirt to make performances more inclusive. The SoundShirt program is made possible by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Innovation Initiative and supported in part by a grant from the League of Chicago Theatres and ComEd.
Implementation
The live opera performance is captured with microphones, with engineers mixing the music from each section of the orchestra and the singers. The sound is then transformed into touch data and the signal is wirelessly broadcast to the SoundShirt. Crafted with precision and artistry, the SoundShirt when combined with the projected English titles or sign language interpretation, it’s the most fully experiential way for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing to experience live opera.
Results
Opera lovers could experience the emotion of strings, brass, and percussion through touch.
The Lyric Opera gained recognition for pioneering accessibility in the arts and engaging new audiences.
Impact
First U.S. opera house to debut the SoundShirt
Coverage in major outlets including The New York Times and Chicago Tribune
Strengthened Lyric Opera’s role as a leader in accessibility and innovation
Permanent Opera Installations
Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Wuppertal Opera, Wuppertal, Germany
Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois, USA
OPA, Omaha Performing Arts, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
The AND Dance Company, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Junge Symphoniker Orchestra, Hamburg, Germany
Rachel Arfa, the first deaf commissioner of MOPD, the highest-ranking deaf person to serve in a city government leadership role, watching a live performance of West Side Story at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
David, Newcastle United Football Club Superfan
Challenge
Deaf football fans at St. James’ Park couldn’t fully experience the atmosphere of live matches. Traditional accessibility tools didn’t capture the emotion and energy of the roaring crowd.
Solution
Newcastle United partnered with CuteCircuit to introduce the SoundShirt. The SoundShirt Antenna and control software were installed in the control room of the stadium, streaming real-time match data directly into haptic sensations on the shirts worn by fans.
Permanent Stadium Installations
Newcastle United Football Club, Newcastle, UK
Serie A Coppa Italia Final 2025 at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Supercopa de Espana 2025 at Al-Jawhara Stadium, Jeddah, KSA
Supercoppa Italiana 2024-2025 at Al‑Awwal Park Stadium, Riyadh, KSA
Results
Deaf supporters could feel the roar of the crowd, the tension of tackles, and the energy of goals.
Fans described the experience as “the first time I could truly feel part of the match.”
NUFC received global media coverage and recognition for pioneering accessibility.
Impact
100% positive feedback from participating fans
Coverage in international press (BBC, Sky Sports, The Guardian, etc.)
Positioned NUFC as a leader in accessibility and inclusion
Challenge
Polygon Live LDN wanted their debut immersive 360° concert series in London to feel like nothing audiences had experienced before. The mission: to push live music beyond sound and visuals into a full-body, sensory performance that resonated with hearing audiences.
Solution
CuteCircuit introduced a brand-new festival edition of the SoundShirt, designed with perforated smart textiles for maximum breathability. These exclusive SoundShirts translated every beat and frequency into tactile sensations across the body, allowing fans to literally feel the music while staying comfortable through long festival sets.
Haptic goes mainstream
Proved that the SoundShirt isn’t just for accessibility, it’s a mainstream festival experience enhancer. Hearing festival goers experienced a total body sound immersion.
Results
Sold out during headline acts with fans lining up to try them.
95% of users opted to pay £14.99/hour to rent a SoundShirt.
50% of rentals were for two or more shirts—fans wanted to share the experience with friends.
90% of surveyed fans said the SoundShirt made their music experience “significantly better.”
Impact
Exceeded audience targets by 30% (6,895 vs. 5,300 projected).
Created a new revenue stream for the festival through rentals and merch.
Reinforced Polygon’s position as the UK’s most forward-thinking music festival.
Anton, festivalgoer
Gaming & XR
Step inside the action. Explosions, footsteps, and even subtle sound cues become tactile. Developers can use our API to create custom haptic worlds.
Recorded Music
Play any track from your phone and feel it in 3D. It’s like turning your playlist into a private concert.
Installations & Museums
Bring art and storytelling to life with touch. From immersive exhibits to interactive tours, SoundShirt transforms spaces into multi-sensory experiences.
The SoundShirt can be washed without removing the electronics.
Durable by Design
Every SoundShirt is engineered for long-term use, crafted with precision to withstand both performance and everyday wear.
Sustainable Fashion Tech
Created with high-quality smart textiles and zero-waste production methods, it embodies our commitment to responsible innovation.
Practical & Accessible
Simply wash, dry, and it’s ready to wear again.
The SoundShirt® combines advanced textile design, haptic technology, and wireless connectivity in a seamless garment.
Haptic Actuators: Dozens of precisely placed actuators translate sound frequencies and dynamic events into tactile sensations on the body.
Wireless Streaming: The SoundShirt connects via Bluetooth® for personal use, or stadium-grade antennas (802.15.4) for venue deployment, ensuring low-latency performance in both personal and large-scale environments.
Cross-Platform Software: Dedicated apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac stream music, live performances, or game data directly into the garment.
Washable Design: Built for everyday use, the SoundShirt is washable — the electronics are integrated into protected modules that remain in place during cleaning.
FAQs
What type of venues use SoundShirt?
From intimate theatres and concert halls to stadiums and global festivals, SoundShirt adapts to any venue size.
How is it implemented?
We provide a complete solution including antenna installation, software setup, garment deployment, and staff training so your team can run it with confidence.
How many shirts can I deploy?
SoundShirt is built to scale. Whether you start with dozens or expand to thousands, the system grows with your audience needs.
What kind of support do you offer?
We offer full-service support including installation, training, updates, and ongoing technical assistance to ensure seamless operations.
How can my venue get started?
Get in touch to explore a tailored SoundShirt package designed for your venue and audience.
