Reson X

What it does

Reson X is a portable intelligent digital violin. While retaining the core experience of traditional playing techniques, it solves the problems of inconvenient portability and lack of tactile feedback of traditional violins.

Your inspiration

With the advancement of information technology, digital musical instruments have gained widespread popularity. However, despite their rich functionality, they often compromise the authentic experience of playing traditional instruments. Therefore, this design takes the traditional violin as its foundation, integrating modular structures, smart interaction, and physical tactile feedback technology to balance the convenience of digitization with the core experience of traditional performance, promoting the modern preservation and innovation of traditional musical instrument culture.

How it works

This is a smart foldable violin that uses specially designed silicone strips to mimic the friction of real strings, allowing you to feel the same resistance as playing a traditional violin when bowing. The body can be folded, reducing its size by nearly half when stored for easy portability. The touchscreen on the neck accurately detects finger positions and lights up to indicate correct pitch. The built-in smart system responds instantly to playing movements with almost no delay. The smart screen displays sheet music and provides instructional guidance. It preserves the authentic feel of playing a traditional violin while adding the portability and smart features of modern technology.

Design process

My design was refined through multiple experimental iterations. Initial tests on bowing dynamics, string contact angles, and visual interaction thoroughly analyzed core movement characteristics of traditional violin playing, extracting key parameters like elbow-wrist range and shoulder support points. For structural design, the first prototype's streamlined hollow form had disorganized functional zones. The second version restored traditional structure but lacked portability. The fourth iteration finalized the modular folding solution, using magnetic connections and rotating shafts to maintain the standard 270mm fingerboard while achieving 48% size reduction. The interaction technology evolved from initial infrared sensing (15% force error/20ms delay) to an innovative silicone friction-capacitive system. Paired with flexible sensors, it reduced error to ±3% and delay to 5ms. The bow's "zigzag" cut and magnetorheological fluid enabled distinct tactile feedback for different bowing techniques, ultimately balancing traditional playing experience with digital functionality.

How it is different

This smart foldable violin blends tradition with digital innovation. Its modular design reduces size by 48% while keeping standard 270mm fingerboard. The breakthrough grooved silicone surface with smart fluid replicates real bow resistance (0.6-1.2N), outperforming normal electric violins. Adhering to "physical interaction first" principle, unlike most sensor-dependent stringless instruments, our silicone-capacitive system achieves ±3% force accuracy and 5ms latency. It strictly preserves traditional violin's professional standards that most smart instruments compromise for simplicity. The design accommodates multiple scenarios: supporting headphone practice and live performance, offering smart teaching aids without compromising traditional techniques. This comprehensive balance differs from conventional electric violins and surpasses single-function smart instruments, pioneering new directions for digitizing traditional instruments.

Future plans

This design will focus on three key development directions: First, enhancing the durability and eco-friendliness of silicone materials while developing AI dynamic damping systems to optimize performance feedback and extend battery life. Second, expanding the product line to include children's and professional models with integrated AR teaching systems. Third, establishing user communities to develop distinctive tones and gradually penetrate cultural markets through academic pilot programs. Core patents will be filed to ultimately achieve digital preservation of traditional musical instruments.

Awards