meet the 'VITAR' guitar designed for the visually impaired

‘vitar’ a musical device with a braille fingerboard

Korean design trio Eojin Roh, Seonjin Baek, and Yujeong Shin introduce ‘VITAR’, a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) designed for the blind and visually impaired. Shaped like a guitar, and instead of the traditional strings, the instrument includes a Braille fingerboard made up of several embossed keys that users sense and press with their left hand to play a tune. While operating the keys, electronic signals get sent to a Digital Audio Workstation through which the melody unfolds

all images courtesy of Eojin Roh, Seonjin Baek, Yujeong Shin

an intuitive, asymmetrical design for easy handling

To help the visually impaired navigate the ‘VITAR’ guitar, Roh, Baek, and Shin endowed the musical instrument with an unusual and asymmetrical shape, emphasizing the parts where it should be held. Complementing its unique shape is a set of embossed lines carved along the main body, acting as additional guiding points when handling the device. The most prominent lines are found at the center of the guitar, recalling the row of strings in traditional guitars.

the recessed chamber at the center of ‘VITAR’ serves as guidelines

According to the designer trio, people with visual disabilities become more sensitive to auditory stimulation as an alternative to vision, encouraging them to opt for musical activities. Incorporating a Braille system can then help them play the music they want by creating an experience that is intuitive and manageable without stripping the fun from it. That’s where ‘Vitar’ comes in — a simple yet groundbreaking re-imagination of the guitar fingerboard that makes music that much more accessible.