RIAX is a multidisciplinary research laboratory advancing electronic musical instruments and technologies for expressive performance. We investigate how human emotion, physiological states, and body movement can be translated into subtle and nuanced musical expressions.
At the heart of our work is novel algorithm design, which, together with music theory, digital instrument design, and MIDI standards, forms the foundation for our innovative instruments. This work is underpinned by meticulous electronic craftsmanship and enables RIAX to create highly personalized instruments that capture both gestural and affective nuances through advanced sensors and interface architectures.
Our research integrates insights from physiology, ergonomics, perceptual psychology, and the philosophy of expression with state-of-the-art motion-sensing technologies and expertise in compositional practice and performance analysis. This integrative approach expands the expressive possibilities for musicians in digital and hybrid musical environments.
Aligned with contemporary Music Therapy practices, our instruments are systematically tested in therapeutic contexts. Collaborative studies with clinicians show that these tools help clients externalize emotion, regulate movement, and engage in more expressive, nonverbal communication. Feedback from these applications informs continuous refinement of our designs.
RIAX continues to extend the expressive vocabulary of electronic performance by developing technologies that are innovative, precise, and foster profoundly human musical experiences.