Research Projects at the Motion-Emotion Lab

Centre for Music Physiology

 

  • Healthy Strings: AI-Powered Posture Tracking for Violinists  Details
    An interdisciplinary project investigating posture, movement, playing technique, sound, and physical strain in violin performance. The project develops markerless motion-analysis methods using standard cameras and combines them with acoustic data and expert assessments.

  • First-Year Fitness Check at the mdw  Details
    A comprehensive physical assessment for first-year music students, including individual feedback on strength, mobility, coordination, and physical resilience. Anonymised data contribute to MusicPhysioKohort, a longitudinal research project on musicians’ health. Further information and registration

  • VR Stage Fright Training  Details
    A virtual-reality training environment that allows musicians to practise performance situations and develop strategies for managing stage fright. The project combines immersive visual environments, acoustic room simulation, and psychophysiological methods.

  • TFOYO: Fine-Tuning the Future – Addressing the Needs of Young Orchestral Musicians  Details
    A collaborative project investigating the experiences, working conditions, health, and professional development of young orchestral musicians. The project is conducted by the Motion-Emotion Lab at the mdw and the SInES Lab at the University of Vienna, with support from the ÖGfMM and the Erasmus+ Programme.

  • YourSmile: Music Workshops at the Children’s Hospital  Details
    A participatory music project for children receiving hospital care, developed in cooperation with the Department of Music Education Research, Music Didactics and Elementary Music Making at the mdw, the Neuro-Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital of the Medical University of Vienna, and the Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics.

  • ERGO-MUSIC: Ergonomic Aids and Physiological Tools for Musicians Details
    An online collection of ergonomic aids, adapted instruments, and physiological tools designed to support musicians’ health. The resource is maintained in cooperation with the Austrian Society for Music and Medicine (ÖGfMM).

  • Acoustic Environments in Neonatal Care Details
    Research on the acoustic environment of preterm infants in neonatal care, focusing on the effects of music, speech, noise, and other sounds within the incubator. The project is conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and the Department of Musicology at the University of Vienna.

Related Research

Student Research Projects and Theses supervised by Matthias Bertsch and Alexandra Türk-Espitalier.

Completed Projects

  • COVID-19 Brass Instrument Study: Are Wind Instruments Virus Spreaders?
    A semi-quantitative experimental study investigating the dispersal of respiratory particles and aerosols during trumpet and trombone playing.

  • Trumpet Breathing: Do Breathing Devices Help with High-Register Playing?
    A study of breathing techniques and respiratory training devices in trumpet performance, conducted in collaboration with the Music Performance and Body Lab at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

About the Lab

The Motion-Emotion Lab at the Centre for Music Physiology conducts interdisciplinary research on music performance and the interaction between musicians and their instruments. Its work integrates physiological, psychological, medical, biomechanical, and acoustic perspectives.

Team

Research Facilities and Methods

  • Psychophysiological measurement systems for recording muscle activity, movement, and biosignals.
  • Three-dimensional and markerless motion analysis for studying posture, movement, and interaction with musical instruments.
  • Virtual-reality exposure training and acoustic simulation for research on performance anxiety and stage experience.
  • Biofeedback and multimodal measurement methods combining physiological, behavioural, and acoustic data.
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration with national and international research, educational, and clinical institutions.

Further information is available on the Motion-Emotion Lab website.