ParaPedal: A Practical Product for Paraplegic Piano Players

Discipline: ECE

Advisor: Chung Yong Chan

Many piano players who use wheelchairs cannot operate the piano pedals with their feet. These pedals are essential for creating the full range of sounds on the piano, but current solutions are rare, hard to access, or not designed for everyday use. This prevents disabled players from enjoying and performing music at their full potential. The ParaPedal is an assistive device that lets people with disabilities press piano pedals using their mouth instead of their legs. It translates tongue pressure on a mouthpiece into signals that wirelessly control motors, which then push the piano pedals in real time. This gives players the same expressive control as if they were using their feet. The people who need this most are pianists with limited or no leg mobility, such as paraplegic players, but it can also benefit music schools and therapy centers. Unlike existing solutions that are bulky or limited to just one pedal, ParaPedal is portable, wireless, customizable, and supports all three piano pedals. Each player can calibrate it to their own comfort, and it requires no permanent changes to the piano. Possible applications include personal practice at home, live concerts, music therapy, and even classrooms where accessibility is important. Other selling points include its affordability, safety, and ease of setup, making it practical for both beginners and intermediate players.

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