Layika: A Wearable Device Mapping Traditional Hand Gestures to Tabla Sound

Prakriti Mukherjee; Akhilesh Kumar Bhagat; Kratika Jain; Vivek Rawat; Lakshmi Srinath; Soubhagya K Dev; Sumit Kumar; Gowdham Prabhakar

Layika: A Wearable Device Mapping Traditional Hand Gestures to Tabla Sound
Image credit: Prakriti Mukherjee; Akhilesh Kumar Bhagat; Kratika Jain; Vivek Rawat; Lakshmi Srinath; Soubhagya K Dev; Sumit Kumar; Gowdham Prabhakar

Abstract:

We present Layika, a glove-based MIDI device that integrates Tabla accompaniment with finger-counting gestures traditionally used to maintain Taal in Hindustani Classical music. In this style, vocalists commonly use hand and finger gestures to track complex rhythmic structures during practice. Each finger pad corresponds to a mnemonic representing a beat within a rhythmic cycle, with each beat associated with a specific Tabla sound. Layika builds on this existing practice by allowing finger taps to directly generate corresponding Tabla audio, giving singers direct control over rhythmic accompaniment.

Layika was developed through multiple design iterations, with attention to sensing reliability, latency, and ergonomic fit. A small user study (N=4) with trained Hindustani Classical vocalists examined how the device integrates into solo practice. Findings indicate perceived usefulness and engagement, alongside technical limitations that informed subsequent refinements.