Wearable Music Tuning Ring for the Concert Pitch Using PVDF/BCZT Piezoelectric Composites

Instrument tuning is crucial for the performance quality of orchestral concerts. In most cases, the standard pitch is usually given by the oboist, and then the rest of the orchestra adjusts their instruments to match it. However, in the individual training scene, music instrument players often rely on a piano or a pitch pipe for the standard pitch. The piano is not portable, and the pitch pipe could be inaccurate. Therefore, a portable, accurate and user-friendly tuning device is urgently required. In this work, we sought to design a wearable music ring using high-performance PVDF/BCZT composites to stimulate the standard pitch when needed anywhere and anytime. In the music ring, there are two core buttons that stimulate and modulate the output voltage and create the standard pitch. To optimize the performance, we constructed a composite structure, with BCZT particles embedded in highly oriented polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers. The composite presents an aligned fiber structure, which endows it with high piezoelectricity. It presents sensitivity as high as 0.12 V N−1 and remains stable after 10,000 cycles at 1 Hz. Furthermore, the volume of the standard pitch could be modulated by switching the buttons on the wearable music ring, which meets real application needs. This research presents a protocol showing a typical application of wearable technology, which not only shapes the development of flexible electronics but also redefines the tuning experience for musicians.