ReMirrorFugue
A CHI 2025 study of felt presence and illusory communication with pianists from the past.
Overview
ReMirrorFugue is a mixed-methods study with 28 participants using MirrorFugue: a player piano paired with a life-sized recorded projection of a pianist. The research examines how recorded performance can shape felt presence, relationship and imagined communication across time.
Read the CHI 2025 paper ↗Role
Co-author.Method
Wearables, questionnaires and interviews with 28 participants.Installation
Player piano with life-sized recorded projection.01
Research questions
The study examined how people experience presence through recorded performance, how an existing relationship with the pianist changes that experience, and whether the pianist being living or deceased affects interpretation.
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Study design
Twenty-eight participants experienced archival performances on a Yamaha Disklavier grand piano. Subjective responses were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, alongside electrodermal activity, heart rate and hand movement.
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Findings
Participants generally experienced a strong sense of presence. Some who improvised with a recording described an illusory two-way communication. Personal relationships with the pianist shaped memories, connection and emotional response.
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Contribution
The paper provides empirical evidence about telepresence across time and shows why relationship, memory and context matter when designing interfaces around recorded human performance.