Surface Haptics for Music Education: Evaluating TanvasTouch as an Interactive Learning Interface

Touchscreen-based music education tools typically rely on audio and visual feedback, despite the inherently sensorimotor nature of musical learning. Recent advances in surface haptics enable programmable tactile feedback on flat displays, opening new possibilities for multisensory interaction. This paper explores the use of TanvasTouch technology in music education, focusing on design patterns, pedagogical applications, and accessibility. We developed interactive activities using tactile textures to represent musical shapes and conducted an exploratory study with primary school students (ages 6-11). Participants engaged in guided touch tasks to recognize simple musical symbols and instrument shapes, allowing us to assess recognition, engagement, and usability. Results show that surface haptics can support exploratory learning experiences, enhancing traditional audio-visual approaches. However, blind shape recognition was largely unsuccessful, indicating that the technology cannot yet function as a standalone modality for visually impaired users. Instead, TanvasTouch is better suited as a complementary multisensory tool in inclusive educational settings.