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OnBeat - The innovative learning app for the perfect sense of rhythm in dance

Recognising and perceiving rhythm plays a crucial role in the world of dance. But not every dancer has a strong sense of rhythm right from the start. The first few months of dance lessons can be frustrating for beginners. This is exactly where OnBeat comes in: an innovative learning app that enables users to perfect their sense of rhythm in a fun and efficient way.

To develop such a learning app, the Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics (ITS) has acquired EXIST funding of around 150,000 euros for one year, which is financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and the European Social Fund. The EXIST start-up grant is aimed at students, graduates up to five years after graduation and scientists who want to turn a start-up idea into a business plan. The programme particularly supports innovative technology-oriented or knowledge-based start-up projects with good prospects of commercial success. The Transfer and Start-up Department at the German Sport University Cologne provides intensive support to those interested in setting up a business by providing advice and also assisting with the application process. This expertise has already enabled other start-up projects to successfully acquire EXIST funding, such as Athlete Capital, a network that brings athletes and start-ups together, or SwimPal, an app that helps parents and children learn to swim. The OnBeat team's application was also successful because the addressable market for dance apps is estimated at around 1.5 billion euros and an annual growth rate of 20 per cent seems realistic.

The OnBeat app uses a real-time recognition algorithm to recognise the rhythm, which is supported by machine learning (ML) and provides feedback in auditory, visual and tactile form. This means that the app recognises in real time whether the dancers are moving correctly to the rhythm and gives the user immediate feedback - through sound, images or vibrations. This method is based on insights into how the brain perceives rhythm and turns learning rhythm into an interactive experience. By integrating gamification, learners are encouraged to engage and develop a "feel" for the beat in a natural and enjoyable way. "OnBeat can become a ground-breaking approach to dance teaching, using cutting-edge technology and real-time feedback to facilitate learning while providing a motivating learning environment," explains Prof Daniel Memmert, Managing Director of the Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics (ITS). As a mentor to the OnBeat team, he contributes his expertise from various current AI and ML projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

"Our aim is to make learning with the APP both intuitive and entertaining," says project manager Dr Ashwin Phatak, who completed his doctorate at ITS. Together with co-founder Justus Schlenger, who is currently doing his doctorate at ITS, as well as Juleana Villegas and Yago Caudet-Roca Garcia, the team brings together extensive knowledge in sports science, biology and full-stack development (development of the front end and back end of applications). All four are passionate dancers, which gives them a deep understanding of the needs of dance students.

The scientists see the primary market for OnBeat in the education sector. In schools and dance studios, the app could serve as a valuable tool for music and dance lessons. Dance schools could use the app to make training for beginners more efficient and motivating, thereby strengthening student loyalty. OnBeat has already received letters of intent from ten dance studios that have shown great interest in the app. According to the project team, this means that a potential market of around 1,000 customers has already been tapped. A group of influencers from the Latin American dance scene, which has a total of 600,000 followers, supports the OnBeat team on social media.

A board of advisors supports and advises the founders. It consists of Prof. Dr Daniel Memmert (Institute for Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, mentor), Sebastian Walter (CPO & Co-Founder at Mooncamp), Marion Steffen (Chancellor of the German Sport University Cologne) and Prof. Dr Claudia Steinberg (Institute for Dance and Movement Culture).

 

Kontakte:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Daniel Memmert
Institut für Trainingswissenschaft und Sportinformatik

Dr. Ashwin Phatak
Institut für Trainingswissenschaft und Sportinformatik
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