Hotcake: A Modular System for Shared Music-Making
Hotcake is a modular system designed to enable collaborative music-making regardless of location. The project integrates a speaker unit called Cake with a wearable device named Butter, combining 3D spatial audio with haptic feedback to reproduce the sense of playing together in the same space. Designers Woojin Jang, Eunhye Jang, Hyeryoung Jeong, Ilyeo Lee, and Chaeeun Kim join to realize the creative project.
all images courtesy of Woojin Jang, Eunhye Jang, Hyeryoung Jeong, Ilyeo Lee, Chaeeun Kim
Combining Sound and Touch for Remote Collaboration
The Cake system consists of three modular speakers and a subwoofer station, which together generate spatial sound for immersive group sessions. Each module receives live audio signals from the station via a 2.4GHz RF channel, while wired Ethernet ensures stable, low-latency performance. This configuration minimizes delay or interruptions, allowing participants to remain synchronized even across long distances. The Butter device translates sound into vibrations, giving users a tactile sense of rhythm alongside the auditory experience. The design includes additional features such as metronome mode for maintaining tempo and a built-in microphone for direct communication.
Hotcake enables collaborative music-making from anywhere
Hotcake Merges Acoustic and Physical Musical Experience
By combining modular sound hardware with haptic wearables, Hotcake recreates both the acoustic and physical dimensions of live music. The design enables remote jam sessions that balance sound fidelity, timing accuracy, and embodied musical interaction.
Hotcake system combines modular speakers with wearable haptics
Cake is the speaker unit at the core of the design
the design integrates 3D spatial audio with haptic feedback
three modular speakers connect with a subwoofer station
the setup minimizes delay for synchronized remote sessions
wired Ethernet ensures stable, low-latency performance
together, Cake and Butter recreate the feel of playing live
the system recreates both acoustic and physical dimensions of music
Butter is a wearable that translates music into vibrations
Butter provides a tactile sense of rhythm during play
project info:
name: Hotcake
design team: Woojin Jang | @woojinjid, Eunhye Jang | @ihaveaspirit, Hyeryoung Jeong | @hyeryoung2, Ilyeo Lee | @leeilyeoo, Chaeeun Kim | @rlaeunoia
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
The post hotcake’s modular speakers and wearables bring remote jam sessions to life appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.