Imagine learning a new skill such as playing the piano or reading braille in as little as an hour. That may soon be a reality according to this story which introduces a concept called “passive haptic learning” where people were taught the finger patterns to play a song on the piano simply by wearing a glove that vibrated in a set pattern. During experiments, each person who used it was able to actually play the piano after an hour of wearing a special glove without any other instruction, even when being distracted the whole time. The story points to a future of learning where we might be able to acquire new skills much more passively and quickly. While there are several important uses for this technology such as helping victims of brain injuries to regain their skills, the one question I couldn’t help wondering was whether we (or others around us) will still value or appreciate skills acquired passively as much as those earned through hard work and practice?
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