Preserving the Afghan rubab through interactive technologies

Abstract

This graduation project investigates the potential of interactive technologies to preserve the heritage of the Afghan rubab, a traditional string instrument currently prohibited in Afghanistan. In collaboration with Stichting Solh, an Afghan–Dutch cultural foundation, the project developed The Rubab Legacy, a Mixed Reality (MR) and Sensor-Based Embedded (SBE) technology system that conveys both the tangible and intangible heritage of the rubab. The work was guided by two design goals: (DG1) to design an interactive technology experience to meaningfully convey the tangible and intangible heritage of the Afghan rubab, for culturally interested non-Afghans to encounter the beauty of Afghan culture; (DG2) to design an interactive technology experience that conveys the rubab’s physical playing sensation through a combination of Extended Reality and SBE technology. An exploratory phase addressed four research questions concerning: the status quo of interactive technology employment in musical instrument heritage preservation; the desired message of the project; the essential elements of the rubab’s heritage; the qualities that constitute a meaningful cultural encounter. Insights were gathered through interviews with rubab players, generative research sessions with the target audience, conversations with Afghan diaspora members, and desk research. The resulting design employed capacitive touch sensors on the frets and proximity infrared sensors beneath the strings of a physical e-rubab, translating user interactions into sound and navigational outputs within an Extended Reality environment via a Socket.IO connection. Iterative prototyping, cultural accuracy checks, and user evaluation informed refinements to the final system. The outcome is an immersive, culturally grounded MR experience in which users can explore the rubab’s heritage in three interactive levels. Its evaluation lead to recommendations for further development.