Luam Clarindo, a PhD researcher at INET-md, Marcelo Wanderley (IDMIL – CIRMMT), and Filipe Lopes, an integrated researcher at INET-md, are the authors of the article “Hypercuíca: Augmenting and Performing with an Afro-Brazilian Friction Drum“, published in the Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression 2026, which are fully available in open access.
In the article, the authors present the Hypercuíca, an augmented version of the cuíca that combines the acoustic instrument with motion sensors, digital audio processing, and real-time gesture control. Developed as part of Luam G. C. Nunes’s artistic research, the Hypercuíca expands the expressive possibilities of this Afro-Brazilian percussion instrument, allowing the performer’s movements to modulate different sonic transformations during the performance. This work describes the system’s technical development and its use in electroacoustic improvisation, performances, and workshops, proposing new forms of dialogue between musical heritage, digital technology, and contemporary artistic creation.