What Tactus Music does

Tactus Music is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based wearable technology company founded in 2019 that designs and sells haptic garments for Deaf and hard of hearing consumers. Its core products — the VIBEWEAR Vest and VIBEWEAR Jacket — embed patented vibration transducers directly into performance fabrics, translating audio frequencies received via Bluetooth from the user's music device into synchronized tactile sensations across the body. The technology is co-developed with the Deaf community, originating from collaboration between founder Jeremy Chow and Northeastern University Prof. Laurie Achin, a Deaf dancer and choreographer, allowing users to feel rhythm, beat, and melody during personal listening, live events, and physical activity.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, with both garments listed at $459 (discounted from $500) on its own online storefront. Distribution is supplemented by event-driven marketing at high-profile accessibility venues, including the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics (where Tactus served as Official Partner), CES, and the Miru Tech Exhibition in Japan. Tactus monetizes exclusively through one-time hardware sales; it does not operate a subscription, software platform, or licensing model, and has no disclosed mobile app.

Operationally, Tactus runs with a six-person team out of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), supported by accelerator affiliations with YC Startup School, MassChallenge, NSF Innovation Corps, and NEU's IDEA Venture Accelerator. Only $10,000 of disclosed cash funding has been raised to date, supplemented by in-kind accelerator support and non-cash recognition including the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge (2023 finalist), CIC Demo Day Audience's Choice Award (June 2025), and Wearable Technologies Innovation of the Month (2026). The company holds a granted patent on its vibration technology, and entered 2026 with a temporary Tokyo presence arranged through CIC's global office network and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Name

Tactus Music

Legal name

Tactus

Website

https://www.tactusmusic.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tactus Music is a Cambridge, MA-based wearable technology company founded in 2019 that builds patented haptic garments — the VIBEWEAR Vest and Jacket — translating music into tactile vibrations for Deaf and hard of hearing consumers, sold direct-to-consumer at $459 each.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistive Wearable Technology

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Wearable-Integrated & Smart Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Haptic wearables
• Assistive music technology
• Deaf accessibility devices
• Wearable vibration garments
• Tactile audio technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Vibewear Garments: One-time purchase of wearable haptic garments (Vibewear Jacket and Vest) that translate music into vibrations. Products are sold directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tactus Music designs, manufactures, and sells two haptic wearable garments — the VIBEWEAR JACKET and VIBEWEAR VEST — that embed patented vibration technology into fabric to translate audio frequencies into synchronized tactile sensations across the wearer's body. The products connect via Bluetooth to a user's music library and are sold directly to Deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers through the company's e-commerce storefront at prices of $459 each (discounted from $500).

Product overview

Tactus Music is a wearable technology company specializing in haptic music wearables for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The product portfolio consists of two core haptic wearables: the VIBEWEAR JACKET (a lightweight, breathable jacket designed to bring music to motion) and the VIBEWEAR VEST (the original design that started it all). Both products use patented vibration technology woven into fabric to translate music into physical sensations, allowing users to experience and feel music through touch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VIBEWEAR JACKET A premium wearable trainer's jacket embedded with patented vibration technology that translates audio frequencies into a tactile rhythm across the body. Designed for active use with lightweight, breathable, stretchable performance materials and Bluetooth connectivity.
• VIBEWEAR VEST The original VIBEWEAR VEST, a haptic wearable combining minimal design with patented vibration technology that lets users feel music through their body in any setting — from the studio to the stage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Attendees at live Deaflympics events used Tactus devices to feel music during performances, with one sharing it was 'the best assistive technology they had used for live performances'
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tokyo Metropolitan GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2025Connection facilitated by CIC Cambridge Tokyo office. Tactus became part of the official Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics programming through this partnership, enabling participation in Miru Tech Exhibition and official Deaflympics events.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIC is the company's co-working space and innovation hub based in Cambridge. CIC facilitated the connection between Tactus and Tokyo Metropolitan Government, enabling the company's participation in Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics through their global office network.
• Venture Cafe TokyominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization that creates innovative networking environments. Tactus participated in a product showcase and panel discussion centered on Deaf perspectives and lived experiences in partnership with Venture Cafe during Tokyo Deaflympics trip.
• Deaflympics (International Committee of Sports for the Deaf)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partners of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics. Tactus exhibited at the event, participated in live music events, and engaged with Deaf athletes and attendees from around the world. First-ever Deaflympics attendance for the company.
• NEU Sherman CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheastern University's Sherman Center for Entrepreneurship and Engineering. Listed as supporter, likely connected to company's origins at Northeastern University.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Woojer: Woojer makes haptic wearables (vests, straps) that convert audio into body-felt vibrations, directly competing with Tactus Vibewear in immersive music and gaming use cases.
• SubPac: SubPac builds wearable tactile bass systems (backpacks, chairs) used by producers, DJs, and gamers to feel music, overlapping directly with Tactus's wearable haptic value proposition.

Emerging players

• Lofelt: Lofelt builds high-fidelity haptics technology and developer tools adopted in gaming controllers and headphones, with similar underlying haptic tech stack to Tactus.
• Syng: Syng makes immersive audio speakers (Cell Alpha) with haptics and spatial audio, adjacent to Tactus's mission of letting users physically feel music.
• CuteCircuit: CuteCircuit is a pioneer in interactive fashion-tech wearables with embedded sensors and haptics, operating in the same wearable tech category as Tactus Vibewear at small scale.
• Wearable X: Wearable X develops fashion-tech garments with embedded haptics (e.g., Nadi X yoga pants), adjacent to Tactus in wearable haptic garment technology but targeting fitness rather than music accessibility.

Broad incumbents

• Sony (Accessibility): Sony ships accessibility features across its audio portfolio (sounds, haptics on controllers) and has invested in hearing-aid-adjacent products, making it a broad incumbent relevant to Tactus's Deaf music accessibility mission.
• Bose: Bose offers Hearphones and other audio products with accessibility/assistive features for hearing-impaired users, positioning itself as a broad-audio incumbent adjacent to Tactus's wearable haptic niche.
• Apple (Accessibility): Apple ships accessibility features (Sound Recognition, Made for iPhone hearing aids, AirPods audio adjustments) that address Deaf/hard-of-hearing music access as part of a much broader hardware/software portfolio.

Others

• Not Impossible Labs: Not Impossible Labs creates accessibility-focused tech (e.g., wearable vibration devices for the Deaf community) and shares Tactus's social-impact orientation for Deaf music access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tactus Music