Motion-Sensing Music for Children with Physical Limitations
(1997 - 2001)
In conjunction with Hasbro Childrenís Hospital and Meeting Street
School
This project, to allow children with severe physical limitations to
create music, began in 1997 in collaboration with movement specialist Walter
Ferrero working at the Meeting Street School, in Providence, RI. The idea
was to have each child create a ědanceî with whatever physical capabilities
he or she possessed, and to create music based on physical gestures with
the aid of a video camera and computer motion-tracking system. By mapping
motion to musical characteristics, the children were able to play music
simply by moving parts of their body. Limited coordination and small
movements were mapped to musical parameters to create melodies, rhythms,
and shape sounds.
We worked with creative movement while experimenting with a number of
simple sound mappings, including ways to produce engaging melodies and
rhythms. The aural feedback provided an incentive to participate, and several
staff members remarked that they saw the children move in ways never seen
before. Most important, the children had fun and felt empowered to play
music with their bodies. What was especially important was that every child
seemed to intuitively grasp the basic concept of how the system worked
right away, and many were overjoyed with their new-found musical abilities.
The project ran for nine 50 minute sessions over the summer of 1997. I
did three additional sessions in April of 1999 at Meeting Street School
for ěSibling Day,î where special needs children and their siblings participated
together.
A second grant, in 2000, enabled this work to continue in collaboration
with nurses at the Hasbro Childrenís Hospital, in Providence, RI. Using
a portable cart, the system was wheeled into rooms where children were
confined to bed, and they were able to play music and select sounds using
minimal movements. The most recent version of the system adds video processing,
simple animation, and film selection, all though movement.
Several of the professional staff described the potential therapeutic
applications for this technology. However, my main concern is that of an
artist, to give the children an engaging participatory experience and access
to the joy of making music. These projects also increase the access to
arts to an underserved population of kids who, as I have seen, thrive in
this artistic environment that is tailor-made to their needs.
Both projects were supported by grants from Rhode Island Council
on the Arts
