A case study on Netychords: crafting accessible digital musical instrument interaction for a special needs scenario

Abstract

Musical expression significantly impacts individual development, enriching cognitive, emotional, and social capacities. This influence is particularly profound in young individuals with cognitive or physical impairments. To address this, we devised an ecosystem of software tools, paired with specially designed hardware devices, such as an eye tracker. Our approach empowers even severely impaired users, with no prior music education, to achieve musical performance. In this paper, we detail a case study involving a child with cerebral palsy, providing an examination of the strengths and shortcomings of our approach. By utilizing a specialized instrument, called Netychords, the child achieved a significant milestone, namely the enrollment in Portugal’s Arts Education Program, which fostered musical interaction with his peers and educators. This paper focuses on the technical aspects of the user’s experience with the instrument, which catalyzed numerous redesign phases, adapting it to the child’s unique needs and motor abilities. Our analysis of this adaptive design process strives to offer valuable insights to extend our approach to cater to various special needs scenarios.