The system, called the Kinect Audio Project, uses Microsoft’s camera and motion sensor with a PC to fit children with virtual gloves that allow them to play notes by moving their hands around the screen to “touch” virtual symbols.
It was developed by Patricia Afari as part of her computing masters at Goldsmiths in London, and is now being trialled with disabled children at South Downs Community Special School in Eastbourne.
“The idea is to allow everyone to be included in these lessons,” she said.
“I would compare the system to a xylophone with seven notes, but some of the children are have such profound problems they can’t hold the beater on their own, which can be frustrating for them. This way they can join in independently, which is really important.”
"By enabling children to interact and recognise their own movements, we hope to encourage independence."
Miss Afari combined the Kinect controller with free audio and graphics software to build and refine the system during her studies.
Tom Smurthwaite, an interaction designer who supervised the project, said its use of relatively cheap technology was a major advantage.
“Being based on budget consumer technology and free downloadable software, KAP has the potential to be a required tool in special education,” he said.
Miss Afari, who first trained as a sound engineer and digital designer, is now considering how the system could be adapted to address more complicated problems for children with profound learning difficulties such as verbal communication, she said. She said she was fascinated with the idea of exploiting Kinect-style gesture technologies outside video gaming.
Her system is one of hundreds of Kinect “hacks” that have emerged since Microsoft introduced the ground-breaking Xbox 360 peripheral in 2010. A thriving community of hobbyists has adapted the device to work as a 3D scanner, and robotics controller and among many other applications.
The technology has even colonised hospitals, with doctors experimenting with new ways to control operating theatre equipment without the need to touch and potentially contaminate it.
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