Edinburgh Napier University

  This is an exploration of diversity in Embodied Music Interaction through three case studies entitled (i) Accessible interactive digital signage for the visually impaired, (ii) Human-Sound Interaction and (iii) BSL in Embodied Music Interaction (EMI). The first case study looks at the potential of enhancing the interactive digital signage experience for people with vision impairment by taking advantage of mid-air haptic feedback technology. The second case study, Human-Sound Interaction, focuses on human-centred interaction design aspects that determine the realisation and appreciation of musical works, interfaces and instruments in a collaborative, interactive, inclusive and diverse music environment. We created a cross-modal audio-visual-haptic prototype to interact with a ‘sound-object’. The last work, BSL in EMI, is an ongoing exploratory study in the field of Embodied Music Interaction (EMI) to greater understand how British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters categorise music for the hearing impaired. We worked with professional BSL music interpreters to record and analyse the relationships between audio features and body movements. In this presentation, we’ll discuss lessons learned from these case studies and considerations for future works on sound, music and embodiment that can support a diverse population.