Nose Can Play Music on New Instrument From: Discovery News - 05/29/2007 By: Tracy Staedter A recent graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State is behind an adaptive-use musical instrument that is designed to serve as a musical therapy tool for people with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy. Zane Van Dusen, a graduate of computer science and electronic media arts and communications, teamed up with Pauline Oliveros, a musician and arts professor at Rensselaer, to develop the interface, which relies on an affordable webcam and specialized computer software. The user, sitting in front of a computer, sees live video of their face through a webcam, and uses motion-tracking software to choose a point to track, such as the tip of their nose. Movements are tracked across an onscreen keyboard, with low notes to the left and high notes to the right, and sounds are also determined by the rectangle that appears on the screen around the face of the user. The percussive mode allows the user to produce a snare drum or cymbal sound by moving outside the rectangle. The tool helps children focus more on their movements, according to a pilot study at Rehabs Programs in Poughkeepsie. "The added benefit of all this is that the children are working on their head control," says Leaf Miller, a professional musician and an occupational therapist at Rehab Programs. "It can also be adapted for speech language pathologists to use for communication." Read the entire article at: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/05/29/nosemusic_tec.html Links: Student Unlocks Power of Music for People with Disabilities http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070513074258.htm http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2142&setappvar=page(1) http://www.medlaunches.com/gadgets/power_of_music_for_disabled_pe.php Student co-develops head bangin' music maker http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/20/student-co-develops-head-bangin-music-maker/ Leaf Miller - Musical Instruments for the Physically Challenged http://www.deeplistening.org/site/adaptiveuse