John Biddulph, Music for ASD Project Director, talks about using the MIDIcreator with some young people on the Autistic spectrum.

This case study was previously hosted on the MIDIcreator-Resources website and is dated according to it’s original submission to that site.

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Our project works with people (3 – 18 years in particular) on the Autistic spectrum. Here is a short update:

Ahead of schedule (we thought March originally) MIDIcreator is already making its mark (along with a little human input!) with the autistic young people we are working with. We hope to expand to an older age group too in due course but there are some totally delightful and unexpected spin offs from our composing and performing work.

As I’m sure you know, many people with an ASD have difficulty in judging socially acceptable distances, using MIDIgesture, we have been able to show them how it is possible to maintain an appropriate distance either by making the sound stop when they get too close to someone or start when they get too close.

The other is placing the sensor in such a position that it starts to make a sound if they begin to move, say, their leg rapidly as often happens when people with ASD become stressed or tense.

Whilst this is not our main purpose for MIDIcreator and MIDIgesture it is delightful discovery that we intend to pursue.