A tangible MIDI sequencer for visually impaired people

ABSTRACT

In contrast to many applications on the PC and in the Internet which are accessible to visually impaired people today, making electronic music with limited eye-sight is still a challenge. Standard software and hardware are both strongly dominated by graphical output. In order to close this cap, we developed a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) sequencer with audio-feedback and a new interaction paradigm which eliminates interaction with the PC's keyboard and screen. The blind musician relies solely on input via the instrument itself. He can both, record and play music via the instrument's black & white keys but at the same time control all functions of a multi-track MIDI sequencer without ever taking the hands off the instrument. We also use the MIDI-connection for coding different kinds of feedback to the user in an efficient way. The software which runs on a PC and is connected to an electronic instrument has been evaluated and improved extensively and is made available free of charge for visually impaired and normal-sighted people.

REFERENCES

• 1: M.A. Heller, Tactual perception of embossed morse code and braille: the alliance of vision and touch., Perception, 14(5):563--570, May 1985.
• 2: R.N. Shepard. Stimulus and response generalization: A stochastic model relating generalization to distance in psychological space., Psychometrika, 22(4):325--345, January 2006.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.5 Sound and Music Computing
          Subjects: Systems

General Terms:
Human Factors

Keywords:
MIDI, electronic music production, tactile interface, visually impaired