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Visual instrument co-design embracing the unique movement capabilities of a dancer with physical disability

Sam Trolland, Melinda Smith, Alon Ilsar, Jon McCormack

TL;DR

The paper addresses designing expressive, accessible visual instruments for performers with physical disability by co-designing with a dancer with cerebral palsy. It combines wearable IMU-based motion capture with an ephemeral, texture-based visualization in a 30-minute live performance, driven by a practice-based, iterative development cycle across nine rehearsals. Key contributions include a movement-led design workflow, mapping orientation and Energy to brush-stroke visuals, and evidence that personalized interfaces expand expressive potential and influence movement practice. The work offers design principles for customizable digital instruments and demonstrates meaningful impact on performance practice and daily creative expression for disabled artists.

Abstract

This paper explores the design of an expressive visual instrument that embraces the unique movement style of a dancer living with physical disability. Through a collaboration between the dancer and an interaction designer/visual artist, the creative qualities of wearable devices for motion tracking are investigated, with emphasis on integrating the dancer's specific movement capabilities with their creative goals. The affordances of this technology for imagining new forms of creative expression play a critical role in the design process. These themes are drawn together through an experiential performance which augments an improvised dance with an ephemeral real-time visualisation of the performer's movements. Through practice-based research, the design, development and presentation of this performance work is examined as a 'testbed' for new ideas, allowing for the exploration of HCI concepts within a creative context. This paper outlines the creative process behind the development of the work, the insights derived from the practice-based research enquiry, and the role of movement technology in encouraging new ways of moving through creative expression.

Visual instrument co-design embracing the unique movement capabilities of a dancer with physical disability

TL;DR

The paper addresses designing expressive, accessible visual instruments for performers with physical disability by co-designing with a dancer with cerebral palsy. It combines wearable IMU-based motion capture with an ephemeral, texture-based visualization in a 30-minute live performance, driven by a practice-based, iterative development cycle across nine rehearsals. Key contributions include a movement-led design workflow, mapping orientation and Energy to brush-stroke visuals, and evidence that personalized interfaces expand expressive potential and influence movement practice. The work offers design principles for customizable digital instruments and demonstrates meaningful impact on performance practice and daily creative expression for disabled artists.

Abstract

This paper explores the design of an expressive visual instrument that embraces the unique movement style of a dancer living with physical disability. Through a collaboration between the dancer and an interaction designer/visual artist, the creative qualities of wearable devices for motion tracking are investigated, with emphasis on integrating the dancer's specific movement capabilities with their creative goals. The affordances of this technology for imagining new forms of creative expression play a critical role in the design process. These themes are drawn together through an experiential performance which augments an improvised dance with an ephemeral real-time visualisation of the performer's movements. Through practice-based research, the design, development and presentation of this performance work is examined as a 'testbed' for new ideas, allowing for the exploration of HCI concepts within a creative context. This paper outlines the creative process behind the development of the work, the insights derived from the practice-based research enquiry, and the role of movement technology in encouraging new ways of moving through creative expression.
Paper Structure (21 sections, 3 figures)

This paper contains 21 sections, 3 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. Creative Process
  4. Description of Performance Piece
  5. Iterative Development Cycle
  6. Movement-led Development
  7. Interaction and Visualisation System Development
  8. Rehearsal Sessions: Evaluation and Exploration
  9. Analysis of Movement Data
  10. Visualisation of Performer's Movements
  11. Insights
  12. Visual augmentation of movement
  13. Iterative and inclusive design process
  14. Expressing the individuality of movement
  15. Encouraging new ways of moving through technology
  16. ...and 6 more sections

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: Performer's interactions with the visualisation during the performance showing.
  • Figure 2: Analysis of orientation data recorded during a rehearsal session.
  • Figure 3: Performer's interactions with digital reinterpretations of their paintings during the performance showing.