María José Valles del Pozo

This research paper focuses on the types of interaction enabled by a digital instrument named MotionComposer. In this paper we focus on its use by individuals of different ages, genders and educational backgrounds, with and without disabilities. We employ a free experimentation method using two of the six environments provided by this device: Fields (a more causal environment) and Tonality (chair) (a more random setting). Three main types of interaction stand out regardless of age, gender or disability, yet dependent on training background or personal experience. People with a musical background explore the device by engaging in sound-based interaction, dancers resort to movement-based interaction and contingent interaction is found in individuals who are trained both in music and in dance. The results show that people with some degree of disability display interaction opportunities similar to those of people without any disability, so that all participants exhibit very similar skill levels. This is a novel finding in the areas of education, therapy and the arts as regards the potential for self-expression afforded by this device.