Targeting new opportunities in live quality for people with different abilities and of all ages through art and technology

ICDVRAT & ArtAbilitation 2008 International Conference

***** SPECIALICDVRAT/ArtAbilitation SESSION *****

“HELPING THROUGH MUSIC”

Casa da Musica (CdM), Porto, Portugal, 11September 2008

CALL FOR PAPERS

Extended Abstract Submission Deadline: 15March 2008*

(Accepted Papers Submission Deadline: 1 July 2008)

Papers that report on helping people with different abilities through music related methods and technology are sought for a special session that will be convened on the morning of 11th September. This special session will conclude the ICDVRAT/AA conference activities in nearby Maia. Following a musical interlude (see below) the symposium of Art, Brain and Language will be hosted, also in Casa da Musica. Papers from this special session will be printed in the ICDVRAT/ArtAbilitation conference proceedings book. Following the session all ICDVRAT/AA delegates are invited to attend an afternoon rehearsal of the “World Music Day Concert” that is presented by theORQUESTRA NACIONAL DO PORTO (ONP) in the spectacular 1200 seat CdMauditorium (pictures above). This event inaugurates a planned series of international concerts. These concerts are planned to incrementally build towardaugmenting opportunities for people with disabilities to access and appreciate live classical music. Thisis hypothesised through multimodal sense substitution/brain remapping.The background and future evolution of the work will be given.

This special session is convened to acknowledge that alternative musical controllers are evolving to offernew potentials in work with people with impairment. Many such instruments use physiological signals that are sourced and generated via non-invasive or worn sensor-based interfaces. Input control can befrom voice, gesture, muscle tension, brainwave activity, sweat, heartbeat, pupil dilation, or other biofeedback data. Data routingis selectable via computer algorithmsto stimulate our senses, i.e. auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory etc. In this respect, composing or controlling musical feedback has been shown to be especially rewarding for user groups in their training, development and general quality of life.

When a person has impairment in one sense modality it is possible to stimulate via another modality toward associated correspondences. Thus, for example, a deaf person can receive visual and tactile stimulus that can offer an appreciation of music when meaningful data is resourced from the music and mapped accordingly. This data can be as an expressive performance cue such as in bowing, plucking or striking; an extracted audio attribute; or performerphysiological signals. Alternative solutions of interfaces for musical performance are evolving through similar sensor technologies as that which can be used to capture data from a person with impairment. Choices for input can be from a body part that acts as an agent to exhibit strengthened sense modality (potentially via brain remapping), so that for example a person with such sense substitution/remapping could even perform to potentially a higher level that a non-impaired person.The selected input could alternatively be from a weakened physiological attribute that is targeted under a rehabilitation training program. Reduced or loss of function could therefore be trained where the subject engages in creative and playful challenges that are pleasurable, enjoyable and fun. Thus, motivation for both subject and facilitator is hypothesised as augmented.

Papers that report research along these lines or promote related discussion through an innovative concept, method or tool are thus welcome as proposed contributions for the special session.

Publication and Submission of Papers:

Submission of abstracts implies that authors are able to provide a full paper (c. 8 pages), which will appear in the conference proceedings. The proceedings will be available at the conference. Authors are required to use the template.

Paper Submission: Authors are requested to email (preferred) an extended abstract for consideration to:

Associate Professor Tony Brooks, Software & Media Technology (Medialogy),

AalborgUniversityEsbjerg, Esbjerg 6710, Denmark

Tel: +4579127716, Fax: +4579127710, Email: tonybrooks [at] aaue [dot] dk

The abstract should include a cover page with: Designated conference name = “ICDVRAT/ArtAbilitation MUSIC SESSION”; Paper Title; author’s names (underline surname/mark correspondence author), affiliations, and addresses; Email address and fax number of contact; Up to 5 keywords to describe the paper; Requirements for video presentation equipment.

Example papersare available on the ICDVRAT website (Archive Section).The template for the final paper is also available (Author Information Section).

Extended Abstract: As a guide an extended abstract should be taken to mean two pages of text (c. 800~1000 words), plus supporting images/diagrams/tables. The text should be clear enough to allow referees to judge the potential of the paper’s suitability for ArtAbilitation. Submissions of research demonstrators abstracts are also encouraged. Please note: as a firm rule, short abstracts will not be reviewed and will be automatically rejected.

Review procedure: Each submission will be reviewed under the following specific headings: originality of concept(s); clarity of presentation; relevance to the conference; technical soundness;and importance of results. It is important to provide sufficient information for the last two headings in the abstract to facilitate assessment. The conference language is English. All presentations will be 20 minutes, with an additional 5 minutes for questions, and with a further discussion period scheduled for the end of each session. Accepted papers should be presented by one of the contributing authors at the conference. Publication in the conference proceedings is dependent on delegate representation.

Important Dates:

In order to produce the conference proceedings in time for the conference it is important that the following dates are strictly respected:

Submission of Abstracts15March, 2008 (notification of acceptance15 May, 2008)

Instructions for camera ready papers will be sent on acceptance of the paper.

Submission of Final Paper1 July, 2008

Final papers are required to be submitted in Word format to facilitate electronic editing of the Proceedings.

Registration:

This session is only open for delegates attending ICDVRAT & ArtAbilitation 2008 or the Art, Brain & Language Symposium

Please see details at and web sites.

Letters of Invite:

Authors of accepted papers who require confirmation of registration will receive a letter supporting their attendance at the conference. The conference does not issue letters of invitation otherwise.

Disclaimer: The conference organisersreserve the right to change any aspect of the event.