Interacting with music mediation technology for hearing impaired - first tests with normal hearing subjects

Interaction with embodied mediation technology for musical activities is a fairly young but intriguing research domain that requires building and testing of paradigms. In this paper an experimental framework is presented that has been used to test subject’s sense of embodiment in sound identification and creation. A preliminary experiment is described that is part of an ongoing series of studies set up to evaluate embodied mediation technology, test methodologies and interfaces for user-oriented approaches to embodied music cognition. Thirty-three users interacted with the embodied music interaction (EMI) tool that is prototype software implemented in-house for a real-time interactive music system. The ultimate goal of this system under development is to open new doors to music creativity, for example for musical interaction between normal-hearing people and hearing-impaired individuals with cochlear implant (CI). Being a device that is easy to handle and that provides an experience of embodiment makes the EMI tool a powerful instrument. However, several challenges still have to be overcome for achieving such goal, both technically and methodologically. The presented experimental framework supplies support for the investigation of user’s sense of embodiment and definition of issues that need to be improved. Results show that the sense of flow and presence points out the importance of the possibility of corporeal activity in an embodied music environment.