Vesball: a ball-shaped instrument for music therapy

In this paper the authors describe the VESBALL, which is a ball-shaped musical interface designed for group music therapy. Therapy sessions take the form of "musical ensembles" comprised of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), typically led by one or more certified music therapists. VESBALL had been developed in close consultation with therapists, clients, and other stakeholders, and had undergone several phases of trials at a music therapy facility over a period of 6 months. VESBALL has an advantage over other related work in terms of its robustness, ease of operation and setup (for clients and therapists), sound source integration, and low cost of production. The authors hope VESBALL would positively impact the conditions of individuals with ASD, and pave way for new research in custom-designed NIME for communities with specific therapeutic needs.

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