The Leap Motion Controller in Clinical Music Therapy : A Computer-Based Approach to Intellectual and Motor Disabilities

This paper describes a technological approach to overcome motor and intellectual disabilities through musical expression. In the context of clinical music-therapy sessions, we propose the introduction of ad-hoc hardware sensor devices to improve free-hand interaction and to foster the development of communication and motor skills. Multiple educational aspects are involved, ranging from the ability for the disabled to play together in a non-competitive environment to the achievement of tangible rehabilitation results. The proposed system captures user’s gesture through a Leap Motion controller, and the signals thus generated are sent to a software tool that converts movements into music notes. These activities have been integrated into music-therapy sessions held at a renowned rehabilitation center and successfully experimented on a control group.