A Music Tangible User Interface for the Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation of Elderly People

This paper proposes the combined use of tangible user interfaces, digital technologies, and musical expression in the context of cognitive and motor rehabilitation of elderly people. After analyzing the state of the art about common age impairments and tangible user interfaces in rehabilitation, we will introduce the Kibo, a MIDI controller based on the concept of fiducials and able to communicate with other MIDI devices via Bluetooth. The peculiar characteristics of the Kibo will be exploited in a Web framework aiming to foster the development or recovery of cognitive and motor abilities through 3 specially designed games. The paper will also report remarks from domain experts (music therapists and physiatrists) and the consequent redesign.