A collections of DIY Open-Hardware sensors for Accessible Digital Musical Instruments interfacing

https://github.com/Neeqstock/NITHSensors

NithSensors is a collection of hardware/software solutions created to harness the movement capabilities of individuals with motor disabilities such as quadriplegia, to add new ways to let them interact with computers. It includes both easily replicable hardware designs and software applications to exploit commonly available hardware (such as webcams), which I provide free for use.

It was originally thought for music interaction, but the potential applications in the field of accessibility are multiple.

Collection

Each design comes with assembly instructions when needed, and an indication of which interaction channels it enables.

NithSensors

Philosophy

NithSensors hardware designs were developed with a specific philosophy in mind:

• Replicability: they are designed to be easily replicated using a combination of readily available materials (e.g., from DIY stores), chips, and sensors that can be ordered online.
• Low Cost: they aim to maximize functionality while keeping costs as low as possible.
• Simplicity: they are designed to be as simple as possible to construct, without unnecessary complexity.
• Ease of Assembly: they are engineered to require the fewest possible skills for assembly, allowing anyone to build them.
• Free and Open-Source Licenses: all designs and assembly instructions are published under Open-Source Hardware licenses, and the related software is released under Open-Source Software licenses. This means that anyone can access and contribute to them.

Uses

The NithSensors are a product of my research project, where I'm developing accessible musical instruments for individuals with quadriplegia. Our instruments are operated by NithSensors alone or in combination with other commercially available peripherals. However, music is not the only important aspect of life… There’s potential for using these solutions in other contexts, such as developing applications for general computer accessibility.

Interaction Channels

By interaction channels, I mean different and potentially independent movement capabilities. In an article, we identified a list of interaction channels available to people with quadriplegia, divided into four categories (or macro-areas).