Output details

ReacTickles: playful interaction with information communication technologies

The International Journal of Art & Technology (IJART) addresses new works, research and performances in the multi-disciplinary area of new technologies and the arts. This paper expands on a body of research, published between 2006 and 2008 in which the author explored the impact of tangible interaction, calm technologies and play, on the communication interests of children diagnosed with autism. The theoretical underpinning for the work was informed by literature on embodiment and how the body mediates social communication by transforming our innermost emotions into external actions. The triangulation of methods adopted for the research included design activities and studies undertaken with pupils with low functioning autism and provided compelling evidence a for taking holistic viewpoint of the creative and expressive abilities of the subjects. The paper reported on findings in the research, in which it was discovered that children were more relaxed, playful and creative when the technology interface perceptually and behaviourally mapped their actions. The reduction of cognitive overload afforded them the freedom to experience control and affect in ways that were inconceivable in other areas of their lives. This, in turn, increased their intentional actions, their desire to draw attention to these actions and their expressive communication. The research was funded by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts: Learning Programme. The findings provided the foundations for future work using the body as an input device. The editor of the Journal has maintained collaborative links that have resulted in invited lectures, a book chapter, conference panels and presentations, reviewing as well as a more recent journal article (WIRAD_CM_WKB02).