T/ACT – Sound controllers for social empowerment

This paper presents the T/Act sound controllers (Tactile – Action – Act – Actor) developed by the author together with young people with physical disabilities. The author seeks to show that interactive media technologies can significantly increase the level of social empowerment experienced by individuals taking part in public performance by magnifying the effect of their own actions and movement in the space. Using custom designed wireless electronic controllers, the performers “play” music and sound using the movements of their bodies and wheelchairs. For the disabled person, the ability to harness media technologies for artistic expression challenges their perceived public role as passive object. They become, through their own actions, active subjects causing affect to the whole audience experience.