|
Somatron Vibroacoustic Products Physiological Disabilities Source:
Published Journal Article This research study was carried out to see whether or not vibrotactile stimulation via a Somatron could help hearing-impaired children identify changes in rhythm. Twenty-nine hearing-impaired children participated in the research being presented with ten different rhythmic patterns both via a Somatron and aurally via a tape player. When the different patterns were experienced via the Somatron, the children were able to correctly identify a higher number of changes in rhythm than they were when the patterns were presented aurally. This finding was statistically significant (p<0.01). The author states that “hearing impaired children can benefit greatly from additional sensory input provided by vibrotactile stimuli” and that “learning can occur at a faster rate and in a more relaxed manner.” Source:
Published Journal Article "Enabling Through Sound and Music" Source:
Academic Clinical and Research Unit Mr.
Gordon Dalgarno is a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of
Psychology at Keele University in England where he works at the “Unit
for the Study of Musical Skill and Development”.
Mr. Dalgarno and his colleagues’ work focuses on three primary
objectives: Somatron,
and other vibroacoustic equipment are used by the unit primarily with
hearing impaired individuals.
For these individuals, Mr Dalgarno stresses that an individualized
program is the most successful.
Music can be experienced both vibrotactily and visually at
the unit and each individual is assessed for the most successful combination
of the two interventions in order to insure that they gain the most
enjoyment out of the music that is presented to them.
Mr Dalgarno reports that currently they are in the process
of developing and refining their vibroacoustic technology as well
as designing and conducting scientific research.
Research Note: Preschooler's Responses to Auditory and Vibroacoustic Stimuli Source:
Published Research Article 1)
A story played via a tape player In each group, children lay down on the Somatron mattress, even if the story or musical story was played via a tape player. In order to see the effects of the different story experiences, the researchers watched the children to see whether they a) were focusing their attention on the stories as they were played, b) understood what was happening during the stories, and c) had preferences for any part of their experience. The researchers found that the experience of being on the Somatron was preferred the most by those children who listened to a non musical story through it. No differences were found, however, between the attentiveness of the children in any of the four groups and neither the music or the vibration of the Somatron affected the children’s preferences for the the stories they heard. For both the children who experienced the non musical story and the children who experienced the musical story via the Somatron, their understanding of the story appeared to be somewhat reduced. The researchers suggested that further research be carried out with children of different ages to further explore the possibilities of vibroacoustic stimulation to affect attentiveness and comprehension. |