Scalable Accessible Music-Making with Commodity Controllers and Modular Augmentations in Resource-Constrained Settings

Calvin McCormack

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

Accessible digital musical instruments (ADMIs) hold significant potential for enabling musical expression among individuals with disabilities, yet most fail to achieve sustained use beyond their initial contexts. Cost, scalability, and adaptability are further magnified in resource-constrained environments, where the majority of the world's population lives. This paper presents a framework for scalable ADMI deployment built on a modular system of commodity game controllers, 3D-printed accessibility augmentations, and open-source Android applications. We describe the framework's design principles, present a case study from an initial deployment at a nonprofit organization in Northern India supporting women with disabilities, and discuss implications for accessible music technology in cost-sensitive contexts worldwide.

Citation

Calvin McCormack. 2026. Scalable Accessible Music-Making with Commodity Controllers and Modular Augmentations in Resource-Constrained Settings. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20784449 [PDF]

BibTeX Entry

@inproceedings{nime2026_148,
 abstract = {Accessible digital musical instruments (ADMIs) hold significant potential for enabling musical expression among individuals with disabilities, yet most fail to achieve sustained use beyond their initial contexts.  Cost, scalability, and adaptability are further magnified in resource-constrained environments, where the majority of the world's population lives. This paper presents a framework for scalable ADMI deployment built on a modular system of commodity game controllers, 3D-printed accessibility augmentations, and open-source Android applications. We describe the framework's design principles, present a case study from an initial deployment at a nonprofit organization in Northern India supporting women with disabilities, and discuss implications for accessible music technology in cost-sensitive contexts worldwide.},
 address = {London, United Kingdom},
 articleno = {148},
 author = {Calvin McCormack},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.20784449},
 editor = {Benedict Gaster and João Tragtenberg and Anna Xambó and Tom Mitchell},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 note = {},
 numpages = {5},
 pages = {1206--1210},
 presentation-video = {https://youtu.be/BWs3KaamE14},
 title = {Scalable Accessible Music-Making with Commodity Controllers and Modular Augmentations in Resource-Constrained Settings},
 track = {paper},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2026/nime2026_148.pdf},
 year = {2026}
}