Creating a Real-Time Responsive Handbalancing Interface with HAND★CS

This paper introduces HAND★CS, a new interface for interdisciplinary expression for music, movement, and light. Our interface augments a pedagogical interface for hand-balancing, Haptics-Assisted iNversions Device (HAND), and transforms it into one for artistic expression. It draws upon Licklider's concept of man-computer symbiosis, specifically the commensalism form of symbiosis. HAND★CS strives to embody a performance apparatus and system with symbiotic connectivity between performer and interface. This paper discusses the inspiration and background for such a system pulling from the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI), music technology and new interfaces for musical expression (NIME), and circus arts. In addition, it defines the design and implementation, evaluation of the prototype of HAND★CS, and future work.