Sense Scotland’s Sensatronic Lab

The project helps children like Bo, who is eleven years old and deafblind. He has been using the lab to explore music through creative play since 2015. The instruments and activities are individually tailored to match Bo’s sensory needs and the activities develop his sensory integration skills and his ability to acquire meaning from sound and sensory environments.

When the pandemic hit, Sense Scotland knew support for children and adults with disabilities was paramount, as many of them endured challenging lockdowns involving isolation, loss of routine and a lack of opportunities to learn.

In response, they launched Sensatronic Home Lab, a series of individualised online digital music and arts experiences for participants with complex needs. They used flexible digital music kits, online training and remote live video sessions to engage their participants with the arts and help them express themselves, create and connect with others at a time when many were shielding.

David McCluskey, who manages Sensatronic Lab, says: “That’s the thing about music – it just is inherently therapeutic. It reaches all of us and we're all innately musical so we relate strongly to it. Technology is amazing. The potential for us to adapt and experiment with creative tech is very equalising because there are always ways to tailor for individual's access.”