Live Audience Accessibility & Augmentation 2 Beat Blocks (‘LAAA2BB’) Project

Bossey, Adrian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9874-6323 (2023) Live Audience Accessibility & Augmentation 2 Beat Blocks (‘LAAA2BB’) Project. [Project]

	Text (LAAA2BB Project Report) RKE Supporting Impactful KE Scheme End of Project Report LAAA2BB.docx - Submitted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (269kB)
Preview	Image (Adrian Bossey and Thangam Debbonaire at CJF) LAAA2 AB and Thangam Debbonaire Shadow Secretary of State for DCMS CREDIT A Bossey.jpeg Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (849kB) | Preview
Preview	Image (Falmouth student volunteers) Falmouth student volunteers on BB floor CREDIT Adrian Bossey.jpeg Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (770kB) | Preview
Preview	Image (National Star attendees at CJF) National Star attendees on Beat Blocks floor at Cheltenham CRETIT Sara Tink.jpg Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (2MB) | Preview
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Preview	Image (BB floor at Tropical Pressure) Dancing on Beat blocks floor Tropical Pressure CREDIT Steve Tanner.jpg Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (31MB) | Preview
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Abstract / Summary

The Live Audience Accessibility & Augmentation 2 Beat Blocks (‘LAAA2BB’) project consisted of knowledge exchange and research-based activities. The LAAA2BB Knowledge Exchange programme supported an innovative new business to introduce the potential of haptic technology to music festivals, disability organisations and policy makers. Meanwhile, LAAA2BB field research measured audience and policy maker perceptions of the BEAT BLOCKS haptic dancefloor. LAAA2BB installations took place during 2024 at Cheltenham Jazz Festival (2-3 May) Meltdown Festival at the Southbank (14 June) and Tropical Pressure (14 July). LAAA2BB field research and knowledge exchange at Cheltenham Jazz Festival incorporated the Access to Music Conference which was co-convened by Adrian Bossey, who also delivered the conference key note presentation. During the conference, Bellatrix was programmed to perform with a haptic floor tile on stage, in order to feel the same vibrations during their performance as the audience on the floor.
LAAA2BB worked with partners to introduce audience members who are d/Deaf, disabled or neurodiverse to BEAT BLOCKS. At Cheltenham Jazz Festival; LAAA2BB partnered with National Star, Gloucestershire Deaf Association and Gloucester Disability Arts Association to provide a haptic experience for their students and members. In London, Attitude is Everything organised Mystery Shopper attendees for Meltdown. Finally, LAAA2BB worked with Access Cornwall, Hearing Loss Cornwall and iSight Cornwall to source participants for Tropical Pressure.

The LAAA2BB project built on the previous success of the initial LAAA project which installed a haptic dance floor at Falmouth University in May 2023. LAAA2BB also drew on learnings from separate but related field tests of haptic vests, in the LAAA2F project, which took place at Boomtown Fair in August 2023 and the Deaf Rave Festival in October 2023.

LAAA2BB aligned with the Research and Knowledge Exchange priorities in the Cornwall Business School RKE Environment Plan by responding to the theme of Exploring Events & Tourism Futures as well as the cross-cutting strands of: The Nexus of Creativity & Technology AND Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.

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