So I have an idea. I want to create a leaning platform for people to lay on. The platform would only lean in two directions. The person would lie with the pivot traveling the length of their body underneath them. I want to keep them from spreading their legs too far out, so the platform will only be about two feet wide plus outriggers at the top and bottom, so the platform angle doesn't get too steep. Sort of like a giant letter "I." I want the participant to lay on the platform and be able to reach up and hold onto two ropes hanging above them. By using these to pull on, the person should be able to balance themselves over the middle, with only th pivot touching the ground. To help them figure out what I want them to do, I want to use sound as a reward, positive reinforcement type system. They should be wearing a pair of headphones. When balanced over the center, all they will hear is some sort of nice music ( la cucaracha maybe?). When leaning over to the left side a buzz or beep will be in their left ear, with the same happening to the right when leaning on that side. The scenario goes like this. The person lies down on the board and puts on correctly oriented headphones. They might put on some sort of blind fold too. I haven't decided. The person reaches up to grab a rope in each hand a little more than shoulder width apart. The sound could be constantly on or turned on at this point in the process. The participant should know generally that they can lean to one side or the other by pulling on the ropes to shift their weight. So, while trying this out for the first time, they would probably just flop over to the other side. Part of the initial motivation is to see if they can get away from the sound that is coming from that side. But on their way over, they would catch just a brief moment of solace away from the annoying sound in their ear. At this point, they would realize that the way the sound is coming from the headphones relates directly to their position. They would probably notice the same pleasant music (in comparison) again when they figure out how to flip back. Hopefully, like training a dog, the person would then feel compelled to figure out how to keep themselves balanced in the middle. This should provide for my ultimate goal of heightening their awareness of the kinestetics or internals feelings associated with movements.

posted by cliff

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