Interactive Metronome
Posted by Dr. G. Ken Smith on 2010-05-06 16:41:07
The Interactive Metronome was first used in the music industry. The inventor, James Cassily, wanted to help musicians improve their rythem in order to become better performers. The traditional mettronome has been used for decades but it could only offer passive guidance. It provided no feedback therefore it had limitations. Jim's idea was to provide a metronome beat and measure how far off the beat (in milliseconds) the performers were, and whether they were ahead of or behind the beat, and to give the musician auditory feedback that would help them improve.
Little did Jim know the startling ramifications his Interactive Metronome would have. Today IM is used in settings as varied as schools, hospitials, clinics, universities, the military and large coorporations to improve the brain's efficieancy and performance.
It gave Jim great pleasure to know that his music industry device was used to help children with learning and development deficits and patients who suffered a stroke, brain injury or Parkinson's Disease. Sadly, Jim passed away in March 2005. But he got to see his dream adopted by thousands of clinicians around the world.