It looks a little like a wooden football, but it makes sweet, soothing sounds and it’s pronounced “cradle.” It’s a beautiful piece of sculpted hardwood with touchpads on the surface and embedded electronics. The central idea is to provide another outlet for non-verbal human connection coupled with music or a soundscape.
The CRDL’s design focuses on helping people with cognitive or physical challenges experience moments of shared meaning through sound and touch. While not exactly a musical instrument, the CRDL transforms human connection into music. When someone places a hand on it, alone or with another person, their touch becomes part of the circuit and the CRDL responds instantly with soft, beautiful sounds. It is pre-programmed with 15 sound-stories such as Nature, Atlantis, and Sitar, and new sound-stories can be created.
A CRDL moment starts when two users each place a hand on the conductive pads and then form a circuit at the moment they touch each other. The device recognizes the manner and intensity of touch and translates this into different sounds. However, it is the user that creates the possibilities. How a person chooses to approach and touch another can convey different meanings and intentions. It can be used one-on-one or in a large group session.
The CRDL is a new addition to the amenities Wake Robin offers to its residents. According to Emily Elderton, Recreation Service Manager, “residents engage longer, maintain eye contact, and seem genuinely delighted as the instrument responds to them. There is no pressure to perform, just moments of curiosity and control.”
Without seeing this magical interface of human and machine, it’s hard to fathom how it can break through isolation and create a form of equality whereby each participant has the same opportunity to engage – but it does! This is about the basic need to connect.
The fact that we have a CRDL at Wake Robin is due to the foresight and generosity of a former resident who left a bequest “to support the arts and recreation for the benefit of the residents of Wake Robin.” That is the legacy of the estate fund established by Patrick Kennedy. A heartfelt connection, from one human to another.
