01 / PRIMARY USERS
Autistic children
Comfort, choice and willingness to participate guide the design, including the choice to pause or try another approach.
AUTISM & MUSIC / WHO WE DESIGN FOR
For autistic children.
For their own rhythm.
Autistic children are Xunova’s primary users and the people at the centre of our design. Clear cues, adjustable practice and preferred sounds are our starting points for exploring a more inviting way into music.
02 / PRIORITY BUYERS
Institutions
Our first intended buyers are centres and education providers serving autistic children. Teachers or practitioners support selection, setup and evaluation.
03 / A LATER HOME SETTING
Families
Parents help choose sounds and support use. Home purchase and practice are a later direction as reliability and individual fit are established.
UNDERSTANDING THE SPECTRUM / MEETING THE INDIVIDUAL
One sound will not
suit every child.
ASD: autism spectrum disorder.
We focus on each child’s needs and preferences.
Autism is a spectrum. Communication, sensory experiences and support needs can differ between children and change over time.
We begin by getting to know the child before choosing a sound or task. An autism diagnosis alone does not tell us whether a child will enjoy the xun, dislike a sound or prefer a particular way to practise.
Background: WHO · Autism · NICE · CG170
FROM INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES TO DESIGN
Familiar fingering.
A voice of their choice.
Individual differences give us a reason to offer choice. Replaceable samples make sound preference part of how Xunova can be set up.
01
Listen to preferences
Offer a quiet preview the child is willing to hear. Ask, observe and accept a no.
02
Prepare the voice
A supporting adult prepares suitable xun, piano, flute or other samples for the device’s pitch slots.
03
Keep familiar actions
Keep light cues, touch and breath. Let the child’s response guide continuing, changing the voice or pausing.
The current prototype changes voice through sample uploads. Sound choice is considered alongside volume, light and task pacing; changing a voice alone cannot guarantee comfort or clinical benefit.
How Xunova adapts its voice ↗01 / OUR FIRST INTENDED SETTING
A teacher nearby.
Choice with the learner.
A teacher or qualified supporting adult checks the instrument, selects sounds, adjusts breath sensitivity and models a short task. The learner can try, observe, choose another approach or finish.
An intended use setting, not a statement of existing institutional partnerships, completed child trials or a validated intervention.
Start with preferences.
Ask and observe how the learner responds to sound, light, texture and grip. A lower tone does not suit everyone.
Offer one clear task.
Model “touch, then gently blow” with one clearly cued note. Begin at a low volume and keep the initial task small.
Make stopping ordinary.
Notice discomfort and requests to stop. Not playing, repeating, resting or ending are valid choices; longer endurance is not the only goal.
A SHORT SESSION / AN EXAMPLE FLOW
Small steps.
Room to respond.
This is a flow to explore, without a fixed duration or performance target. A supporting adult adapts it to comfort and willingness to participate.
Look. Listen. Choose.
Introduce the instrument. After checking a low volume, the adult demonstrates. Let the learner choose whether to hold it, touch a contact or keep observing.
Try a note. Then decide.
Begin with a guided note. If the learner wants to continue, offer a short self-paced melody or free exploration. The next mode is an option.
Ending is part of playing.
Stop the active mode, then the audio, and verify before disconnecting. Attend to how the experience felt, as well as which notes were played.
02 / A FUTURE DIRECTION
A familiar experience,
continued at home.
Home practice is a later direction, after further work on device reliability, support, cleaning and individual fit.
We hope families can carry familiar sounds and short tasks into home practice, with teachers helping choose suitable settings. The current prototype does not provide family accounts, online courses, cloud progress or remote teaching services.