Nessie the Hydraulophone

A Water-Driven Musical Object for Children

Abstract

Developed by Steve Mann, “Nessie” the Hydraulophone is a water-driven, interactive musical object that provides children with open-ended and unstructured creative play opportunities with water and sound. Children have interacted with Nessie in a variety of spaces including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's (CNIB) outdoor classroom, Ryerson University's Early Learning Centre, the Ontario Science Centre, and various public outdoor play areas in the Toronto area. In collaboration with the Experiential Design and Gaming Environments Lab’s research on sensory play and disability, this field report documents Nessie's development, implementation and potential as a research object.