On this episode of 3D Universe Untethered, we sit down with Rick Williams, a long-time e-NABLE Volunteer and an expert musician who has been serving to amputees and people with congenital limb variations to have the ability to expertise the enjoyment of taking part in music through the use of a mix of custom-made devices, custom-made prosthetic gadgets, and the MIDI protocol.

Rick developed these strategies for himself after he suffered a horrific accident that severed his hand (which was fortunately capable of be re-attached).

Rick shares how he’s incorporating MIDI into 3D-printed assistive gadgets in addition to another private tasks he has been engaged on.

Rick’s Accident

Rick shares concerning the accident that severed his hand.

“It was an absolute freak accident. There was a tough drive that was caught in one of many previous (laptop) gigantic steel circumstances. It was rusted in or one thing and simply wouldn’t come out. So I’m pulling on it and pulling on it, and it wouldn’t let go. Lastly, the drive let go, and so they don’t roll the sides of the steel case anymore; within the previous days, they rolled them. Properly, it severed my hand, tendons, arteries, all the pieces. They stated I solely had 5 extra minutes to reside as a result of I used to be bleeding out.“

He goes on to clarify, “Curiously sufficient, I requested Amazon Alexa to name my spouse as a result of I used to be simply going to inform her goodbye as a result of I knew I used to be slipping. She obtained on the telephone, and it was loopy she even had her telephone as a result of usually at work she isn’t allowed to have it. She referred to as the neighbor and instructed them to get in the home it doesn’t matter what. They got here in and located me and took me to the hospital, and so they reattached my hand. The reattachment, I can’t complain; it’s higher than nothing. As a musician, that may be a huge factor to lose.”

Rick performs 12 devices and dealing on studying a thirteenth, so music has been an enormous a part of his life. It helped him pay his approach by means of faculty; he’s been in quite a few bands and has executed studio work as nicely.

Due to his spouse, who refused to let the surgeons amputate his hand that day, he was in some way capable of lastly get some feeling again and begin experimenting with different methods to make music occur, not only for himself, however for amputees who believed there was no approach they’d have the ability to play music once more.

He shares, “I wasn’t able to give up.”

After refusing to surrender hope and getting some feeling again into his personal hand, Rick is now working with the amputee neighborhood to assist create musical devices that use the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) protocol and permits them to find and rediscover abilities they thought weren’t doable because of a limb distinction.

“Let’s face it, MIDI has been the holy grail because the 80s,” explains Rick.

For these that aren’t acquainted, MIDI is a protocol that has largely been used for music. It permits digital devices and numerous different digital musical instruments to speak with one another. MIDI by itself doesn’t make any sound. It simply generates a collection of messages like “steady controller,” “be aware on,” “be aware off,” “patch change,” “pitch bend,” and extra. The messages are then interpreted by a MIDI instrument to supply the specified sound. A MIDI instrument generally is a piece of {hardware} like an digital guitar, keyboard, or synthesizer or a part of a software program setting like Garageband, Digital Performer, or Logic Professional, for instance.

From creating the aptly named “sh*t-tar” from a bedpan, a guitar comprised of a shovel, and rather more, to serving to a younger musician play drums and different devices through the use of MIDI, Rick has change into a godsend to those that have limb variations and wish to play music.

Rick doesn’t simply cease at serving to with musical devices, nevertheless. He additionally helps to design new 3D printed prosthetics for the e-NABLE neighborhood and continues giving his time to make a distinction.

Please take the time to observe the video beneath to see a few of the unimaginable and distinctive work Rick has been doing for the previous 5 years, or hearken to his story on our podcast.

Rick Williams – Leveraging MIDI to Allow Amputees to Play Music | Video

The video for Episode 29 of 3D Universe Untethered is reside on YouTube for people who desire to observe and find out about Rick’s work. You will discover the hyperlink to the video right here.

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Podcast Hyperlink | Episode 29

For these of you preferring to sit down again and hear whilst you navigate your life, you possibly can take a look at the 3D Universe Untethered podcast of this episode right here or utilizing the participant beneath.

Extra Details about e-NABLE

To be taught extra concerning the e-NABLE volunteer neighborhood, the place volunteers all over the world are serving to to offer assistive gadgets (usually 3D printed) to folks in underserved communities, go to: http://enablingthefuture.org/

To hitch the dialogue or get entangled, take a look at the e-NABLE Hub at https://hub.e-nable.org/

To get in contact with Rick about his work, you possibly can ship him a personal message on the e-NABLE Hub, or you possibly can e-mail the e-NABLE assist desk at help@e-nable.org.

For extra 3D Universe Untethered episodes, go to https://3duniverseuntethered.com/ and for episodes devoted to new 3D printed e-NABLE gadgets, please take a look at episode 6 with Mat Bowtell and episode 15 with Mike Larson!