The field of research dedicated to the design, creation, use, and evaluation of new sound and music technologies supporting health and well-being is rapidly growing. This research is often conducted in multidisciplinary contexts, with teams working at the intersection of health, psychology, computer science, musical communication and multimodal interaction. As such, the work bridges areas such as universal design, accessibility, music therapy, music technology, Sonic Interaction Design (SID), and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). This Research Topic explores such intersections within music technology research aimed at promoting health and well-being, investigating how new methods, technologies, interfaces, and applications can enable everyone to enjoy the positive benefits of music.

In a time of ongoing pandemic when well-being is a priority this volume presents latest works across disciplines associated to Virtual Patients, Gamification and Simulation. Chapters herein present international perspectives with authors from around the globe contributing to this impactful third edition to the series following a 2014 Springer book on Technologies for Inclusive Well-Being and a 2017 Springer book Recent Advances in Technologies for Inclusive Well-Being. Digital technologies are pervasive in life and the contributions herein focus on specific attributes and situations, especially in training and treatment programmes spanning across ranges of diagnosis, conditions, ages, and targeted impacts. This volume purposefully does not cover all (even if that was possible) aspects on how virtual interactive space can align to statial computing, which in turn can align with related embodied entities (whatever the terms used e.g. Virtual, Augmented, Extended, Mixed Realities) along with AI, Deep Learning etc. It also doesn’t cover what some may refer to as ‘trendy terms’ such as 360 degree, video, WebXR, cryptocurrency, blockchain, virtual goods, AR museums, travel and teleportation...however, what is covered in this book, and the prior volumes it builds upon (as above), is a sharing and questioning of advancing technologies for inclusive well-being through research and practices from an avant-garde perspective.

This book presents the outcomes of recent endeavors that will contribute to significant advances in the areas of communication design, fashion design, interior design and product design, music and musicology, as well as overlapping areas. Gathering the proceedings of the 7th EIMAD conference, held on May 14–15, 2020, and organized by the School of Applied Arts, Campus da Talagueira, in Castelo Branco, Portugal, it proposes new theoretical perspectives and practical research directions in design and music, while also discussing teaching practices and some areas of intersection. It addresses strategies for communication and culture in a global, digital world, that take into account key individual and societal needs.

"The chapters that make up this book recognize through examples from research, practice and evaluation of quality with lived experiences that diverse contemporary popular musics can provide useful tools not just for entertainment and fun, but for learning, growth and healing/wellness. Hip hop, techno, grime, drill and suchlike are contemporary genres that have been stigmatized through association with the BAME community. At the same time, however, these musics are typically the listening diet of choice today in our inner cities. These contemporary musics of the inner-city and their associated music-related activities (e.g., deejaying, beat making, mixtape making but also dance, visual art and more) are celebrated and embraced as extraordinarily powerful tools for building and maintaining academic, social, and emotional competencies. These musics are loved and they can open up opportunities for creativities among those who often feel seriously marginalized. In turn, these musics (and activities associated with them) can provided opportunities to engage and/or support those at the social and educational margins. In other words, the musics at the heart of this book have faced exclusionary pressures but they can also work for inclusion when utilized in educational/pedagogical or therapeutic practices. As a whole, the book seeks to account for the power and impact of a set of contemporary popular musics in educational, therapeutic and community contexts, and to ask questions as to just where this power comes from, how we can measure its impact and where the future might lead"--

Psychology of Music is a flourishing area of research in the Western Balkans. However, much of its findings and insights have remained relatively unknown outside the region. Psychological Perspectives on Musical Experiences and Skills features recent research from the Western Balkans, foregrounding its specific topics, methods, and influences, and bringing it into productive conversation with complementary research from Western Europe and further afield. The essays in this collection investigate the psychology of listening and performance and their relevance to music practice. Employing a range of research methodologies, they address divergent themes, from a cross-cultural understanding of aesthetic experiences and innovations to attract new audiences, to developmental perspectives on musical growth and the challenges of mastering performance skills. Authors reflect independently and collaboratively on how these psychological processes are shaped by the different traditions and geopolitical conditions inside and outside the Western Balkans. The result is a volume that emphasizes how musical experiences and practices happen not in isolation but in socio-cultural environments that contribute to their definition. This work will appeal to musicians, music educators, students, researchers, and psychologists with an interest in the psychology of music and exemplify ways forward in decolonizing academia.

Leadership in Music Technology Education examines the pedagogical, sociocultural, and philosophical issues that affect curriculum, research, and decision-making in music technology in higher education. This book considers a range of cutting-edge topics, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, professional development concepts, partnerships between higher education and the creative and cultural industries, and the effects technology has on sustainability. Drawing on Leadership theories, including Transformational, Situational, Servant, and Social Change Model Theory, the book puts forward a new model, Creative Industry Leadership, which considers the sociocultural aspects of Music Technology Education, and interrogates biased ideologies that limit opportunities for a broad range of learners and practitioners in education and beyond. Additionally, Leadership in Music Technology Education examines educators’ informal leadership capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic and how inclusive pedagogy expands the creative boundaries of teaching, learning, and music-making for all. Leadership in Music Technology Education is crucial reading for instructors teaching audio engineering and music technology, as well as researchers in education, music pedagogy and related fields. This is also a valuable read for anyone with an interest in music technology and its many potentialities.