31st January, 2022

Arachne Live!

Sensory Arachne is an early learning sensory activity, simple to use. The digital, bright spiders spin there way around the screen, chasing your touch or pointer.

Click the app icon, which will open and launch the Sensory App in a new browser tab.

Clicking or tapping the app launch screen will load app and fill the screen or window.

If the app fills the window, maximise the window to full screen using your browser menu or settings, and the app will run as full screen.

Press ESC key, click/tap the X button to remove the app from full screen, and it will continue to run in its tab or window.

User Guide

Arachne is a useful resource for therapists or special education teachers when working with certain students. Arachne is also be a fun activity in a Sensory room as a touch responsive cause and effect app.There are a range of colourful digital spiders and web effects that will either follow your touch or pointer, or run away from your touch.

As well as being used with touch or a mouse, Arachne can be used with the Microsoft Adaptive Controller or XBox controller and well as other pointer devices. Arachne can also be controlled by an external keyboard.  The XBox thumb controller/joystick  and D-Pad will move a virtual pointer around. Here are the basic controls;

  • Button 1, Space bar, Keyboard 1, XBox A resets the position of the digital spider(s)
  • Button 2, Keyboard 2, XBox B changes the number of digital spiders on screen
  • Button 3, Enter Key, Keyboard 3, XBox X switches between following the touch or running away. Once the spiders run to the edge of the screen tap button 1 to reset them
  • Button 4, Keyboard 4, XBox Y changes the colors of the digital spiders
  • Keyboard 5, XBox View Button turns off/on the buttons.Buttons Left and Right change the style and speed of the effects.

Read more about the Bluetooth switch access and the Microsoft Adaptive Controller here.

Make sure your Windows PC, or Apple Mac has either the Google Chrome Browser or new Microsoft Edge Chromium Browser installed. Your Chromebook will already have the Chrome browser. Below we use our SandBox app as an example, which applies to all our apps.

Click the app icon above, whilst using Chrome or Edge browser, which will open and launch the Sensory App in a new browser tab

Look for the “Install” button (+ or ↓) that appears in the browser address bar, in top right area of the screen. Press this Install button and the installer pop-up will appear. See the examples screenshots below on Chrome and Edge browsers on a Mac.

Chrome Browser

 

Edge Browser

You will find the Sensory app icon added to your desktop or programs list/folder. Once installed the app does not require a web connection, and will run large screen on launch from the app icon.

Here is a video showing the install and uninstall process on a Chrome browser.

Sensory Web App (PWA) Install on Chrome

Click the app icon above using the Safari browser, which will open and launch the Sensory App in a new Safari browser tab/window. The app will launch and run.

Press the Share icon () and you can add the Sensory app icon to the Home Screen.

Once installed on an iOS device, the app may require a web connection (depends on the device), and will run large screen on launch from the app icon. We recommend holding the device in landscape orientation for most Sensory Apps, for the best experience.

Here is a video showing the install and delete process on an iPhone/iPad

Run and Add a Sensory Web App to Safari iOS

Click the app icon or the install link in Chrome Android browser, which will open and launch the Sensory App in a new Chrome browser tab. The app will launch and run.

Press the Action Menu (3 vertical dots) and you can install the App from this menu.

Once installed the app does not require a web connection, and will run large screen on launch from the app icon. We recommend holding the device in landscape orientation for most Sensory Apps, for the best experience.

Here is a video showing the install and uninstall process on an Android device.

Install Sensory PWA on android phone (and tablet)

Many of our apps are also available from the main apps stores, free and low cost. Click the logos below to visit our App Stores pages.

ios app store downloadGet it on google playGet it from Microsoft

You can view short videos on most of our apps on our Youtube Channel.

Sensory Apps Playlist