The INTERFACE seminar series was created in collaboration with the Office of Research with a mind toward presenting some ideas about the technology and
research opportunities that the EMPAC building will provide. Possible topics include visualization, acoustics, cognitive science, haptics, graphics, etc.
So put on your twirly cap and cummon down and join us for a discussion with our amazing Rensselaer professors and their research that is sure to blow your socks off!
11.01.06
INTERFACE III: Troika Ranch
Troika Ranch is a dance theater company based in New York City, which uses interactive digital media and computer technology as an essential component of its performances. Founded in 1990, the company stages works in which projections and sounds are created through a specific process of interaction between live performers and digital media. In performance, movement sensing devices are coupled with a programming environment, with special emphasis on real-time signal-processing of digital video.
Troika Ranch will give two presentations: the afternoon lecture will focus on the movement sensor technology, computer processing and software development they implemented for their productions, and the evening presentation will show the technology in action in their stage works, with excerpts and demonstrations.
Admission to Troika Ranch is FREE and open to the public.
Download the Rensselaer campus map and make your way to Biotech Center (2:00 pm) or West Hall (7:30 pm).
Parking will be available in the Academy Hall lot for the 2:00 pm lecture and the West Hall lot for the evening presentation. (see map on right).
There will be signs to direct you to the event.
» Driving Directions / Campus Map
More Information: http://www.troikaranch.org/
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/articles/2003/03/troikaranch/
04.25.06
INTERFACE II:
Almost every purposeful action that we perform involves the ability to perceive the environment and
coordinate our movements with respect to it. The sophistication of our perceptual-motor system is evident in the performances
of professional athletes, musicians, and dancers. But even routine tasks, such as reaching and walking, require the brain to
solve many challenging problems in very little time. After providing a brief overview of the study of perception and action,
I will discuss some of my own research on this topic, focusing on work that takes advantage of technology for creating virtual
environments. I will close by speculating on some of the ways in which EMPAC will provide opportunities for collaboration among
researchers in cognitive science, electronic arts, and computer science.
» Perceiving and acting in real and virtual environments (613K adobe pdf)
Binaural auralization and virtual auditory reality have been growing in part due to recent advances in computer modeling of acoustics for performing-arts spaces. A newly developed acoustic
measurement technique using simultaneous multiple sound sources can help contribute to further growth. After a brief review of the state-of-art in binaural technology, from auralization
to virtual auditory reality, this talk will describe possible applications of the new acoustics measurement technique to a wide variety of EMPAC projects. It is anticipated that EMPAC can
provide optimal environments for research and development of the acoustic measurement technique, which in turn will make contributions to future EMPAC projects.
» Acoustic Measurement Technique for Collaborative Research with EMPAC (1.9mb adobe pdf)
(INTERFACE II photos: Don Moore/Rensselaer)
01.31.06 - INTERFACE I
From the learning of fine motor skills to the expression of intimate artistic emotions, touch plays an inextricable role in our everyday life. Current advances in science and technology are making it possible, for the first time, to reach out and interact with computer-generated environments, shake hands across continents and create phantasms where the sensory modalities intermingle and coalesce creating the illusion of "touching the sound" or "seeing the music"!
In this talk I will introduce the rapidly growing field of "haptics" and how it is finding an increasing role in design, modeling and other techno-artistic applications. The future, of course, can only be more exciting! It is anticipated that EMPAC will provide the perfect forum for these and other applications.
Speculating on ways in which researchers in computer vision, visualization, and graphics can benefit from the EMPAC environment and contribute to EMPAC projects.
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