Digital insights, virtual experience and robotic affection – a one day workshop on interdisciplinary, technology-based research design and creative arts practice

Date: Tuesday 14th June, 10:00 to 4:00

Location: Explore Studio, D132, Falmer Campus

In this CDMC workshop we will explore the use of wearable, virtual reality, telepresence and robotic technologies in research and arts practice. In the first half of the day you will have the chance to interact with different wearable technologies in Falmer campus’ Explore Studio D132, including: eye-tracking, virtual reality, electroencephalogram (EEG) technologies which measure brain activity, as well as therapeutic robots (Robocats). We will have a keynote from Professor Karen Cham whose research considers how behavioural insights from wearables can enhance user experience design (UXD) to inform complex human/machine convergence. Psychologists Dr Gemma Graham and Dr Jay Tamplin-Wilson will lead us through some hands-on demonstrations where you will have the opportunity to try out any of the above technologies.

Throughout these talks and demonstrations we will be thinking about technology-based research design, tracing through the research process through from designing a study, collecting data, working with data analysis software through to deriving meaningful conclusions. Experienced researchers will share examples of their work and there will be lots of opportunity for discussion. We will also look at wearables in creative arts research and practice – from sensor gloves that produce sound to measuring and responding to audience attention in real time through eye tracking and EEG – and hear about Professor Paul Sermon’s UKRI Covid Response funded Telepresence Stage project in which he used green screen technology (amongst others) to create remote experiences of shared space for performance artist groups separated by lockdown.

In the second half of the workshop we will hear from CDMC researchers interested in developing use cases, innovation, creative practice, research designs using these technologies and also discuss the various applications of machine learning in these contexts.

You do not have to be a CDMC member to attend this workshop and you do not require any prior experience of the technologies we will work with!  In fact, we very much encourage people who have no experience at all to come along for an introductory experience. Fundamentally, we hope this workshop will be an opportunity to socialise with each other and think creatively about research design and arts practice.

Refreshments and lunch are provided and we will end with a drinks reception outside Asa Briggs Lecture Theatre on the Flamer campus.

Please reserve your place for this free event here