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    Immersive Lab

    Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST)

    The 'Immersive Lab' is a media space that integrates panoramic video, surround audio with full touch interaction where the entire screen serves as touch surface. It provides a platform for a catalogue of artistic works specifically tailored to the unique situation that this configuration offers. These works articulate the relationship between immersive media and direct interaction.

    The 'Immersive Lab' is a media space that integrates panoramic video, surround audio with full touch interaction where the entire screen serves as touch surface. The 'Immersive Lab' provides a platform for a catalogue of artistic works that are specifically tailored to the unique situation that this configuration offers. These works articulate the relationship between immersive media and direct interaction. It functions both as a space for experimental learning and creation and as a permanent audiovisual installation for the general public, showing finished pieces in a self-explanatory way.

    Working in this way raises a number of interesting questions:

    • In which way can the notion of immersion inform artistic creation?
    • To what extent can attention be shaped, in a situation that presents its contents and interaction in a surrounding format?
    • With which elements does a work have to be composed in order to take these multiple modalities into account?
    • On what level does immediate tactile interaction transform the experience of engaging with digital art-forms?
    • How can interactivity transform the relationship between abstract creation processes and sensorial experience?
    • Who are the participants that can benefit from engaging with the 'Immersive Lab'?

    This installation as a platform is the fruit of several years of investigation and artistic creation. The term Immersion is used in a broader sense. Apart from spatial envelopment by image and sound, additional levels of immersions are generated for the visitors: they enter into a dedicated physical space, direct tactile interaction on the panoramic surface enhances their personal engagement, and finally within the shared space arise group behaviour and social interactions. Such an extended form of immersion provides a multi-faceted experience.
    The compositions can be collaboratively created and combine visual and sonic material with generative and algorithmic methods. The artistic approach focuses on real-time pieces that react to visitor interaction and that take advantage of the panoramic nature of the installation.

    Different forms of engagement are possible within the installation. The audience can freely explore the works and experience different types of perceptions. Artists can experiment with the development of compositional strategies for working with different senses and artistic domains. The installation exposes foundational aspects of immersion such as spatial and multi-sensory perception, which provide interesting topics for investigation.

    Work in the 'Immersive Lab' happens in different phases, activities, and addresses different people. In a teaching context, in general, any student can visit the lab in guided tours. Students majoring in electronic music or media arts, however, are invited to actively learn by exploring the inner workings if existing pieces. Artists and advanced students have the opportunity to become involved more intensely by creating entirely new pieces. For this, the ICST offers to share its experience, methods, and tools for development and realization of ideas for this particular media space. Finally, in the exhibition context, general audiences are invited to experience the catalogue of works.

    Previous related work:
    Flowspace I & II in the context of the Milieux Sonores Exhibition at the Kunstraum Walcheturm, Zürich, January to March 2009 and the Grey Area Foundation for the Arts, San Francisco, USA, September to November 2010.

    Details

    • Research Focus
      • FSP Technologie und Musikalische Praxis
    • Project Lead
      • Daniel Bisig (ICST)
      • Jan Schacher (ICST)
    • Team
      • Philippe Kocher (ICST)
      • Marcus Maeder (ICST)
      • Martin Neukom (ICST)
    • Cooperations
      • Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, San Francisco
      • Swissnex San Francisco
      • University of California San Diego, Music Department
    • Resources
      • Project website
    • Duration

      01.01.2012 – 31.01.2023

    • Research Approaches
      • Applied research
      • Artistic-scientific research
    • Disciplines

      Music

    • Keywords

      mediated spaces, exploratory space, surround audio and projection, Touch-based Interaction, tactile, audio-visual, Multimodal, Interaction, Immersion

    • Related Projects
      • Immersive Lab (follow-up project)
      • Interactive Swarm Space (predecessor project)
      • Interactive Swarm Orchestra (predecessor project)
    • More Links
      • Bojan Milosevic, Jan C. Schacher. The Immersive Lab: An interactive audio‐visual space for artistic exploration. In: Proceedings of Korean Electro-Acoustic Music Society's 2015 Annual Conference (KEAMSAC2015) Seoul, Korea, 2-3 October 2015
      • Jan C. Schacher, Philippe Kocher, and Daniel Bisig. The Map and the Flock – Emergence in Mapping with Swarm Algorithms. In: Computer Music Journal, 38(3):49–63, 2014.
      • Daniel Bisig, Jan C. Schacher, Gérman Toro Pérez: Innovation und Nachhaltigkeit müssen in der Forschung mitgedacht werden. In: Zett, Das Magazin der Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Nummer 1, Mai 2013.
      • Jan C. Schacher, Daniel Bisig, and Martin Neukom. Composing With Swarm Algorithms – Creating Interactive Audio-Visual Pieces Using Flocking Behaviour. In Proc. of the International Computer Music Conference, pages 100–107, Huddersfield, UK, 2011.
      • Daniel Bisig, Jan C. Schacher, and Martin Neukom. Flowspace – A Hybrid Ecosystem. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 30 May - 1 June 2011, Oslo, Norway, 2011.
      • Jan C. Schacher. Action and Perception in Interactive Sound Installations: An Ecological Approach In: Proceedings of the 2009 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME 2009), June 3-6, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA, 2009.
      • Artikel zum Immersive Lab von Daniel Bisig

    Output

    • Aufsätze in Fachzeitschriften

      Schacher, Jan / Bisig, Daniel (2018): «Das Immersive Lab: ein Dispositiv zur Erfahrung und Erforschung von Immersion». In: Schweizerischer Tonkünslter Verein (Hg.): Dissonance. 144. 5–7.

    • Aufsätze in Tagungsakten (Vortrag, Keynote)

      Neff, Patrick / Schacher, Jan & Bisig, Daniel (2019): «State Dependency. Audiovisual interaction through brain states». Proceedings of the Sound and Music Computing Conference. Malaga, Spain: 26–33. Online unter: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3737940.

    • Aufsätze in Tagungsakten (Vortrag, Keynote)

      Schacher, Jan / Bisig, Daniel (2017): «Haunting Space. Social Interaction in a Large-Scale Media Environment». In: Bernhaupt, Regina / Dalvi, Girish / Joshi, Anirudha / K. Balkrishan, Devanuj / O'Neill, Jacki / Winckler, Marco (Hg.): Human-Computer Interaction - INTERACT 2017: 16th IFIP TC 13 International Conference, Mumbai, India, September 25--29, 2017, Proceedings, Part I. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). Cham: Springer, 242–262.

    • Ausstellungen, Konzerte, Aufführungen, Filmpräsentationen etc.

      Schacher, Jan & Dubos, Anne (2020): «Paléograph' 2020. Immersive Museum Installation». Permanent Museum Installation. 15.10.2020–15.10.2025. Musée de Préhistoire - Grottes de Saulges, Communauté de Commune des Coëvrons, Mayenne, France. Online unter: https://immersivelab.zhdk.ch/?page_id=6885.

    • Ausstellungen, Konzerte, Aufführungen, Filmpräsentationen etc.

      Schacher, Jan & Dubos, Anne (2019): «Paléograph'. An immersive and multi-sensory installation». VR Installation. 20.03.2019–24.03.2019. L'Orangerie dans le Jardins de la Perrine / RectoVRso, Laval Virtual, Laval, France.

    • Vorträge, Referate

      Schacher, Jan (2017): «Haunting Space Social Interaction in a Large-Scale Media Environment». Human-Computer Interaction - INTERACT 2017: 16th IFIP TC 13 International Conference. 25.09.2017–29.09.2017. Mumbai, India.

    • Webseiten

      Schacher, Jan & Bisig, Daniel (2018): «Immersive Lab». In: Schacher, Jan & Bisig, Daniel (Hg.): Immersive Lab. Katalog und Projektdokumentation. Zürich: Zürcher Hochschule der Künste. Online unter: http://immersivelab.zhdk.ch.

    • Anstellung / Mitarbeit am Institut

      Schacher, Jan / Izzouzi, Lisa (2017): Virtual Immersive Lab. Praktikum ICST. Zürich.