Month: March 2024

Integrated Design & Media

As a research-active program within NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Integrated Design and Media (IDM) faculty engage in collaborative research integrating digital media and society. Their projects span various domains, from reimagining theatrical performance through motion capture technology to pioneering uses of virtual/augmented reality for health and wellness. IDM involved in integrating STEAM learning into special needs education and developing citizen science tools empowering NYC residents to monitor and address noise pollution. Additionally, they contribute to NASA JPL's efforts in advancing user interfaces for space exploration and aid in the search and visualization of New York City's historical records.

Tandon IDM students are highly sought after by industry leaders, from established giants to dynamic startups. Their internship course offers the chance to gain valuable experience in your field of interest while earning credits toward graduation. Here are some of the companies where IDM students have interned or found employment:

- American Express
- Apple Corporate
- Etsy
- Instagram
- Google
- HTC China
- Major League Gaming
- New York Stock Exchange
- Sony Music Entertainment
- Verizon

The IDM curriculum blends project-based learning with the exploration of historical, legal, and philosophical dimensions of emerging media. They prioritize skill development applicable across a wide spectrum of media, fostering both individual and collaborative work. Guest lectures and conferences enrich the curriculum, providing students with direct access to leaders across business, advocacy, service, entertainment, and education sectors.

The program culminates in a thesis that integrates theory and practice, showcasing students' creative and technical proficiencies. This fusion of theory and practice defines the program's essence, reflecting the powerful convergence of emerging media, technology, creative mastery, and critical thinking.

 

SCI-Arc

Southern California Institute of Architecture

SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture) is a well-known independent architecture school located in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1972 by a group of faculty and students who wanted to challenge the traditional architectural education model. SCI-Arc is known for its experimental approach to architecture, emphasizing innovative design, technology, and sustainability.

The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in architecture, as well as postgraduate programs and research initiatives. SCI-Arc's curriculum often incorporates digital technologies and fabrication techniques into the design process, and it encourages students to explore unconventional ideas and forms.

SCI-Arc has gained recognition for its influential faculty, including architects like Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, and Eric Owen Moss, who have taught or been associated with the school. The institute's public events, exhibitions, and lectures also contribute to its vibrant architectural community.

Overall, SCI-Arc is celebrated for its avant-garde approach to architectural education and its impact on the field of architecture globally.

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The Frank-Ratchye STUDIO

The Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry

The Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry stands as a beacon of innovation within Carnegie Mellon University's vibrant ecosystem. Established in 1989 by visionary artist Golan Levin, the STUDIO serves as a dynamic laboratory where creativity knows no bounds. With its ethos rooted in anti-disciplinary exploration, the STUDIO embraces collaboration across diverse fields, inviting artists, scientists, technologists, and thinkers from around the world to push the boundaries of what is possible.

At the heart of the STUDIO's mission is a commitment to atypical research—projects that defy traditional disciplinary boundaries and challenge conventional thinking. Here, experimentation reigns supreme, fueled by a spirit of curiosity and a relentless pursuit of the unconventional. Whether it's harnessing the power of computation to create interactive installations, exploring the intersection of robotics and art, or delving into the possibilities of emergent technologies, the STUDIO provides a fertile ground for groundbreaking exploration.

Through its Visiting Fellows program and a wide range of initiatives, the STUDIO fosters a culture of collaboration and exchange, where ideas flourish and evolve in unexpected ways. It serves as a catalyst for innovation, empowering individuals to push beyond their comfort zones and embrace the unknown. With its rich history of pioneering projects and its unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of creativity, the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry continues to inspire and challenge the next generation of artists, researchers, and innovators.

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Introspection Game

The Introspection Game

by Power Nap

A poetic narrative generated by your own body, The Introspection Game sends you to a journey within, using Oculus Rift, a breath sensor, and a pulse sensor.

Participants are invited into an empty room one at time, wearing a breath sensor waistband, a pulse sensor, and an Oculus 3D head-mount. Once the Virtual Reality experience starts, the participant is temporarily teleported into a virtual space resembling the actual room he/she sits in.

A VR Headset sits in an empty room on a chair
A VR Headset sits in an empty room on a chair

Depending on the breathing pattern, the participant gradually descends upon a land surrounded by infinite ocean. As breaths become ocean waves, heart beats become both audible and visible, the participants gradually start to direct their attention inwards, becoming aware of less obvious body senses.

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Power Nap Studio

Power Nap is a research oriented interactive art and design studio. It produces simulations, games, web and mobile experiences and interactive installations. Their work has shown in places like The Palace Museum of China, Cleveland Museum of Arts, MoMA, National Museum of China, Power Station of Arts and many more.

Power Nap Studio (ZZYW LLC) commits to research and produce Interactivity and Generativity. They work closely with clients to help them reach their goals through creativity. Immersive installations, simulations, mobile apps, video games are the common forms of Power Nap Studio outcome.

They are a small, agile, and interdisciplinary team comprised of designers, researchers, full-stack engineers, game developers, digital artists, sound engineers, filmmakers, writers, and electronic engineers. With nearly a decade long experience working in the field, Power Nap Studio is on a mission to produce digital interactivity that is meaningful and memorable.

Creative World Building

Creative World Making

ThingThingThing is a computational environment that facilitates the creation and interaction of digital entities. Developed through collaborative workshops, it allows participants to define entities within certain parameters. Once introduced into the system, these entities exist and interact autonomously, evolving without further direct human intervention.

The visual design of ThingThingThing is characterized by its abstract, geometric aesthetic. The creatures and the environment they inhabit are intentionally non-realistic, highlighting the project’s focus on systemic interactions rather than visual fidelity.

Live Servers

US Server | China Server

Technical realization

ThingThingThing utilizes Unity, a video game engine, as its frontend, and Github, an open-source code repository, as its backend on a technical level. The platform incorporates a web-based code editor, enabling users to establish interaction guidelines among creators. Whenever ThingThingThing is showcased, we collaborate with the exhibiting institution to organize a public collaborative world-building workshop, effectively bringing the artwork to life. During these workshops, we provide demonstrations of the interface and offer guidance to participants in crafting rule-based entities. At the workshop’s end, a unique simulation with its own narrative is created and made available online.

Workshop

ThingThingThing has been hosting a series of workshops with museums and art institutions around the world. The workshop enables everyone from students, artists, designers, architects and technologists to create their own programmed creatures with intelligence. Past collaborators include:

  • http://worldonawire.net/, curated by Rhizome of New Museum
  • NEW INC, New Museum, New York, NY
  • Power Station of Art, Shanghai, China
  • Macy Art Gallery, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
  • City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY
  • Guangzhou Academy of Art (GAFA), Guangzhou, China
  • Creative Tech Week (CTW), New York, NY
  • Asia Art Archive in America (AAA-A), Brooklyn, NY
  • Power Station of Art (PSA), Shanghai, China.

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