Computer-Assisted Interactive Documentary and Performance Arts in Illimitable Space

This major component of the research described in this thesis is 3D computer graphics, specifically the realistic physics-based softbody simulation and haptic responsive environments. Minor components include advanced human-computer interaction environments, non-linear documentary storytelling, and theatre performance. The journey of this research has been unusual because it requires a researcher with solid knowledge and background in multiple disciplines; who also has to be creative and sensitive in order to combine the possible areas into a new research direction. [...] It focuses on the advanced computer graphics and emerges from experimental cinematic works and theatrical artistic practices. Some development content and installations are completed to prove and evaluate the described concepts and to be convincing. [...] To summarize, the resulting work involves not only artistic creativity, but solving or combining technological hurdles in motion tracking, pattern recognition, force feedback control, etc., with the available documentary footage on film, video, or images, and text via a variety of devices [....] and programming, and installing all the needed interfaces such that it all works in real-time. Thus, the contribution to the knowledge advancement is in solving these interfacing problems and the real-time aspects of the interaction that have uses in film industry, fashion industry, new age interactive theatre, computer games, and web-based technologies and services for entertainment and education. It also includes building up on this experience to integrate Kinect- and haptic-based interaction, artistic scenery rendering, and other forms of control. This research work connects all the research disciplines, seemingly disjoint fields of research, such as computer graphics, documentary film, interactive media, and theatre performance together.Comment: PhD thesis copy; 272 pages, 83 figures, 6 algorithm

Urban Illusions

Urban Illusions is an immersive and interactive documentary experience that curates moments of reality in virtual environments to educate and expose viewers to a string of social and political issues that have been exposed in Baton Rouge. These moments also reflect a transformative time across the United States. The research and exhibition experiments with 360-degree videos and virtual reality to document issues occurring from racial tension stemming from prejudicial police violence and residual segregation that is still present in Baton Rouge. The intent of this work is to establish a methodology benefiting from modern technology in order to document real life through virtual space to inform the viewer about social problems in the everyday experience of disadvantaged groups across America. The methodology framework used for Urban Illusions has the potential to be utilized by other digital artists and collaborators to engage and educate the viewers about a multitude of contemporary concepts

An Expanded Perceptual Laboratory: Public Art and the Cinematic Techniques of Superimposition, Montage and Apparatus/Dispositif

The use of the moving image in public space extends the techniques of cinema— namely superimposition, montage and apparatus/dispositif—threatening either to dehistoricize and distract or to provide new narrative and associative possibilities via public art. These techniques also serve as helpful tools for analysis drawn from cinema studies that can be applied to examples of the moving image in public space. Historical examples include the multi-screen experiments of Charles and Ray Eames; and contemporary public projections such as Krzysztof Wodiczko’s Abraham Lincoln: War Veteran Projection, Robert Lepage’s The Image Mill, my own project entitled Workers That Live in the Mirror, and Daily tous les jours’ McLarena at Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles. These works illustrate the ways that public projections extend the effect of superimposition through the rehistoricization of space, expand the diegetic boundaries of the moving image through spatial montage, and enact new possibilities for the cinematic apparatus and dispositif through scale and interaction for the purposes of challenging historical narratives and scripts of urban behavior. The large-scale moving image in public art extends the perceptual laboratory of cinema to public space preparing us for more mutable, oneiric and cinematic encounters in and through public art. Note: At the time of writing, Dave Colangelo was affiliated with Ryerson University

Cinema-going trajectories in the digital age

The activity of cinema-going constantly evolves and gradually integrates the use of digital data and platforms to become more engaging for the audiences. Combining methods from the fields of Human Computer Interaction and Film Studies, we conducted two workshops seeking to understand cinema audiences’ digital practices and explore how the contemporary cinema-going experience is shaped in the digital age. Our findings suggest that going to the movies constitutes a trajectory during which cinemagoers interact with multiple digital platforms. At the same time, depending on their choices, they construct unique digital identities that represent a set of online behaviours and rituals that cinemagoers adopt before, while and after cinema-going. To inform the design of new, engaging cinemagoing experiences, this research establishes a preliminary map of contemporary cinema-going including digital data and platforms. We then discuss how audiences perceive the potential improvement of the experience and how that would lead to the construction of digital identities

PlugSonic: a web- and mobile-based platform for binaural audio and sonic narratives

PlugSonic is a suite of web- and mobile-based applications for the curation and experience of binaural interactive soundscapes and sonic narratives. It was developed as part of the PLUGGY EU project (Pluggable Social Platform for Heritage Awareness and Participation) and consists of two main applications: PlugSonic Sample, to edit and apply audio effects, and PlugSonic Soundscape, to create and experience binaural soundscapes. The audio processing within PlugSonic is based on the Web Audio API and the 3D Tune-In Toolkit, while the exploration of soundscapes in a physical space is obtained using Apple's ARKit. In this paper we present the design choices, the user involvement processes and the implementation details. The main goal of PlugSonic is technology democratisation; PlugSonic users - whether institutions or citizens - are all given the instruments needed to create, process and experience 3D soundscapes and sonic narrative; without the need for specific devices, external tools (software and/or hardware), specialised knowledge or custom development. The evaluation, which was conducted with inexperienced users on three tasks - creation, curation and experience - demonstrates how PlugSonic is indeed a simple, effective, yet powerful tool

LAIX-score : a design framework for live audience interaction management systems

This study focuses on computer-supported live audience interaction. In conventional lectures audience interacts explicitly with the performer for example by waving hand and asking question directly or clapping hands. For decades, non digital audience response systems have enabled simple multiple option audience interaction patterns. Modern mobile personal computing devices, digital projectors, wireless networks and real time software platforms enable creation of new kinds of interaction patterns that can significantly increase the amount of audience interaction during events. Audience interaction can make events for example more engaging and productive. This research presents a design framework for computer-supported live audience interaction called the LAIX-score. LAIX stands for Live Audience Interac(X)tion and the “score” refers to the musical notation language. Musical notation has been an inspiration for the development of the framework and illustrates how LAIX-score is intended as generic and practical framework for coordinating live audience interaction similarly as musical notation is generic and practical framework for coordinating musical performances. However, while musical notation is important inspiration, it is not the core reference for the LAIX-score. LAIX-score core references are the live audio mixing and live light control frameworks, which are technologyenabled frameworks for supporting and producing live performances. The LAIX-score framework is composed of five core elements: Interaction activities, interface channels, state control matrix, temporal management of interactions and participant’s identity management. These five core elements compose a concrete and comprehensive framework that can be directly applied in the design of live audience interaction management system and in the development of live audience interaction production practices. The research is a constructive and practice-led in the wild research (Chapter 2) that borrows aspects from design research, artistic research and human-computer interaction research. The LAIX-score framework is based on three core requirements identified during a five years of practice-led domain exploration (Chapter 3). (Requirement 1) Live audience interaction must support different kinds of interaction patterns. Hence, the framework should acknowledge that live audience interaction is more than questions and answers (Q&A) and poll type interaction patterns. (Requirement 2) Live audience interaction must support different roles. Hence, the role configuration in live audience interaction can include several different performer, audience and orchestrator roles. (Requirement 3) Live audience interaction framework must also support different kinds and parallel functions live audience interaction function. Hence, in the same event production live audience interaction may be used for example for audience activation, workshop facilitation, participatory decision making and catalyzing social networking, and these functions may take place concurrently. None of the existing live audience interaction systems satisfy all of the core requirements. This is explained in more detail in Section 4.2. Lack of adequate designs that meets the above mentioned criterias justifies the development of a new design framework. The LAIX-score (Chapter 5) follows a two dimensional matrix type control framework, which is called state control matrix. Also the core references, live audio mixing and live light control (Sections 4.3 –4.5), have similar control framework. Rows in the state control matrix are called as interaction activities. Columns in the state control matrix are interface channels, which is the system equivalent for supporting different roles and user interfaces (requirement 2). The matrix is used for visibility control of the interaction activities. The visibility of interaction activities can be manipulated independently in each interface channel. The matrix form satisfies the three core requirements. The first requirement is satisfied since the matrix format is agnostic to what kind of interactions are controlled in the system. The second requirement is satisfied since the matrix format allows introduction of new roles and there is fundamentally no fixed number for rows. The third requirement is satisfied since multiple interaction activities can be active in any channel and each interaction activity state can be controlled independently. The core framework is implemented as a functional live audience interaction management system called Presemo (version 4) (Chapter 6). The evaluation of the design of Presemo reveals more detailed fivetier structure for the control of interaction activities . The interaction activity control levels in LAIX-score design framework are (1.) creation and deletion, (2.) state control matrix, (3.) interaction pattern specific control, (4.) content management and (5.) presentation management. Presemo is limited implementation of the framework since the basic version supports only four interface channels. Presemo is a commercial level system and it has been utilized in thousands of live audience interaction situations and we have used it to produce more than 100 live audience interaction productions. The research investigates four case studies in more detail (Chapter 7). These four case studies are produced in different environments and this way demonstrate the generic qualities of Presemo and the LAIX-score design framework. One of the case study production focuses on professional event productions, another in application of Presemo in University context, third one focuses on use of live audience interaction in large scale computer-supported workshops and fourth one presents use of live audience interaction techniques in a pervasive adventure designed for K 12 students. The case studies validate the three core requirements and identifies 11 new additional requirements for the LAIX-score matrix. The case studies also reveal a more detailed interface channel structure. The revised LAIX-score design framework divides interface channels in three groups: organizer channels, audience channels and screen channels. Organizer channels combines performer and orchestrator roles, since these are roles that have some kind of control over interaction activities. Audience interface channels can be divided in groups. Screen channels are public channels whereas organizer and audience channels are personal channels. The 11 new requirements are further elaborated as two new core elements of the LAIX-score framework (Chapter 8): temporal management and identity management. Temporal management is divided in three parts; the functional cue list realizes the future temporal management, state control matrix realizes the real time management, and the production log realizes the management of past events. Identity management core element can be visualized as a table that lists all identities on one axis and different identity parameters on another axis. The study has identified six different types of identity attribute categories: identifiers, group membership, access rights, privacy settings, other identity and profile parameters and score attributes used for gamification. Identity attributes and privacy settings are used to manage identity parameters in order to achieve privacy and anonymity, which are important characteristics for most live audience interaction productions. Case studies have shown also that gamification is an important feature for live audience interaction. The core objective of the research is to create a framework for live audience interaction that could be generic and practical. As uch, the study is directly relevant extensive case reference of a live audience interaction system researchers and live audience interaction producers. The framework is adequately described so that any developer can utilize it in their own live audience interaction system designs. Methodologically the research has some areas of improvements mainly due to challenges in organizing data collection in demanding production environments (Section 9.3). These problems are common for in the wild research. The strengths of this research are extensive coverage of the live audience interaction domain and concrete validation of the framework as a production level implemented software system. While we have been developing the LAIX-score framework we have also identified several other research topics for live audience interaction (explained in Section 10.3) that are beyond the scope of the LAIX-score framework. There are for example several issues related to human and organizational factors of live audience interaction that are not covered in the LAIX-score framework, which is designed for the development of the computer system and production practices. These other research topics demonstrate how live audience interaction domain is still emerging domain with many interesting research possibilities. During the study, we have been involved in commercial development of live audience interaction. The business and marketing development (Section 10.4) will most probably be the driving force for the development of new interaction patterns, live audience interaction production formats, professional practices and generally new applications for live audience interaction. The further business and marketing development will define how organizations can adopt live audience interaction techniques and integrate them in to their communication and participation processes. The study proposes that standards organization would start defining protocols for live audience interaction. Details of wider adoption will ultimately define what kind of further research is relevant and feasible in the live audience interaction domain. The five core elements of the LAIX-score are integrated to each other and together they compose a comprehensive framework that can be used as design guideline for generic live audience interaction system (LAIMS). A LAIMS that is based on LAIX-score can host modularly different kinds of interaction patterns (Section 10.2). Modular approach can be also called s interaction agnostic approach. The modular approach may have several implications: modular approach makes development of new interaction patterns easier, support event productions that host different live audience interaction approaches, support sustainable system evolution and establishment of management practices for live audience interaction productions

Mobile Devices at the Cinema Theatre

The pre-show experience is a significant part of the movie industry. Moviegoers, on average arrive 24 min before when the previews start. Previews have been a part of the movie experience for more than a hundred years and are a culturally significant aspect of the whole experience. Over the last decade, the premovie in-theatre experience has grown to a $600 million industry. This growth continues to accelerate. Since 2012, this industry has increased by 150%. Consequently, there is an industry-wide demand for innovation in the pre-movie area. In this paper, we describe Paths, an innovative multiplayer real-time socially engaging game that we designed, developed and evaluated. An iterative refinement application development methodology was used to create the game. The game may be played on any smartphone and group interactions are viewed on the large theatre screen. This paper also reports on the quasiexperimental mixed method study with repeated measures that was conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of this new game. The results show that Paths is very engaging with elements of suspense, pleasant unpredictability and effective team building and crowd-pleasing characteristics

Mapping of Regional Economic Potential Based on Creative Economy to Support Creation of Regional Competitiveness

[54] Tuomi, I. (1999). Corporate Knowledge, Theory and Practice of Intelligent Organizations. Helsinki: Metaxis. [55] Uchiyama, Kenichi (2009). Concise Theoretical Grounding of Action Research: Based on Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology and Kimura’s Phenomenological Psychiatry. Daito Bunka University, Japan. [56] Williamson, O.E. (1995). Organization Theory, from Chester Barnard to the Present and Beyond. New York: Oxford University Press. [57] Williamson, O.E. (1985). The Economic Institutions of Capitalism: Firms, Markets, Relational Contracting. New York: Free Press.     Keywords: creative economy, regional competitiveness, industry cluster, resourced based approach, VRIO, innovation

The Rockefeller Foundation Program NYC Cultural Innovation Fund: Evaluation

The Rockefeller Foundation launched the NYC Cultural Innovation Fund (CIF) in2007. Since then, it has supported six rounds of annual grantmaking, resulting in99 grants to 86 nonprofit cultural and community organizations in New York City.Grants across the six years 2007–2012 totaled $16.3 million.An Evaluation Team headed by Helicon Collaborative assessed CIF for the periodDecember 2012 to May 2013 based on Terms of Reference issued by the RockefellerFoundation in September 2012

BEIRUT ARAB UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE DESIGN & BUILT ENVIRONMENT Architecture Year Book 2015/2016

The Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment is proud and honored to release the Architecture Yearbook, comprising the most prominent endeavors of the academic year 2015/2016. The work contained on the following pages gives a small glimpse of the diversity, sense of invention, exploration, passion and significance that characterize and define the design outputs from the studios and courses of Architecture.https://digitalcommons.bau.edu.lb/yearbooks/1002/thumbnail.jp