(Dis)Connected Technology & Creativity in action

HEFT: the future of immersive media

The research group has joined a broad coalition of creators and institutions working together to shape the future of immersive media. Within the Heritage for the Future (HEFT) project, the research group is responsible for research activities focused on embodied and meaningful immersive experiences (IX). Developing these kinds of experiences, which allow audiences to experience stories spatially and through their senses (and are receiving increasing recognition), requires a collaborative approach to the design, preservation and reuse of these complex productions.

Works by creators involved in the first phase of HEFT will be on display in September at the Netherlands Film Festival, as part of the Story Spaces exhibition at Bibliotheek Neude.

Test environment for Robotstories | Expanding Narratives

One of the projects of (Dis)Connected, Robotstories | Expanding Narratives, also created a test environment this year in the form of a research performance. In De Moestuin (‘The Vegetable Garden’), an actor performs with a robot to explore how this interaction works and what it requires. The project investigates how social robots can contribute to the wellbeing of people with dementia: as assistants to care staff in day-care settings, or as storytellers connecting clients with visiting family members.

Learning in shared virtual spaces

Finally, the (Dis)Connected Technology & Creativity research group made an important contribution this year to SURF's research project ‘Learning in shared virtual spaces’. SURF is the ICT cooperation for Dutch education and research. The project demonstrates how HKU's XR Lab collaborates with the lab at Design Academy Eindhoven, and thus how eXtended Reality (XR) implementations can contribute to collaboration and learning between students at different physical locations.

Working together on the future of generative AI and creativity

Next year, the research group will focus on sharing knowledge through collaborations such as with Netherlands Film Festival (NFF), embarking on new experiments, and establishing new learning communities with creators and knowledge institutions. All with the aim of working together on the future of generative AI and creativity.