2022 Symposium

Jake Adams, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media (jeaigm@rit.edu)

Aphid Through the Looking Glass is the second digital holographic comic book (holo-comic) produced by the artist, educator, and developer Jake Adams. Commissioned by The Looking Glass Factory in partnership with the creator's studio Valholo & HoloComix. The current iteration experiments further with the visual aspects of the medium and has taken a more intuitive assemblage of immersive parts over the course of ten months (still in beta). The real magic of this Sci-Fi interactive can only be found in person.

Watch Aphid Through The Looking Glass video

W. Michelle Harris, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media (wmhics@rit.edu)

Composers Crossing 2.0 was commissioned as an interactive audio installation with bluesy tones and piano notes matched to movement within individual crosswalk stripes for Hinge Neighbors with Shawn Dunwoody as part of the 2022 Rochester International Jazz Festival. This version projects colorful stripes on the wall/floor to match the sounds and compensate for the lack of an indoor crosswalk.

This exhibit will be displayed on the stairs in the MAGIC Atrium.

Meaghan Moody, Studio X, University of Rochester (mmoody@rochester.edu)
University of Rochester Libraries Studio X student employees :
Libby Braun,  Ayiana Crabtree,  Muhammed El-Sayed,  Samuel Henderson, Elizabeth Hogrefe,  Koshala Mathuranayagam,  Waleed Nadeem,  Liam O'Leary, Nefle Nesli, Oruç Mila Paymukhina, Fin Tran, Noah Viso, Haochen Zeng

Aurum is a VR alchemical laboratory, based on a real 17th-century text in the University of Rochester's Rossell Hope Robbins Library. In the final project, the user will be able to interact with texts from the Robbins Library, use and learn about historical artifacts, and conduct experiments in a space that exhibits alchemical history from across the globe. The project is a collaboration between the Robbins Library and Studio X, the UR's hub for immersive technology.

Watch Aurum video

Christodoulos Benetatos, Hajim School of Engineering, University of Rochester (cbenetat@UR.Rochester.edu)
Christopher Winders, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
Zhiyao Duan, Hajim School of Engineering, University of Rochester;
Matthew Brown, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester

The success of immersive concerts, where listening to music is augmented by other media such as text, lighting, images, etc., depends on coordinating the music precisely with the multimedia used. We will show a demo of a computational system we have created to automate this coordination. This system follows musical scores in real time and automatically triggers multimedia events that have been annotated on the musical score. This system can replace or greatly reduce the workload of conductors and operators, thereby making immersive events easier to schedule and present, as well as more affordable for small ensembles.

Watch Automatic Rendering of Augmented Effects in Immersive Concerts video

Yongyi Zang, Audio Information Research Lab, University of Rochester. (zyy0116@gmail.com)
Christodoulos Benetatos, Audio Information Research Lab, University of Rochester
Zhiyao Duan, Audio Information Research Lab, University of Rochester

An interactive web program that allows you to jam with a deep learning model trained on Bach chorales.

Watch BachDuet Web: interactive music co-creation framework video

Xiaofei Zhou, University of Rochester, Computer Science (zhouxf626@gmail.com)

This is a tablet-based AR application teaching AI concepts around recommendation system to middle school students. The system plots the multidimensional data points representing flowers in physical space for young learners to learn abstract AI concepts by walking, exploration, direct manipulation via embodied learning.

Watch BeeGarden (BeeTrap) video

Zachary Selsley, Center of Culture and Language NTID (zdsccl@rit.edu­)
Wendy Dannels- Faculty Sponsor
Aaron Parker - Staff Sponsor

For a deaf or hard of hearing person, they have to constantly look at captions or an interpreter, even when the presenter directs to look elsewhere. Using AR glasses, captions or a video of the interpreter will always be in front of them, even when they need to look elsewhere. The first time we will be using the Nreal smart glasses.

IGM Entrepreneurial Co-op Program
Contact: Elouise Oyzon, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media (eroics@rit.edu)

Changeling VR is a VR first-person interactive mystery. You play as a detective named Aurelia, a dream-walker whose gift is the ability to see the thoughts and memories of anyone she touches. This gift makes you a family's last resort in figuring out what is wrong with their baby. As you make contact with each family member, you will see through the lens of their hopes and fears.

Watching Changeling VR video

Yifan Li, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester (yli287@ur.Rochester.edu)
Haochen Zeng, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester
Ekram Hossain, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester
Woody Wu, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester
Fangyu Luo, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester
Tianjie Shu, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester

We are designing and developing an AR system that enables users to obtain more balanced participation and higher productivity in group discussions and collaborations. The system generates AR indicators based on users’ participation, interactions, and performance in a discussion. Via the AR indicators, our system provides virtual feedback and insights on the current conversation for participants to adaptively adjust their speaking techniques.

Watch Communication Master video

Mason Gaw, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media (Mg6503@g.rit.edu)

Finger Guns is a Virtual Reality shooter in which you play as Ajax, a scientist working in a laboratory on futuristic technology. While demonstrating your work, your boss goes on a rampage, incapacitating your entire team! Using your trusty Finger Guns, find a way to escape the lab with out being cause!

Watch Finger Guns VR video

Logan D'Auria, RIT Alum (lxd1644@rit.edu)

Audiovisual racing through VR environments synced to music. Drive a car with increasing speed while you dodge obstacles to set a new high score.

Watch Hyperdrive video

Travis Stodter, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media (tmsigm@rit.edu)
Jake Adams, RIT, School of Interactive Games and Media

"Living Room" is an interactive space and quiet experience for four participants. Through a combination of embedded sensors and functional abstraction, visitors will enjoy a sense of growth and adaptation through the lens of American nostalgia.

Watch "Living Room", an installation by Arkhé video

Liam O'Leary, University of Rochester, Studio X (liampoleary23@gmail.com)

LOST is a physics based VR rock climbing experience. Players can climb up rocks using a pair of climbing axes, and navigate their environment using other tools. This is a WIP experience.

Watch LOST video

Frank Deese, RIT, School of Film and Animation (fwdppr@rit.edu)
Susan Lakin, RIT, School of Photographic Arts and Science.

This 8-minute, animated VR experience - a collaboration between RIT faculty and students and benefitting Rochester's "Society for the Protection and Care of Children" - takes the viewer on the traumatic and healing journeys of Mary Ellen Wilson, the first child legally removed from an abusive home in 1874, as well as contemporary beneficiaries of SPCC's continuing efforts on behalf of children and families.

Watch Our Compass video

Kelly Thornton, University of Rochester (kthornt4@u.rochester.edu)
Besmelh Alshaalan, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester (balshaal@u.rochester.edu)

Users will be asked to complete some tasks while being in a virtual environment that confronts them with their fears.

Watch Phobias and Fears video

Haochen Zeng, Computer Science Department, University of Rochester(hzeng4@u.rochester.edu)
Shui’er Han, Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, University of Rochester
Victoria Alleluia Shenge, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland
Duje Tadin, Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, University of Rochester
Blair Tinker, Digital Scholarship, University of Rochester
Ming-Lun Lee, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester
Steve Philbert, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester
Michael Jarvis, Department of History, University of Rochester

We are exhibiting a realistic VR experience of the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre in downtown Rochester, where users can freely walk around the hall, listen to soothing jazz music, and admire the structure and artwork of the 100-year-old concert hall with true spatial awareness. The VR environment is used in a cross-disciplinary collaboration research project to study how humans combine and process light and sound. The first project will be a study of multisensory integration in autism, motivated by prior work showing that children with autism have atypical multisensory processing.

Watch Realistic Multisensory VR Experience of Kodak Hall video

Lincoln Mercuro, RIT VR/AR Club(ltm4163@rit.edu)
John Haley, RIT VR/AR Club
Mason Wahlers, RIT VR/AR Club
Shwetha Subramanian, RIT VR/AR Club
Susan Lakin (Club advisor)

The RIT Virtual/Augmented Reality Club is a student run initiative to provide more access to VR/AR technologies and experiences. We believe that these technologies are the future,  and plan on hosting multiple student lead projects in AR, VR, and gaming. The club just became official as of Fall 2022 and is open to any students/faculty who are interested.

Pratheep Kumar Chelladurai, RIT, School of Information (pc9099@rit.edu)
Roshan Peiris,  RIT, School of Information

This research aims to ​enable deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) users feel haptic feedback of several types of sounds that originate from sound sources within the VR environment. We will be implementing a multi-channel sound-haptic method through vibrotactile devices placed in different body positions that can help DHH candidates identify sound sources and sense spatial sound more immersively in VR space.

Watch Spatial Haptics: Surround Tactile Sound Experience in VR for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users video

Ekram Hossain, University of Rochester - Computer Science (ehossai2@ur.rochester.edu)
Yifan Li, University of Rochester - Computer Science
Hecong Wang, University of Rochester - Computer Science

Tabletop Interactive System (TIPS) is an augmented reality system designed to help hearing parents better communicate with their Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children. TIPS aims to unobtrusively provide, in real time, context-responsive recommendations of American Sign Language (ASL) for hearing parents during face-to-face joint play with their DHH children.

Watch Tabletop Interactive System (TIPS) video

Zhuorui Yong, RIT, Industrial & Systems Engineering (zy6237@rit.edu)

A VR demo which is teaching the novices basic information about cnc machine.

Watch VR CNC Machine Training video

Yibo He, University of Rochester - Computer Science (yhe48@u.rochester.edu)
Boshen Yuan, University of Rochester - Computer Science
Yao Liu, University of Rochester - Computer Science
Annie Qiu, University of Rochester - Computer Science
Weijun Li, University of Rochester - Computer Science

We will be presenting a prototype of a virtual shoes craft shop using VR headset. The visitor will be able to immerse in the virtual craft shop to DIY their own shoes design. User can pick up and painting on shoes with handle controllers and enjoy and DIY experience.

Watch VR Shoes (Shoeager) video

Contact:
Joe Geigel, RIT, Computer Science (Joe.Geigel@rit.edu)

Tech:
Shivang Bokolia,  Nicholas Deary, Liam Dougherty, Drew Haiber, Matthew Harris, Darian Hodzic, Bradley Klemick, Gerrit Krot, Chengyi Ma, Kaushik Meesala, Claire Murray, Aierken Shalayiding, Xiaoyu Tongyang, Kaize Yi

Music:
Yunn-Shan Ma, School of Performing Arts, RIT
Woodwind Quintet: Ciara Bailey, flute; Jacob Yoon, oboe; Luke Barnes, clarinet; Luke Vredenburg, horn; Thomas Davis, bassoon
Brass Quintet: Troy Wolf, trumpet; Brian Kiss, trumpet; Connor Utegg, horn; Andrew Dey, trombone; Brayden Mand, tuba

Dance:
Thomas Warfield, NTID Dance, School of Performing Arts, RIT.
Ziyi Su, dancer.

Design:
Dan Roach, Paige Manley, Shriya Wani

This presentation will illustrate the use of AR and VR during live music and dance performances. Two projects in development for presentation in April 2023 will be presented: A selection from Singring and the Glass Guitar: An AR Dance Performance and Pictures at an XR Exhibition which places AR content during a live musical performance and extends the AR Fantasia Project presented at Frameless 2021. Both performances will make use of Magic Leap AR devices with the latter also combing AR with VR.

Limited number of AR and VR devices available.  Please contact Joe.Geigel@rit.edu to reserve a device. Please indicate which kind of device you would prefer. Devices will be held up to 5 minutes before performance time.

AR Viewing will take place in the Wegmans Theatre
VR Viewing will take place in classroom MSS-2010 across from the sound stage.
Performance will also be streamed as video in the MAGIC Atrium.

Watch XR in Live Performance video

Jay Alan Jackson, RIT, School of Interactive Games & Media, School of Mathematical Sciences (jajvks@rit.edu)

Performers:
Jordyn Crockett, Joseph DeSimone, Jaeyong Park, Evan Woltanski

This performance will feature a mixed-reality rhythm & balance sim/game that melds music, motion and math.  A skating-like rink provides a pliable platform upon which both the motion and sound produced by players is etched.  These multi-track recorded impressions are, in effect, mapping notable facets of musical numbers and festooning tunes, and can be ultimately fashioned into a slip 'n slide-along "graph-a-groove" video. 

Watch A New Kind of Etch-a-Sketch video