Fusion Strength 2003
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Monday, January 27, 2003
Intermedia Lab
The Intermedia Lab was set up by LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in July 2002 as a laboratory for experimental, innovative and interdisciplinary research undertaken in collaboration with other research institutions as well as with industry partners. The Intermedia Lab seeks to embark on ambitious research projects that would not only exemplify key developments in arts, design and performance but also pave the way for developing strategic links and inroads into key research niches and industries in Singapore and abroad. The founding Director of the Intermedia Lab is Gunalan Nadarajan, who is also Dean of the Faculty of Visual Arts at the college.
The Intermedia Lab aims to establish LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts as a leading research institution by harnessing and strategically deploying the research energies of its faculties as well as through collaborations with other research institutions and relevant industries. Its four main objectives are:
Initiate and undertake research projects that integrate the research initiatives and imperatives of LASALLE-SIA;
Initiate and undertake research collaborations with relevant industries and institutions outside LASALLE-SIA both locally and internationally;
Organise events and activities that encourage the critical discussion and dissemination of the research undertaken at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Faculty of Performing Arts at LASALLE-SIA;
Undertake research projects with and for commercial applications and development.
An advisory committee consisting of prominent members exemplifying a variety of disciplines and interdisciplinary profiles has been set up to advise the Director of the Intermedia Lab on policies, procedures and projects. The members of the committee include:
Associate Professor Machiko Kusahara,
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Japan
Dr Tony Chan
Director, Centre for Advanced Media Technologies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Mr Tay Tong
Managing Director, Theatreworks, Singapore
Mr Robert Casteels
Dean, Faculty of Performing Arts, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore
Gunalan Nadarajan,
Director, Intermedia Lab
Dean, Faculty of Visual Arts, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore
The research initiatives of the Intermedia Lab seek to be mindful of the peculiar and shifting demands of the relevant industries as well as to identify and capitalise on emerging areas with research potential. However, it is crucial that this industry-relevance does not paralyse the capacity of the lab to initiate research projects that do not have any direct relevance to industries. The Intermedia Lab does not intend to simply become a client-driven research centre but serve as a laboratory for the experimentation and exploration of creative projects that do not necessarily have an immediate or direct value; what has been termed in scientific research as ‘blue-sky research’. The results generated from such work could then be explored for their ‘near-market’ viability as products and services. The lab actively enacts research partnerships and collaborations with other research institutions that have similar and/or compatible research agenda. It therefore welcomes institutions interested in collaborating on some of the projects mentioned below to contact the Director of the lab. The following are some research areas that have been identified for development by the Intermedia Lab:
Human-Machine Interfaces
Wearable Computing (e.g. electronic ornaments, smart fashion and textiles)
Connective Robotics (interpersonal, social and evolutionary robotics)
Telematic Interfaces (creative interfaces with mobile and web-based technologies)
Responsive Architectures (e.g. smart spaces; ambient intelligence)
Immersive Environments
Virtual Spaces (eg. VR immersive environments and interfaces)
Acoustic Architectures (sonic environments and sound-augmented spaces)
Ars Biotica
Providing strategic research links with research in the life sciences, specifically biotechnologies.
Creative Biotechnologies (e.g. transgenic ornaments, biomachinic interfaces)
Augmented Senses (e.g. teleolfaction, telegustation and telehaptic devices)
Project Ludus
The research and development of play (Latin: ludus) experiences, interfaces, products and services, e.g.:
Gaming (development of games for a variety of platforms, e.g. net, mobile devices);
Toys (exploring the possibilities of innovative toys and play experiences)
Entertainment Design
The research and development of entertainment-oriented experiences, products and services.
Augmented Cinema (exploring the interactive and immersive possibilities of cinematic experience);
Performance Research
Media-Augmented Theatre (exploring ways to augment the theatre experience and performance through new media and technologies like VR, holograms, robotics etc.)
Cultural Inflections of Technology
To explore how cultural specificities inflect the actual operations and modalities of technologies especially since technology is generally assumed to be culturally neutral.
Islamic Automation (a historical exploration of Islamic automata and its socio-cultural and philosophical underpinnings);
The cultural specificities, geographical concomitants and translocal aspects of the operations of the net.
Contact Details:
Gunalan Nadarajan
Director, Intermedia Lab
LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts
90 Goodman Road
Singapore 439053
Tel: (65) 63409160/1
Fax: (65) 64404776
Email: gunalan@lasallesia.edu.sg
Karen Cheok
Project/Administration Executive
Email: karen@lasallesia.edu.sg
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