Aalto University is created through a merger between the Helsinki School of Economics, the University of Art and Design Helsinki and the Helsinki University of Technology, which will start operating on the 1st of January 2010. www.aalto.fi

Media Lab of Aalto University School of Art and Design
The Media Lab Helsinki http://mlab.taik.fi in the School of Art and Design of the new Aalto University is a part of the new Department of Media.

Much of the world’s leading research and development in the broad field of new media, and within Media Labs, is characterized by work in the areas of physical computing and/or tangible user interfaces. The Media Lab Helsinki is characterized by its commitment towards the development of new formats and genres in art and design. In the digital media, these genres find their immediate form of expression in the interaction of the human agent with the digital matter through the interface.

Post doc researcher on experimental interfaces and interaction design
In the Media Lab Helsinki we’re now opening the call for a post-doctoral position 1.8.2010-31.12.2012. Area of research is experimental interfaces and interaction design. The area of research is dual thematic that includes on the one hand research and development of physical and tangible interfaces and on the other knowledge and experience with artistic forms of interaction implemented for instance, in the areas of sound/sonic interaction, dance and theater.

Responsibilities
The purpose of the work of the post-doctoral researcher is to support and further develop the research areas consistent with the department’s research profile. The work of the post-doctoral researcher includes both research as well as teaching and tutoring related to the field of research. In addition to this post-doctoral researchers may be required to undertake other tasks related to research and education.

Media Lab’s New Media education includes two MA programs – (1) MA in New Media and (2) MA in Sound in New Media, as well as studies leading to the doctoral degree. The new post-doctoral researcher is expected to strengthen the programs by providing more solid research foundation – including design and artistic practice – benefiting the education.

Qualifications
Applicants who have completed their doctoral studies quickly and successfully will be favored. In filling the position special emphasis will be given to the scientific quality of earlier research, art and/or design practice, international experience, as well as a research plan which is convincing and which corresponds well to the department’s needs. The chosen person should have completed their doctoral studies before the start of the post-doctoral period. The task requires fluent skills in the use of English language.

According to the multi-disciplinary nature of the Media Lab Helsinki and its operations it is expected that the applicants possess multiple skills that include computation, research, design and artistic methodologies, knowledge of new media theory as well as artistic and/or design activities.

Compensation
Compensations will be paid according to the new salary system at Finnish universities. Researcher positions are on faculty demand level 5-6. In addition, a personal supplementary compensation of maximum 48 % will be paid. In the beginning the salary will be 2.993-3.556 euros / month.

Applications
The application documents, including the application, applicant’s CV and a portfolio, a research plan and other selected certificates are expected to be delivered to the address kirjaamo@taik.fi (subject: post doc: experimental interfaces and interaction design) or to Kirjaamo, Aalto University, School of Art and Design, p.o.box 31000, 00076 Aalto, by 2.3.2010 at 15 Finnish time.

Further information
Professor Philip Dean (philip.dean@taik.fi)
http://mlab.taik.fi

Jobs in School of Art and Design in English:
http://www.taik.fi/en/taikista/taik_tyopaikkana/avoimet_tyopaikat.html

Avoimet työpaikat Aallon Taideteollisessa korkeakoulussa:
http://www.taik.fi/avoimet_toimet/

Long White Cloud is a new exhibition of photographs by photographer Philip Dean. Dean spent 5 months in New Zealand during early 2009 as part of a sabbatical leave from his position as Professor and Director of the Media Lab TaiK. During January-May Dean travelled widely in the distant country which is known especially, these days, as a land of film locations for fantasy movies. In reality the modern landscape of New Zealand is the result of millions of years of isolated evolution, extreme geological and climatic conditions, as well as the destruction and exploitation of its virgin environment by European settlers during the last 200 years. The modern New Zealand ‘natural landscape’ is the source of fascination for the exhibition’s main series of large format color prints. The images depict both the famous grand vistas of South Island as well as places of strange beauty, created through the concerted efforts of the pioneers in taming the land.

Other series are presented as on-screen images accessed through a gesture-based interface. These HDTV images attempt to reveal some of the essentials of the New Zealand character, the love of sports and outdoor life, the willingness to be involved in extreme activities as well as the independent, self-sufficient and individualistic nature of the people as witnessed in events and the constructed landscape and architecture of the Wellington region in particular.

The exhibition’s name, Long White Cloud, is derived from the indigenous Māori language name for New Zealand, Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud. The exhibition will be the first held at Taideteollinen Korkeakoulu as the new School of Art and Design of the Aalto University.

The exhibition is open from Tuesday 12th till Friday 22nd January 2010
Mon-Thu 8-19, Fri 8-18 (closed weekends)

The exhibition has been made possible with the support of the Finnish Arts Council.

See also HS 12.1.2010 (in Finnish)

Kari Kuutti is professor in Human-Computer Interaction and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work at the Department of Information Processing Science, University of Oulu. He has also worked earlier in a similar position at Helsinki University of Technology, where he is also a docent, and is also holding another docentship in adult education at University of Helsinki. His major research interest is in theoretical understanding of the role of digital artifacts in various human activities, and development of appropiate design methods for them. He has published over 100 papers on related topics and supervised 10 PhD theses in the field. He is also interested in the history of technology.

Our brand remains. We’ll continue to be ‘Media Lab Helsinki’. This is still the home of two new media related MA degree programmes and a doctoral programme.

From 1st January we’ll belong to a greater unit: The Department of Media (Median laitos) joins us with the ex-department of Photography and ex-department of Graphic Design. The head of the new department is professor Philip Dean.

This new department is one of the five departments of the Aalto University (current abbrev. “Aalto”) School of Art and Design (was: University of Art and Design, no current abbreviation).

Our email addresses will change. The old @taik.fi will work for some time, but the new one will be @aalto.fi, for both staff and students. (EDIT: I was asked to add that there’s no official schedule on this yet, so just go on with @taik.fi until further notice)

Our phone numbers have changed already. The old ones will work for some time, but if you replace “756″ in the old number with “470″ for the new number, you should get through.

We will stay housed in the same building as before. However, we will have a new post office box. The address of the post box of the School of Art and Design is PL 31000, and the postal code is 00076 Aalto.

A short recap might be needed :-) Here goes:

the university = Aalto University
University of Art and Design —> School of Art and Design
Media Lab –> Media Lab in the Department of Media
Teemu Leinonen –> Philip Dean
phones 756 XX XXX –> 470 XX XXX
emails @taik.fi –> @aalto.fi (later!)
address Hämeentie 135 C, 00560 Helsinki –> PL 31000 School of Art and Design, 00076 Aalto.

The Seeing Red symposium and workshop will be held on January 12th, 14th, 19th, and 21st at Aalto University School of Art and Design (former TAIK), Hämeentie 135 C, Helsinki, Finland. Researchers, doctoral students, and MA students working on thesis: Welcome!

Program:
http://vipp.mlog.taik.fi/

Registration: Antti Raike, araike taik.fi

Place: in TaiK 4th floor, Media Lab space plus language studios

Time: on 17.12. from 13 onwards

On Stage

13.00    WELCOME Dean Teemu Leinonen (5 min)

The year 2009 in Open Data in Finland (10 min)

CONTEXT:
I’m involved in a project funded by the Academy of Finland called Somus. We have been very active in pushing open data and citizen initiated dvelopment processes forward.

DESCRIPTION:
In this presentation I will give an updata about things happening around open data and the upcoming Finnish information society strategy. Toppics covered:

-Apps for Democracy Finland
-opengov.fi
-open data community
-report and manual for the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the works by Antti Poikola, Kari Hintikka and Petri Kola.

PROJECT GROUP:
SOMUS research group, Antti Poikola, Kari Hintikka, Petri Kola

PRESENTING:
Petri Kola

MORE INFORMATION:
Petri Kola

petri.kola@taik.fi
+358505811974
http://petrikola.org

How Aaltoes is embracing entrepreneurship (5 min)

CONTEXT:
We are spreading the word of entrepreneurship within the upcoming Aalto University

DESCRIPTION:
We describe our way of working, and explain what benefits people have from being involved with us

PROJECT GROUP:
Board of 6 from all three universities, about 30 active group participants, and over 3600 members

PRESENTING:
Thomas Hutton, Taik, MA Industrial Design student

MORE INFORMATION:
aaltoes.com
thomas.hutton@aaltoes.com
kristo.ovaska@aaltoes.com

Physical computing with Maemo (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Maemo is a linux based mobile phone platform. Author is an interaction desinger working for Nokia Maemo UX team. He initiated a small project in the team to develop a desinger friendly physical computing system on Maemo enabled phones that can sense and respond to the analog world.

DESCRIPTION:
This project created a tool to develop physical computing with the Maemo and encourages non-programmers such as user researchers and designers to create rapid prototypes in their own project. The project is work in progress and aims to have hands-on workshops in universities to explore tangible and pervasive interaction designs using mobile phones next year.

PROJECT GROUP:
Michihito Mizutani
Maciej Blomberg

PRESENTING:
Michihito Mizutani

MORE INFORMATION:
info@michihito.com

Visual Innovations for Inclusive Projects with Diverse Participants (10 min)

CONTEXT:
VIPP ey-tracking and colour naming test

DESCRIPTION:
The Web is a visual communication medium where colours are used both for aesthetic and informative reasons. What a user sees on a Web page should inform what a user might find within the entire site, how to access the content, and why the site might be beneficial for a user. In this process colours may give instinctive emotional response that shapes the Web experience of a user. We can call this also as the artistic dimension of Web design. Thus Web usability issues are communication issues that expand on art, language, cognition, and emotion. In addition, accessible web sites communicate quickly and effectively for all potential users. However, monitors with the modern digital technology with millions colours allow to use gamut which go beyond the limits of human colour categorisation and terminology. Thus what we see on screen is seldom what me need or understand, although we enjoy the visions modern technology offers us.

PROJECT GROUP:
Antti Raike, Jyrki Messo, Heikki Tuononen

PRESENTING:
Antti Raike

MORE INFORMATION:
http://vipp.mlog.taik.fi/

Powderlove.com – The Making of a Social Online Service for Snow Enthusiastics (5 min)

CONTEXT:
The making of a social web site to active snow sport enthusiastics.

DESCRIPTION:
Powderlove.com is a new social online service for enthusiastic downhill skiers and 
snowboarders. The service is made with love by two active skiers and one snowboarder. The presentation is about showing the process filled with trial and error how the service ended up to the point it is now and what is coming in the future.

PROJECT GROUP:
Juha Salonen
Juha Vaaraniemi
Anssi Väisänen
Linda Söderholm

PRESENTING:
Juha Salonen

MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.powderlove.com
juha.salonen@sattuma.fi

* Break * Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break *

14.00 The OPEN 2009 Symposium (5 min)

CONTEXT:
In this presentation we will introduce the Open 2009 symposium which was organized by the doctoral students of the Media Lab. Activity is part of DA studies in the Media Lab.

DESCRIPTION:
The OPEN 2009 Symposium was held on the 5th–6th November at Media Lab University of Art and Design Helsinki. The symposium is an academic forum for the doctoral students of the Media Lab to engage with students and researchers from other institutions around topical research subjects. This year’s topic, openness, originated from discussions among our doctoral students, in particular among people interested in the themes of social media, peer production, and new ways of organising activities.

In this presentation we’ll go through the highlights of OPEN 2009 and present the online archive of the symposium.
http://opensymposium.net/2009/

PROJECT GROUP:
Core organizing team
Kati Hyyppä
Petri Kola
Juha Kronqvist
Sanna Marttila
The complete list of contributors can be found here:
http://opensymposium.net/2009/contact/

PRESENTING:
Sanna Marttila and Petri Kola

MORE INFORMATION:
Sanna Marttila
sanna.marttila@taik.fi
http://opensymposium.net/2009/

Head Drawing (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Research

DESCRIPTION:
Head Drawing is a perceptual vision system that tracks the user’s head movements and uses that information to control software. Head Drawing can be used for many purposes ranging from music composition to whiplash training.
http://www.therealsimon.com/headdrawing/dd

PROJECT GROUP:
Simon Morris

PRESENTING:
Me2

MORE INFORMATION:
Me3

Killer Fashion Revolution – Fashion Hacktivism for Human Rights! (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Presenting how participatory art, participatory design and peace education are mixed to a workshop, a participatory media-art installation and a wiki page.

DESCRIPTION:
“Killer Fashion Revolution” is a project that consist of artistic workshops, a participatory media-art installation and a Wiki based on-line platform. On all these levels, workshop, installation and on-line, participants transform clothes related to war into garments and artifacts that promotes human rights. Participants go through three phases Discover, Understand and Create, adapted from the Mosaic peace education program developed by CISV an organization that promotes peace through friendship. www.killerfashionrevolution.com

PROJECT GROUP:
Linda Kronman

PRESENTING:
Linda Kronman

MORE INFORMATION:
www.killerfashionrevolution.com
linda.kronman@killerfashionrevolution.com

Crucible Studio – for the Art and Design of Storytelling in New Media (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Overview of activities undertaken by research group Crucible Studio in autumn term 2009.

DESCRIPTION:
Crucible Studio explores, defines and creates new forms of narrative, in dialogue with traditions of drama and storytelling, as means of communication in new and emerging media environments and cultural practices. The research methodology is content-led, practice-based and multidisciplinary. Current ongoing collaborative projects include the European SALERO project, and nationally the DIMEKE and YLE Cultural Fitness Club. Further activities derived from these collaborations and research projects, plus new initiatives, are planned to start in spring 2010.

Collaborative projects and Research (current and forthcoming):

SALERO – Semantic Audiovisual Re-Usable Entertainment Objects
www.salero.info.

Turing Machine Cross Media Experimental Production, Alan01 interactive installation

Turing Impact HD short films

Alan Online
http://mlab.taik.fi/alanonline/

Cultural Fitness Club project with YLE (This project is presented in more detail by Virva Auvinen and Teemu Korpilahti.)

European Living Cultures (ELC) – Living Virtual Worlds for the European People Culture (forthcoming)

New Doctor of Arts researcher at Crucible Studio

Presentations, papers and awards

Teaching activities August–December 2010

Renewed websites

The Alan Online site has been updated with material presenting the entire Turing Machine project:
http://mlab.taik.fi/alanonline/
Crucible Studio’s new website is under construction. The new URL is: http://crucible.mlog.taik.fi/

PROJECT GROUP:
Mika Tuomola (artistic director), Tea Stolt (producer), Teemu Korpilahti (storytelling software researcher), Virva Auvinen (researcher, until end 2009), plus a number of project team members (see http://mlab.taik.fi/alanonline/ for full team credits).

PRESENTING:
Tea Stolt (producer), Mika Tuomola (artistic director)

MORE INFORMATION:
tea.stolt@taik.fi
mika.tuomola@taik.fi

http://crucible.lume.fi/ (current site)

http://crucible.mlog.taik.fi/ (new site)

http://mlab.taik.fi/alanonline/

Cultural fitness club (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Crucible production for YLE Cultural Fitness club (procedural storytelling ws & MDR seminar)

DESCRIPTION:
A short  presentation about project, on the floor the video about the scenario

PROJECT GROUP:
Teemu Korpilahti, Virva Auvinen, Mika Tuomola, Lily Diaz, Tea Stolt

PRESENTING:
Korpilahti & Auvinen

MORE INFORMATION:
teemu@tmukoo.net & virvaa@gmail.com

INFO TOKEN (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Media Design Research Seminar: Kulttuurikunto Project

DESCRIPTION:
This project proposes integration of code scanning with Kulttuurikunto activities.

PROJECT GROUP:
An Chao, Sara Jacobsen, Markku Ruotsalainen, Annukka Salo

PRESENTING:
An Chao, Sara Jacobsen, Markku Ruotsalainen, Annukka Salo

MORE INFORMATION:
anchaoair@126.com
sarananda13@hotmail.com

* Break * Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break* Break *

15.00  Climbing around, augmenting the streets and aging together: learning from everyday experimentations (5 min)

CONTEXT:
User Driven Open Innovation project (Arki research group + partners)

DESCRIPTION:
What do a group of climbers, graffiti artists and active seniors have in common? In the past year we have been collaborating with people actively experimenting with these practices through a TEKES funded project interested in understanding new digital service innovations. With this work we want to highlight the located and collective nature of design and innovation and encourage companies to think the meaning of “Openness” and “User Driven” more thoroughly.

PROJECT GROUP:
Arki research group (Andrea Botero, Kati Hyyppä, Anne Naukkarinen, Jenna Sutela & Kari-Hans Kommonen)

PRESENTING:
Anne Naukkarinen and Andrea Botero

MORE INFORMATION:
Arki research group
Research Group Leader
Kari-Hans Kommonen
khk@taik.fi &
anne.naukkarinen@taik.fi

Principles of Mobile Maintenance Instructions – eMari (5 min)

CONTEXT:
TEKES project  of Mobile Support for eMaintenance – eMari

DESCRIPTION:
One of the topics in eMari project was to research cultural and language dependences. The aim of the work  done in Systems of Representation research group  was to find principles how cultural and language independency could be possible. Of course such independency is not possible. However, something was found. Some principles were applied in a demo of how maintenance instructions could be represented in mobile gadget in a way that allows people to follow the instructions without almost any educational background and language knowledge. Research partners in the project were Taik and VTT, and industry partners were ABB Service, Metso Minerals, Sandvik Mining and Construction.

PROJECT GROUP:
Juhani Tenhunen, Salil Sayed, Lily Diaz, VTT Media and Smart Machines

PRESENTING:
Juhani Tenhunen

MORE INFORMATION:
http://emari.vtthttp://emari.vtt.fi/eng/index.html

Spirit of Bauhaus (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Project for systems of Representation Class

DESCRIPTION:
Information Visualization of Bauhaus via interactive installation.

PROJECT GROUP:
Reha Discioglu, Sampo Jalasto, Akira Sano, Laura Sebastian, Agnieszka Paszkowska

PRESENTING:
Agnieszka Paszkowska, Reha Discioglu

MORE INFORMATION:
reha.discioglu@gmail.com

LeGroup update (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Media Lab’s research group with one ongoing EU/National project, a lot of social media in education activities and one project focusing on social media in leadership. Also one new large scale EU research project proposal on future classroom, that looks promising – we were invited to the negotiations with the Commission-

DESCRIPTION:
Introducing current and new projects.

PROJECT GROUP:
LeGroup people: Teemu, Tarmo, Jukka, Hans, Jarno, Juha K.

PRESENTING:
Teemu, Tarmo or Hans

MORE INFORMATION:
Tarmo

Arki update (5 min)

DESCRIPTION:
Introducing new projects: Finlab and EUscreen

PROJECT GROUP:
Arki research group

PRESENTING:
Sanna Marttila

MORE INFORMATION:
FinLab and EUScreen projects:
Sanna Marttila, sanna.marttila@taik.fi
Arki research group:
Research Group Leader
Kari-Hans Kommonen, khk@taik.fi

Music of the Spheres
an audiovisual play environment (5 min)

CONTEXT:
Starting point for creating the Music of the Spheres concept
has been to turn the original Fröbel’s blocks into digital me-
dium – to an audiovisual environment. The on-going project
is Matti Luhtala’s MA in Sound in New Media thesis work to
University of Art and Design Helsinki, Media Lab. The de-
sign team members are Anna Salmi and Daniel Vester. The
final outcome of the Music of The Spheres will be situated in
the Kindergarten Museum in Helsinki.

DESCRIPTION:
Music of the Spheres allows multiple users of all ages to play and interact simultaneously. The interactive environment consists of a tabletop projection screen and external speakers that present dynamic multimedia when producing music and sounds. Users can interact with the system using different geometric shaped blocks as tangible interfaces.

PROJECT GROUP:
Matti Luhtala, Daniel Vester and Anna Salmi

PRESENTING:
Matti Luhtala and Daniel Vester

MORE INFORMATION:
Contact person: Matti Luhtala
Music of the Spheres blog: www.tunesvision.com
E-mail: matti.luhtala@tunnelvision.fi

On Demo Floor

Aalto University Laptop Orchestra – AULO

CONTEXT:
Free experimentation for collective practices in collaborative music performance

DESCRIPTION:
Aalto University Laptop Orchestra (AULO) aims to bring together all kinds of interests for sharing experimental/electronic music experience in live performances. AULO is an open group for experimenting collaborative laptop music performances both in academic and free context.

PROJECT GROUP:
Yosef Berkovich, Reha Discioglu, Jin Huang (Kooky), Samy Kramer, Svetlana Maras, Kalle Mäntsälä, Julian Parker, Jari Suominen, Koray Tahiroğlu

PRESENTING:
Koray Tahiroğlu

MORE INFORMATION:
web

http://aulaptoporchestra.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=87394132653&ref=mf

email
aulaptoporchestra@googlegroups.com

The Brave Little Troll – a game for rhythm learning

CONTEXT:
A game project for the Finnish Association of the Deaf.

DESCRIPTION:
The Brave Little Troll is an entertaining rhythm learning game. Its primary target group is preschool age deaf and hard of hearing children. It has been made for the Finnish Association of the Deaf. Finland’s Slot Machine Association has supported the project.

PROJECT GROUP: Riia Celen, Juho Jouhtimäki, Suvi Kitunen, Teemu Korpilahti, Sven Noben, Margaret Plaisted

PRESENTING:
Juho Jouhtimäki

MORE INFORMATION:
Juho Jouhtimäki, juho.jouhtimaki@gmail.com

Charlie – interactive shadow theatre

CONTEXT:
Designing Interaction With Electronics WS

DESCRIPTION:
Charlie is an interactive audio-visual installation. It’s a piece where the shadow of a main character (based on Charlie Chaplin’s figure) appears and disappears from a TV screen according to the distance of the viewers. Like in a puppet theater, Charlie moves his arms and legs which are attached to strings. Installation is based on Arduino and electronics and programmed in Pure data.

PROJECT GROUP:
Svetlana Maras, Leyla Nasibova

PRESENTING:
Leyla Nasibova, Svetlana Maras

MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.svetlanamaras.com/charlie.html

Lights – an interactive light installation

CONTEXT:
The city of Helsinki is making a new bicycle/pedestrian path in Helsinki. The path will be in the old railway shaft leading from KIASMA to the West Harbour.

DESCRIPTION:
LIGHTS is a proposal for an interactive artpiece to be placed in a tunnel along the new bicycle/pedestrian path in Helsinki . The artpiece consists of a LED-light wall that reflects the movement and direction of the path. As people pass by the wall, each LED-light will react by switching off.

PROJECT GROUP:
Naja Kragh Jensen

PRESENTING:
Naja Kragh Jensen

MORE INFORMATION:
naja.kj@gmail.com

SEISMI

CONTEXT:
Seismi is an earthquake data visualization project which is using publicly available data provided by USGS and transforming it to a more informative, human readable and visually interesting form.

DESCRIPTION:
Beta version of the website running on computer, enabling visitors to have a peek.

PROJECT GROUP:
Niko Knappe
Gokce Taskan

MORE INFORMATION:
www.seismi.org
info@seismi.org

Paper Plane Pilot

CONTEXT:
Course work from Michihito Mizutani’s workshop Digital Interaction with Electronics.

DESCRIPTION:
Paper Plane Pilot is a prototype for a game where you pilot a paper plane through the building. The controlling of the plane happens by using custom made wings that player can wear. Wings are equipped with accelerometers which allow players to control the plane by tilting and turning wings.

PROJECT GROUP:
Heidi Holm, Daniel Suominen

MORE INFORMATION:
tapio.suominen@taik.fi

Life Cycle

CONTEXT:
Designing interaction with electronics workshop

DESCRIPTION:
Any one can use the exercise bike to cycle as fast they want through Helsinki with audi. We have an exercise bike that we set up right in front of a screen. Behind the screen is the projector, projecting images of a cycle trip through Helsinki, the faster a person cycles the faster the movie goes. Also there is audio of a motivational speech.

PROJECT GROUP:
Simon Morris and Ben Dromey

PRESENTING:
Simon Morris and Ben Dromey

MORE INFORMATION:
simon.morris@taik.fi
benjamin.dromey@taik.fi

God Cinema

CONTEXT:
Interactive Cinema workshop

DESCRIPTION:
God Cinema is a series of short movie clips of people in various situations. At an obvious moment during a clip, the interactor can use a pattern held up in from of the camera to influence whether or not something bad happens next. The good and bad results are both intended to be enjoyable outcomes for the viewer.

PROJECT GROUP:
Anne-Marie Grönroos and Ben Dromey

PRESENTING:
Anne-Marie Grönroos and Ben Dromey

MORE INFORMATION:
anne-marie.gronroos@taik.fi
benjamin.dromey@taik.fi

Yami Creative – Music production for various media

CONTEXT:
Music production related to Siba CM&T Film Music course and digital audio production in general. Yami Creative is my professional agency, with me as the only employee.

DESCRIPTION:
This presentation shows examples of film music production that was entirely done in a Digital Audio Workstation.

PROJECT GROUP:
Me.

MORE INFORMATION:
www.yamicreative.fi
janne@yamicreative.fi

Short film “lukupiiri” by Jaana Kokko

CONTEXT:
Sound work

DESCRIPTION:
Sound work for the short film “Lukupiiri” by the artist Jaana Kokko.
An excerpt.

PROJECT GROUP:
many

MORE INFORMATION:
samy kramer. 044 272 12 41

Subminimal Messages + Blowaanisqatsi

CONTEXT:
A strange Sound based interactive experience.

DESCRIPTION:
Subminimal Messages – Exploring Archetypal film score patterns from the (mainstream)Indian Film Unconscious and it’s interactions with Western Moving Images. Works on Chuck program, midi controller.
Blowaanisqatsi – A mysterious and cheap interactive experience of mankind/womankind hurling itself into the bottomless pit of technological chaos(good riddance), based on Godfrey Reggio’s phenomenal movie and in particular, Philip Glass’s haunting score..! (Should ideally) work on voice.

PROJECT GROUP:
Ranjit Menon

MORE INFORMATION:
my email – drystate@gmail.com

“Kuohijoki Breakfast” & ”Through the seasons” – 2 stop motion short films

CONTEXT:
A weekend experiment with stop motion

DESCRIPTION:
Two stop motion animations by Ramyah Gowrishankar & Liisa Tervinen. Sound design by Juhana Virkkunen and Samy Kramer.
These animations were created on a rainy day in August at a Finnish summer cottage. There was no script, no preplanning, no proper gears only two mac book pro’s and the shooting took about 6 hours for each film.

PROJECT GROUP: Liisa Tervinen, Ramyah Gowrishankar, Juhana Virkkunen, Samy Kramer

MORE INFORMATION:
http://narrativize.net
http://designhuone.net
The videos also at:
Kuohijoki Breakfast: http://vimeo.com/8159631
Through the Seasons : http://vimeo.com/8160315

Aer – Bringing together New Media, Clothing and Electronics

CONTEXT:
Master’s Thesis project

DESCRIPTION:
I am bringing to DemoDay Fall 2009 a first prototype of Aer, which is an interactive installation that explores the act of breathing through the use of wearable technology and audiovisual representation.

PROJECT GROUP:
Anna Salmi (Mlab), Matti Luhtala (Mlab), Daniel Vester (Design), Emilia Hakkarainen (Design), Jari Suominen (Mlab)

Thanks to the crew:

Jon Fabritius
Pekka Salonen
Ilpo Kari
Upi Itäpelto
Heikki Tuononen
Anna Arsniva

Academic dissertation to be presented for public examination with the permission of The Research Board of the University of Art and Design Helsinki, in Sampo auditorium (Media Centre LUME), Hämeentie 135 C

on December 12th, 2009, at 12.00.

MA Mariana Salgado “Designing for an Open Museum: An Exploration of Content Creation and Sharing through Interactive Pieces”

Opponent:

Phd Palmyre Pierroux, Intermedia, University of Oslo

Custos:

Professor, DA Lily Díaz, University of Art and Design Helsinki

Welcome!

KUTSU

Väitöskirjan tarkastustilaisuus lauantaina 12.12.2009 klo 12

Taideteollisen korkeakoulun Sampo-salissa (Mediakeskus Lume).

MA Mariana Salgado “Designing for an Open Museum: An Exploration of Content Creation and Sharing through Interactive Pieces”

Vastaväittäjä: Phd Palmyre Pierroux, Intermedia, Oslon yliopisto

Kustos: Professori, DA Lily Díaz, Taideteollinen korkeakoulu, Helsinki

Tervetuloa!

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Abstract

This thesis describes how an interaction design approach is used to encourage museum community involvement in exhibitions. My hypothesis is that by making the community a part of exhibitions it is possible to broaden and update the perspectives and the discussion on what is exhibited, making content more accessible to a range of visitors and providing more opportunities for learning and engagement. The personal and creative way that people relate to exhibited material makes the contribution of the museum community valuable.  Interaction designers have the possibility to plan from the beginning the way that the museum community could create content.

In order to work on these hypotheses, the main topics for my research are how to create design that encourages community participation in the museum and what to expect from such participation. To tackle this issue, I created and participated in projects that attempted to encourage people to comment on an exhibition, whether in online or onsite formats through interactive pieces. Most of the material that this thesis deals with is firsthand, collected during exhibitions in different museums in Helsinki, Finland. The cases are SoundTrace (Äänijälki) in the Ateneum Museum in 2005, Conversational Map (Keskustelukartta) in Kunsthalle (Taidehalli) in 2006, and The Secret Life of Objects (Esineiden salatut elämät) in the Design Museum in 2008. The three cases are tightly bonded to my research; each case pointed me in new directions and posed questions that affected the design of the next case.

In parallel to the development of the projects I looked into the Museum Informatics field, participating in forums around these issues. To complete this enquiry I have reviewed bibliography related to Museum studies. Both Museum studies and Museum informatics have provided me with an understanding of the problematic from the museum point of view, which I link in this thesis with questions relevant to interaction designers.

My personal work as a design-researcher allowed me to examine the opportunities and constraints faced by interaction designers working as external collaborators at museums. Part of this study delves deeply into how this content becomes valuable to staff and visitors and how it reflects people’s experience of the exhibition.

In these case studies, I have designed interactive pieces and mechanisms geared towards involving the visitors, the staff and the designers or artists in the museum so that they create content that is later displayed in the museums. Participatory design approaches influenced the design of these pieces and facilitated the recognition of informal museum practices (sharing thoughts, feelings, jokes and questions) as well as more institutional practices (workshops, guided tours, and publications).

When examining the data, I adopted the concept of “ecology of participation” which allowed me to map the complexity of the design arena, thus making visible possibilities for intervention to interaction designers. The ecology-of-participation concept binds the interactive piece, the people, and the practices with the places.  My hypothesis is that by examining the ecology of participation it is possible to support and make use of existing practices, places and different actors in the museum. This thesis emphasises that the quality of the contributions depends on the inclusion and connections within the different components of the ecology.

Finally, I offer recommendations on engaging the community in technically mediated exhibitions. These recommendations are intended to support the museum community as well as interaction designers by offering insight into involvement as a part of the whole museum experience. The recommendations for the museum are to listen to and trust the community by promoting community-created content, forming alliances with external partners, such as universities, for long-term collaborations, and taking risks. Designers involved in digital design projects in museums can work towards integrating the groups in the ecology and nurturing content material. By doing so, designers perform different roles, including that of a facilitator or a gardener that is a key actor in the design of an open museum.

You are welcome to see the presentation and to join the discussion. Here is the program:

Place: MLAB 4TH floor lecture room – open for all, welcome!

Monday 23.11.2009

9-10 Jukka Liukkonen: Taide 2060 toimijalähtöisellä skenaariomenetelmällä
Evaluators: Teemu Mäki Visual Culture, TaiK and Jarno Koponen Media Lab, TaiK

10-11 Keri Knowles: Lotus Window. Concentric ring structures for framing video narratives
Evaluators: Chris Hales Smartlab/Cetral St. Martins London England and Marita Liulia, Media Lab, TaiK

11-12 Virva Auvinen: Touch the unreachable – looking for the finnish identity. Designing art educational learning experience.
Evaluators: Marjo Mäenpää Pori Visual Culture, TaiK and Tarja Kankkunen Art Education, TaiK

12-13 — lunch break —

13-14 Sami Lanu: LaiskaMies livenä Second Lifessa. Miten musiikinesittäjän identiteetti ja esitys siirretään virtuaalimaailmaan?
Evaluators: Miikka Salavuo, Sibelius Academy and Markku Reunanen Media Lab, TaiK

14-15 Teemu Korpilahti: From Alan01 to AlanOnline – A study of the different charcteristics of physical media installations and non-material art
Evaluators: Andy Best Goldsmiths, University of London England and Marita Liulia Media Lab, TaiK

15-16 Suvi Kitunen: Designing a Deaf culture spesific web site. Participatory design research for knack.fi.
Evaluators: Yan Ki Lee RCA/ Helen Hamlyn Reasearch Centre London England and Mariana Salgado Media Lab, TaiK

Tuesday 24.11.2009

13-14 Kalle Mäntsälä: Hearspray. Designing interaction for a movement-controlled digital musical instrument
Evaluators: Ilkka Niemeläinen composer / producer and Koray Tahiroglu Department of Acoustics and Signal Processing, Helsinki University of Technology

14-15 Kalle Jarva: Dreams, Bytes & Dust. Explorations in Audiovisual Space and Beyond.
Evaluators: Jari Kauppinen Theatre Academy Helsinki and Nuno Correia Media Lab, TaiK

15-16 Sven Noben: Sign Language Media – an exploration of Flemish Deaf culture, media exigencies and cross-medial perspectives
Evaluators: Christian Vogler Institute of Language and Speech Processing Athens Greece and Antti Raike Media Lab, TaiK

Martin Gimpl work: Stripes – A Conceptual Operating System User Interface is available for download from the Media Lab’s master thesis archive. You will find more information about the project from Martin’s website, too. Check the video.

Winner was announced in the SIGCHI fall seminar and the World’s Usability day. The jury contains the leading figures of the Finnish HCI community:

Pertti Huuskonen, Nokia Research Center
Hannakaisa Isomäki, University of Jyväskylä
Turkka Keinonen, University of Art and Design Helsinki
Kari Kuutti, University of Oulu
Martti Mäntylä, Helsinki University of Technology, HIIT
Roope Raisamo, University of Tampere
Kaisa Väänänen-Vainio-Mattila, Tampere University of Technology
Karin Österman, Åbo Akademi