Research & Projects

Research and Creative Activities at the MMAD Lab

The Lab offer services for multi-disciplinary research where faculty, graduate and undergraduate researchers benefit from the Lab and it's technologies to further their research. Current research projects focus on interactive installations and visualization of scientific research, particularly climate change.

Interdisciplinary Residency at MMAD Lab

The MMAD Lab held three Interdisciplinary Residencies from 2017-2019.

These creative residencies allowed researchers to create or devote time to a research project using the Motion + Media Across Disciplines (MMAD) Lab facilities. The Labs create an empathetic atmosphere, allowing residents to pursue their vision through exploration, reflection, research, collaboration and creative endeavors.

Scientists and engineers explored aspects of art and science within fields such as music composition, literature, dance, mechanical engineering, visual art, theatre, games, film. By the same token, artists were curious about the influence of biology, chemistry, philosophy, physics, math, storytelling, environmental science on the arts.

Below are examples of the Interdisciplinary Residency:

On-Demand Wellness + Cheer: A Meditative Journey through the Woods with Hartley

Paula Gudmundson, Associate Professor of Flute, participated in the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Conference December 2020. Ten years ago, flutist Paula Gudmundson and visual artist Laura Andrews began developing the project now called Hartley, named after Duluth’s Hartley Nature Center, where the video footage was filmed. Paula explored musical improvisations while Laura experimented with digital video. They gradually merged their ideas—musical layering and sound manipulation with visual movement through spaces. Hartley is the result, designed to engage viewers emotionally and spatially, fostering connection and transcendence.
Credits: Laura Andrews (video); Paula Gudmundson (flute); Mark Ilaug (sitar). Created at UMD MMAD Lab Interdisciplinary Residency.

Charles McGregor, Digital Cove

Digital Cove is a video game series by UMD student Charles McGregor that blends art, music, and science. It was showcased at the Tweed Museum of Art in May 2018. McGregor collaborated with the Viz, MMAD, and SIVE labs, the Department of Art and Design, and Swenson College of Science & Engineering. His game HyperDot is now on the Xbox store.

Manoomin Exhibit; Children's Museum

Manoomin is a permanent exhibit at Duluth's Children Museum that allows children to discover the Ojibwe language. Along with a free interactive app called Mikan, children can learn about the wild-rice harvest from an interactive video spoken in English and Ojibwe in the exhibit. Professor Joellyn Rock from Art and Design along with grad student Logan Sales from computer science worked together in the MMAD Lab to create this interactive exhibit.

Motion Capture-VR Dance Workshop at ACDA

At the 2017 ACDA North-Central Conference at UMD, twenty dancers explored motion capture and VR in dance, watching their avatars come to life. Lisa Fitzpatrick and Rebecca Katz-Harwood co-led the "Moving Bodies" workshop, held March 8–11.

Project Lulu: Arts Express / Video Workshops for Cancer Survivors

Arts Express Workshops for Cancer Survivors grew from the creative work of Minnesota artist Lisa McKhann and her non-profit, Project Lulu. These workshops support survivors through reflective writing, movement, and visual art, with optional digital media components that combine their creations into experimental videos. No prior experience is needed, as participants are guided by experienced instructors. In 2017, digital video workshops were led by Joellyn Rock, with support from UMD art education students and MMAD Lab staff.

Crossing Over, 2017 Eun-Kyung Suh, Art & Design

Expressing the transformation that occurs when moving from one realm to another, fiber artists explore universal and cultural passages, including immigration, relocation, changes in form or appearance, and death, explored through varied and unexpected materials and methods.

Eun-Kyung Suh (Duluth, Minnesota), Eileen Woods (Columbus, Ohio) + a group show featuring the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati, Inc.

The Effect of Different Instruments and Expertise on Pianists’ Hand Mechanics, 2017

T. Lipke-Perry, Music and M. Levy, Biomechanics

Read the full article here.

Mobile Language Learning Group

Overview:

This group was formed by faculty and students from collegiate units across the campus to work together and create digital tools that enhance language acquisition and cultural learning.

Currently four apps are under development: The Study Abroad App, The French/Spanish Pronunciation App, The Russian Grammar Guide, and The UMD German Grammar Guide. The first version of the UMD German Grammar Guide is already available for at Apple's App Store.

Visualizing the Speed-Accuracy Trade-Off, 2016–2017

Robert Feyen, Ph.D. and Alex Stecker, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Student (UROP)

Overview:

Have you ever noticed that when using a mouse, you have to slow down to accurately click an icon, or that you slow down to insert a key into a car ignition? These everyday actions illustrate the speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT), a well-known principle in human movement. SAT describes the inverse relationship between speed and accuracy: the faster you move, the less accurate your movement tends to be.

Muscle Activation and Movement Patterns in Novice and Experienced Stand Up Paddleboarders 2016-17

Kristine Snyder, Ph.D., and UROP student Jennifer Schwietz investigate whether movement and muscle activation differ between novice and expert stand-up paddleboarders. They hypothesize experts rely more on stronger proximal muscles (torso, shoulder) with greater joint angle changes there, while novices use distal joints (elbow, wrist) more. They also expect experienced paddlers to show less overall muscle activation and co-contraction. Results will inform training needs to reduce injury risk and identify common injuries in experts. More information.

FISHNETSTOCKINGS, 2015

Joellyn Rock and Alison Aune, Art & Design; Pete Willemsen, Computer Science

Artist Statement:

FISHNETSTOCKINGS is an interactive installation created by digital artist Joellyn Rock, computer scientist Pete Willemsen, visual artist Alison Aune, and a crew of collaborators. The participatory space allows the audience to dive in and make virtual waves inside this alt version of a very old tale. A layered mix of digital video, text, silhouettes and cutout elements are motion activated with a combo of code, Processing and Kinect. Read the full article here.

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