Labs Pathways Project
We facilitate world-class learning opportunities with leading creative technologies.
The problem
Cutting-edge creative technologies provide us with innovative ways to engage with today’s pressing issues. However, the ability for students to leverage these technologies can be hindered by limited access, a lack of expertise and the inherent cost involved.
Our approach
The ADA Labs Pathways Project designed and facilitated new systems for student and staff engagement with world- leading creative technology labs within UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture. The Innovation Hub sponsored four small- scale research projects, pairing students with academic and technical mentors and promoting the labs’ research priorities.
Undergraduate, honours and postgraduate coursework students participated in and co-led research projects under the guidance of academic experts from diverse fields. They developed lab-specific skills supported by technical researchers within the respective labs.
Students gained invaluable experience working with world-class creative technologies and an introduction to a high-performing research environment as well as the opportunity to develop portfolio materials for future research candidature. The project also expanded awareness of and access to the research labs’ capabilities and promoted pathways for further collaborations and future research candidates.
The outcomes
A pilot program ran in 2022 with sponsored projects identified through an EOI process. Pathway projects keyed into the labs’ broader research supporting real-world outcomes.
The EPICentre is a state-of-the-art visualisation facility that integrates artistic and scientific thinking to depict complex datasets and ultra-scale imagery. It partnered on XR Dance Studio with UNSW Art & Design lecturer Matt Cabanag and student Shiya Lu to incorporate immersive technologies with live choreographic data in a virtual reality (VR) setting.
The 3DVAL develops novel ways to portray complex visual narratives using creative methodologies, from gaming to 3D computer animation, VR and augmented reality. The lab collaborated on Object Image Making with UNSW Art & Design lecturer Dr Bic Tieu and student Penny Zhang to prototype complex craft designs in a digital and virtual space.
Student Max Tintner explored engagement with Virtual Characters versus Social Robots, building on Dr Eduardo Sandoval’s research in 3DVAL and CRL.
CRL advances interaction between humans and machines through social robotics with a focus on assistive technologies, culture and technology, and human futures.
CRL also collaborated on Heightened Perceptions with Dr Haider Akmal and student Jonathan Shaw on the design and creation of ‘trans-objects’ with a heightened perception of their usage, intent and purpose.
Work with us
The UNSW Innovation Hub tackles diverse problem-solving projects, varying in size, complexity and subject matter. We specialise in complex challenges that require collaboration, a design-led approach, and that can’t be addressed by a single discipline.
If you have a project proposal or potential partnership that you would like to discuss, please get in touch.
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