Projects
My research is positioned at the border of two worlds, the physical and the virtual world. I design experiences that are intuitive and playful. My projects address real-world problems based on a design and system thinking methodology using emerging screen technology, motion capture and game technology.
2023 Passing Electrical Storms
Passing Electrical Storms is an immersive VR installation developed by artist Shaun Gladwell in collaboration with the Deakin Motion Lab and commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria. It explores life and the universe using VR and tactile feedback. With a focus on the human body, this meditative experience prompts contemplation of our existence. The work challenges artistic boundaries and invites introspection.
2023 Megafauna VR
Tabor Robak's Megafauna was exhibited as part of the NGV Triennial 2020 at the National Gallery of Victoria explores the intersection of humanity, nature, and technology. Megafauna VR is an interactive exhibition using virtual reality (VR) technology. Users are able to freely navigate the exhibition space and access a virtual tour guided by the artist, offering insights into the artworks on display. This digital adaptation explores the potential of virtual reality in showcasing art exhibitions.
2023 Virtual Aviator - Virtual Production For Social Media
This virtual production for social media showcase demonstrated at the Avalon Airshow 2023 provided a perfect opportunity for aviation enthusiasts to step into the cockpit of a jet and capture every moment of the thrill of flying an aircraft with their mobile phone ready to share their high-flying adventures with friends and family. This interactive showcase offered a seamless and user-friendly setup, and generated unforgettable memories for all who took part in the experience.
2022 VR Hydraulics Training Environment
This project investigated the design of a classroom environment for hydraulics training in VR. The environment facilitated student-trainers interactions using natural hand tracking, interaction with a fully functional hydraulics power unit, exploded views of component power unit components, hydraulic flow visualisation, and interactive datasheets and fluid circuit diagrams.
2022 Conversations of Life Health and Safety
This project developed a digital role-play game aimed at enhancing workplace communication between construction apprentices and their supervisors. The team developed an interactive story through interviews and a participatory design featuring three scenarios with unique situations and characters, allowing players to make decisions on character responses. The online game was created in the Deakin Motion Lab using motion capture technology and Unreal 5 game engine. The game provides an engaging communication training approach using a popular game look and feel.
2021 Because The Night Interactive Archive
Because the Night was an immersive theatre production by the Malthouse Theatre set on a1800 sqm stage with thirty-five elaborately dressed rooms. The project created a digital experience using the Unreal game engine. This innovative method resulted in a new archiving workflow and addressed the challenge of digitally preserving the immersive theatre production while allowing a digital audience to explore and engage with the story world.
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2020 Hydraulics VR Training
HYDAC Mixed Reality Training provides access to participate in instructor guided, and self-guided, hydraulics maintenance training in virtual reality. HYDAC Mixed Reality Training supports real-time instructor feedback, self-guided training and skill verification, through direct hands-on interaction with a fully functional model of a hydraulic pressure unit for a hydraulic mining transport system.
2019 Virtual Now
‘Virtual Now’ frames dance improvisation within virtual reality, creating an unusual context for improvisation. The performers are seeing what is happening from the perspective of the camera in their headset and in the forms projected on the screens. What the audience sees on the screen is the perspective of a 4th participant, whose headset acts as the camera for the audience. The shapes and movements of the avatars projected on to the screens, are created by the improvised actions of the dancers.
2019 Social Adventure
Social environments can be challenging for many adults with disability and social skills programs can be costly and time limited. Few studies that have explored playful interventions to address social skills training. The natural language processing capability of conversational voice interfaces and the engaging qualities of interactive storytelling can provide people with social interaction difficulties with a playful, accessible and cost-effective training platform to improve their social interaction abilities.
2017 If Only...
This world simulates the passing of a whole day in only three minutes: colours shift, planets loom large, day rapidly turns to night and the backdrop of virtual Melbourne morphs into a scene of peace and solitude, surrounded by trees and the starry night sky. Each change made to the structure results in shifting light and shadow patterns – highlighting the potential of virtual reality as a tool for design and architecture.
2016 Domelab
Domelab was the first ultra-high resolution (4K) experimental full-dome in Australia. Full-dome is a significant new medium that integrated technical innovation in high performance computing and graphics capabilities with aesthetic innovation in content delivery. At the Design and Play exhibition at RMIT Domelab focused on seven playful applications designed specifically for Domelab that go beyond the typical framing of electronic games and virtual art.
2016 Grand Prix F1 VR Experience
This project investigated the display of room-scale virtual reality work to the general public two years before the availability of the HTC Vive. It showcased a virtual Formula 1 race car at the 2016 Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne. The work was funded by the Vice Chancellor of RMIT to showcase the VR capabilities of RMIT and developed by students from the RMIT Bachelor of Design (Games) program.
2015 Out of Space
Out of Space was a playable, abstract, audio-visual virtual environment. Immersed in an infinitely self-producing virtual space made of nothing but colour and sound, the visitor could play; flying and falling, creating little melodies and rhythms of sound and colour. Out of space, out of thin air, out of nothing, music and memories made with virtual visions and vibrations.
2015 PurelandUnwired
Developed in collaboration the University of New South Wales, City University of Hong Kong, the Dunhuang Academy and RMIT University, PureLand UNWIRED was a full-body immersive virtual reality experience that allowed unparalleled access to a world heritage site, so vulnerable it can no longer sustain physical visitors. Visitors using PureLand UNWIRED were able to walk around inside the digital 3D model of the Dunhuang Cave 220 at 1:1 scale.
2014 Trouble Tower
This award-winning app designed for the iPad was designed to provide a safe and engaging learning environment for construction students to identify the most common hazards encountered on Australian construction sites, and to experiment with a range of OH&S controls. The game was developed in consultation with experts in Occupational Health and Safety, Construction and members of the Australian games industry.