Digital Focus Module

The module builds on a rich tradition of broad design education at Design Academy Eindhoven and places students directly in the Trans Realities Lab (TRL) for one semester. They have access to the latest digital resources and the opportunity to collaborate in research related to the Transdisciplinary Design Networks theme of Dr. Biscoe.

Throughout the semester, we invite regular DAE tutors, research staff and special guests to conduct a series of workshops in the Trans Realities Lab.  

Recent workshops addressed a wide range of practice types and technologies, for example: 

• Creating interactive instruments and soundscapes using hardware and software tools such as Ableton, VCV Rack, Max MSP and Arduino 

• Interactive storytelling in virtual worlds using the Unity and Unreal games engines 

• Character animation using motion capture 

• Visual and spatial interaction using Resolume and Touch Designer 

• Online Al based tools for image creation

Students also have the opportunity to engage with TRL research partners on some of their concurrent projects. Recent examples, include:

Digital Twins with TU Delft  
Students worked with researchers at TU Delft on a project investigating the issue of trust in the use of "digital twins" in healthcare. The specific research track was looking at the use of “digital twins” to assist mothers with high blood pressure risks during pregnancy. Digital Focus students produced same innovative hybrid approaches around the communication pipeline and learnt about the research process.

lmmersive Tech Week, Rotterdam
In collaboration with VR Days and Cinedans at the largest VR/XR conference in the Netherlands. Students spent one week in Rotterdam working with two artists on a VR choreographic tool, and a virtual environment animation project. The results were shared with conference attendees at the end of the week as part of a live performance.

Volumetric Capture
Working with 4DR in Eindhoven, the students produced storyboards, then volumetrically captured their scenes for processing into clips that they can use in their own projects running on games engines such as Unreal. As part of the associated research programme, we have also tested streaming of live volumetric capture from 4DR to the TRL.