joris weijdom | HKU University of the Arts Utrecht (original) (raw)

Papers by joris weijdom

There is an observed reduction in outdoor play in many parts of the world. Although interactive p... more There is an observed reduction in outdoor play in many parts of the world. Although interactive playgrounds exist that are placed at larger playgrounds, such interactive setups in the close vicinity are not yet omnipresent. In this interactivity contribution we showcase three interactive add-on prototypes for the small local playground equipment, that span a spectrum of opportunities. We include a story-based themed interaction of Dragon School, for instance breathing as a dragon with an echo effect. The second interaction Nuppu is a higher intensity variation of the add-on, where playground equipment have to be 'conquered' by performing the appropriate action (i.e. swinging makes the swing go through a variation of colors). The third interaction Magic Climb, is a more location-specific design for climbing equipment where animalthemed stations are lit up in random order making animal sounds, after the accompanying sound is played they be activated by an action related to that animal such as floating your hand as a bee above a sensor triggering the next sound. Especially for the latter setup, it was easy to come up with different game variations by changing the rules kept by the players but using the same system interaction. However, that idea embodies through its variation a question that becomes more and more important and we want to discuss: How to design for cultivating this type of open-ended play towards others sessions and players in a digital age? As we know open-ended play is a promising endeavor where the activity of coming up with games is part of the game. At the same time we think for children new systems should be able to be used in some form within a short amount of time, and provide enough perspective on how to use them immediately. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms.

Theatre and performance design, May 15, 2020

Created for the 2019 Prague Quadrennial's 36Q°, Blue Hour VR was a site-responsive mixed reality ... more Created for the 2019 Prague Quadrennial's 36Q°, Blue Hour VR was a site-responsive mixed reality performative installation that placed the spectator, as experiencer, within a hybrid landscape of realtime three-dimensional computer graphics and 360-degree video. This article describes the design process, staging and experience of Blue Hour VR from the vantage point of its creators. Using a phenomenological perspective, the article discusses how Blue Hour VR staged presence and embodiment within an intermedial haptic experience. Blue Hour VR demonstrates how virtual reality technology can be harnessed by a mixed reality performance design, which includes both the material and virtual environment, creating a complex stratigraphy of intermedial textures and visual dramaturgies that co-exist inside, outside and in between perceptual realities. In doing so, the article aims to contribute to the limited body of work on mixed and virtual reality in the context of theatre and performance design.

Collaborative Mixed Reality Environments (CMREs) enable designing Performative Mixed Reality Expe... more Collaborative Mixed Reality Environments (CMREs) enable designing Performative Mixed Reality Experiences (PMREs) to engage participants' physical bodies, mixed reality environments, and technologies utilized. However, the physical body is rarely purposefully incorporated throughout such design processes, leaving designers seated behind their desks, relying on their previous know-how and assumptions. In contrast, embodied design techniques from HCI and performing arts afford direct corporeal feedback to verify and adapt experiential aesthetics within the design process. This paper proposes a performative prototyping method, which combines bodystorming methods with Wizard of Oz techniques with a puppeteering approach, using inside-out somaesthetic-and outside-in dramaturgical perspectives. In addition, it suggests an interdisciplinary vocabulary to share and evaluate PMRE experiences during and after its design collaboration. This method is exemplified and investigated by comparing two case studies of PMRE design projects in higher-art education using the existing Social VR platform NEOS VR adapted as a CMRE. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Interaction paradigms; Mixed / augmented reality; Interaction design; Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms; Collaborative and social computing; Collaborative and social computing design and evaluation methods; Ethnographic studies.

Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference

Extended Abstracts of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play

Extended Abstracts of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, Nov 2, 2022

Sixteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction

The Media and Performance Laboratory (MAPLAB) at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht is an inn... more The Media and Performance Laboratory (MAPLAB) at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht is an innovative learning and research environment, focusing on creative processes involving performativity and interactive technology. The MAPLAB projects engage art students and educators, professional artists, and various external partners in disciplines such as theater, dance, puppetry, music, and visual arts. These projects typically combine the MAPLAB core activities of education, research, and technological development, stimulating students and professional practitioners through rapid prototyping and agile development learning modes. In addition, MAPLAB trains educators to guide creative processes in technologically enhanced environments.

Theatre and Performance Design

While artists in different countries certainly have different levels of expertise , resources and... more While artists in different countries certainly have different levels of expertise , resources and equipment available, it is true that many performing arts professionals increasingly see themselves as ‘creators
of experiences’. This, combined with the fact that theatre has always played with different levels of ‘virtual reality’, creates the conditions for an interesting reflection on the theatre for the future - a future that
is already here.

The text that follows is divided in two parts.

In Section 1 the curator of this publication, Joris Weijdom - himself a researcher and designer of theatrical mixed reality experiences
- takes you on a playful but serious tour along the issues at stake when designing a mixed reality experience. Using a witty style and practical examples, the text is appetizing for both total beginners and
advanced users.

In Section 2 fellow practitioners from different
countries including tactical media art group, pvi collective share their own experiences, give practical insights into their practices, and share their learnt lessons, tips, and possibilities for development and
collaborations.