Welcome to Extant
The Question?
Extant’s new immersive theatre project exploring the use of a haptic device with partners The Open University and Battersea Art Centre.
Extant’s new project micro-site goes live!
Visit The Question microsite to find out all the latest news about the project.
We’re currently looking for volunteers for The Question.
Click here to find out more about performance volunteers or click here to find out more about set building volunteers
Extant has been funded by The Technology Strategy Board Fast Track scheme. www.innovateuk.org.
We have been funded to carry out research and development into the use of a new haptic device within an immersive theatre installation. Haptics is the science of creating artificial tactile sensations.
Our partners on this project are The Open University computing department who are collaborating with us and delivering the design of the audience evaluation.
Our other partners are the Battersea Art centre who are collaborating with us on production and are hosting our three week residency for this project in June 2010.
Currently Extant is working with an exciting team of engineers, artists and advisors in the build up to our residency at BAC.
The Haptic Lotus technology was developed by robotic specialists Adam Spiers, Paul O'Dowd and David McGoran
The team are:
- Adam Spiers – Humanoid robotics and Control engineering
This project: Haptic Device Technical Engineer
www.theadlab.blogspot.com - Professor Yvonne Rogers – Computing Department The Open University
This project: User Experience consultant and evaluation design
mcs.open.ac.uk/yr258/ -
Dr Janet van der Linden – Lecturer Computing Department The Open University
This Project: User Experience consultant and evaluation design
mcs.open.ac.uk/pervasive/people.html - Peter Bosher– Sound Design and Engineer
www.soundlinks.com - Lynn Cox – Visual Artist (supported by Jo Paul Set Designer)
This project: Set design team
www.iaar.co.uk
www.jopauldesign.blogspot.com -
Jo Paul – Scenographer
This Project: Set design team
www.jopauldesign.blogspot.com -
Paul O'Dowd – Mobile Robotics and Swarm Behaviour Researcher
This Project: Haptic Device Technical Assistant
swarmsofrobots.blogspot.com -
David McGoran – Puppeteer and Design Technician at UWE
This project:Haptic Device Design Assistant
www.heartrobot.org.uk -
Terry Braun – Director Braunarts
This Project: Filming and project advisor
www.braunarts.com -
Alex Eisenberg – artist and member of Present Attempt collective
This Project: Marketing and Production Manager
www.presentattempt.co.uk -
Gemma Riggs – video artist
This Project: Technical Invigilator
www.rarerabbit.org.uk -
Maria Oshodi– Artistic Director, Extant
This project: Writer and Director -
Mary Paterson – General Manager, Extant
This Project: Project Manager
So Far…
We are working on creating an immersive dramatic environment that invited audience members will explore using a specially designed hand held Haptic device. Currently the team of project partners, artists and engineers are working on areas of script development, sound and set design, and technical construction of the device and its support system, along with sensory trigger mechanisms to connect different elements of the installation.
The Open University lab in Milton Keynes will be hosting trials of our first stage developments in mid March and late April, where we will test prototypes of the hand held device and discover how clearly it responds to the environment being created for it.
The technology involved in this research is based on sensory substitution, and the narrative for the installation and form it takes, very much reflects this theme. The script is influenced by a number of sources from philosophy, science and cultural analysis, that dramatically questions the effects of the use of blindness in certain fields. The story will be mediated through live and pre-recorded sound in the installation and the audience will be encouraged to locate this through the haptic device.
More soon…!
Extant is supported by: Arts Council England