Neuro Theater: ITMO University technologies help to create the “art of new media”
Neurotechnology - usually the subject of medical or military developments. In extreme cases - the basis of a new high-tech startup. However, ITMO University believes that neurotechnology can serve not only science, but also art. Therefore, last month at the Geek Picnic festival in St. Petersburg, the premiere of a pilot project in the neuro-theater genre took place. We will describe below what it is and how the NEU-theater works.
/ Photo of ITMO University
Neurotheater is, in fact, a fusion of art and technology. At Geek Picnic, this genre was presented by the performance of dancers using neural interfaces. They read the emotions of the artists and convey their inner state through music, light, color, projection and rhythm.
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The dancers at the performance worked with the so-called synesthetic ball - it allowed them to “display” the performer's emotions. In addition, it could be used to change the soundtrack of the performance.
/ Photo of ITMO University
In fact, the neurotheater is an example of how our brain becomes the center of a particular art movement. It turns out that our emotions can create an audiovisual reality, thanks to which the artist becomes even closer to the viewer. This is not even an immersive performance, when you can be a participant in the performance - this format allows you to better understand what is happening with the artist in your head - literally.
The creators of the NEU-theater project are: Russian media artist, musician, lecturer at the Institute of Art & Science at ITMO University Yuri Didevich, Graduate School of Lighting Design at ITMO University and the dance team Stage DFT.
Yuri Didevich for many years engaged in the integration of computer technology and art. In 2014, his play Neurointegrum was staged at the New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Neuro Theatre NEU-theater is another project of Yuri, which unites art and IT.
/ Photo of ITMO University
The Higher School of Light Design at ITMO University is an educational, experimental and practical project that combines education, science and art. In the Higher School of Light Design, research is carried out on the urban environment, there is a project laboratory, the Light & Art direction is engaged in the creation of light installations and light festivals. In addition, there you can get an education on the profile "Light Design" - at the school opened magistracy and graduate school, advanced training courses and summer school.
The organizers of the neurotherapy consider this combination of science and art as the most promising:
At first glance it may seem that the neurotheater is just a multimedia performance with music, light, color and dancers. In fact, the artists involved in the performance actually convey their status to the audience - the neural interface analyzes their brain activity and “gives out” a certain audio-visual picture.
/ Photo of ITMO University
The program of analysis of brain activity - the development of the authors NEU-theater (the project is almost entirely based on the own developments of its creators). The basis of this analysis is the study of bioelectrogenesis and the work of fixing and deciphering the nerve impulses that the human brain generates.
With this approach, both art and technology (software), and specific tools — the interfaces with which artists and artists work — are equally important. By the way, Yury Didevich noted that he and his colleagues are awaiting the appearance of more accessible devices and interfaces for fixing and recognizing emotions - designed specifically for artists.
The principle of operation of the neurotherapeutic tools and the neurotherapy in general is not new - the first attempts to record the state of a person on the scene appeared in the early twentieth century (then even galvanometers were used for this). Subsequently, interest in this genre faded away, but returned again - not least thanks to the news about the achievements of scientists. We can say that now the neurotheater is experiencing its rebirth - and it gives the artists completely new technological possibilities.
/ Photo of ITMO UniversityProject NEU-theater
Neurotheater is, in fact, a fusion of art and technology. At Geek Picnic, this genre was presented by the performance of dancers using neural interfaces. They read the emotions of the artists and convey their inner state through music, light, color, projection and rhythm.
')
The dancers at the performance worked with the so-called synesthetic ball - it allowed them to “display” the performer's emotions. In addition, it could be used to change the soundtrack of the performance.
/ Photo of ITMO University
All this HYIP around neural interfaces is good because people remember that they have a brain. And that his ability to use and develop more actively
- Yuri Didevich, media artist, one of the creators of the NEU-theater
In fact, the neurotheater is an example of how our brain becomes the center of a particular art movement. It turns out that our emotions can create an audiovisual reality, thanks to which the artist becomes even closer to the viewer. This is not even an immersive performance, when you can be a participant in the performance - this format allows you to better understand what is happening with the artist in your head - literally.
Who created
The creators of the NEU-theater project are: Russian media artist, musician, lecturer at the Institute of Art & Science at ITMO University Yuri Didevich, Graduate School of Lighting Design at ITMO University and the dance team Stage DFT.
Yuri Didevich for many years engaged in the integration of computer technology and art. In 2014, his play Neurointegrum was staged at the New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Neuro Theatre NEU-theater is another project of Yuri, which unites art and IT.
/ Photo of ITMO University
The Higher School of Light Design at ITMO University is an educational, experimental and practical project that combines education, science and art. In the Higher School of Light Design, research is carried out on the urban environment, there is a project laboratory, the Light & Art direction is engaged in the creation of light installations and light festivals. In addition, there you can get an education on the profile "Light Design" - at the school opened magistracy and graduate school, advanced training courses and summer school.
The organizers of the neurotherapy consider this combination of science and art as the most promising:
It would be great if scientists, including Russian ones, stop treating art as something flawed. This is a very good combination of a scientist and his scientific approach and artists, people who perceive the world in a slightly different way. This can lead to very interesting results.
- Yuri Didevich
How it works
At first glance it may seem that the neurotheater is just a multimedia performance with music, light, color and dancers. In fact, the artists involved in the performance actually convey their status to the audience - the neural interface analyzes their brain activity and “gives out” a certain audio-visual picture.
/ Photo of ITMO University
The program of analysis of brain activity - the development of the authors NEU-theater (the project is almost entirely based on the own developments of its creators). The basis of this analysis is the study of bioelectrogenesis and the work of fixing and deciphering the nerve impulses that the human brain generates.
With this approach, both art and technology (software), and specific tools — the interfaces with which artists and artists work — are equally important. By the way, Yury Didevich noted that he and his colleagues are awaiting the appearance of more accessible devices and interfaces for fixing and recognizing emotions - designed specifically for artists.
The principle of operation of the neurotherapeutic tools and the neurotherapy in general is not new - the first attempts to record the state of a person on the scene appeared in the early twentieth century (then even galvanometers were used for this). Subsequently, interest in this genre faded away, but returned again - not least thanks to the news about the achievements of scientists. We can say that now the neurotheater is experiencing its rebirth - and it gives the artists completely new technological possibilities.
About what else we tell on Habré:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/333042/
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