ICAD is a highly interdisciplinary conference with relevance to researchers, practitioners, artists, and graduate students working with sound to convey and explore information. The conference is unique in its specific focus on auditory displays and the range of interdisciplinary issues related to their use. This year’s theme is Sonification // Spatialization, a blending of ICAD’s expertise in sonification with EMPAC’s expertise in spatialized audio. The conference will host a special session on spatialization in sonification as well as demonstrations of some of EMPAC’s systems and capabilities.

The Gameful and Immersive Learning Symposium is an opportunity for RPI colleagues to explore innovative methods and technologies for teaching, such as reward systems that encourage engagement, adaptive content that personalizes learning for individual students, and human-scale immersive environments that place students within the material’s authentic contexts.

Using combinations of these methods and technologies can create impactful educational experiences.

This two-day symposium offers invited talks by field experts, panel discussions with Rensselaer community members, and workshops for creating, curating, and facilitating these types of learning experiences. Symposium events are held in the EMPAC Theater and in EMPAC Studio 2, where the immersive panoramic screen is installed.

• MONDAY, May 13
• 8–9AM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Breakfast and Checkin
• 9–11AM
• EMPAC Theater
• Keynote: Zhenya Zastavker
• 11AM–12:30PM
• Theater
• Panel Discussion + Q&A
  Immersive Learning
• 12:30–1:30PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Lunch
• 1:30–3:30PM
• Studio 2
• Panel Discussion + Q&A
  Gameful Learning
• 3:30–4:30PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ | Studio 2
• Innovative Pedagogy Fellows
• TUESDAY, MAY 14
• 8:30–9:30AM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Breakfast
• 9:30–10AM
• EMPAC Theater
• Opening Remarks
• 10–12PM Gameful Learning Workshops
• Concert Hall Green Room
• Zhenya Zastavker Contemplative Practice
• Mezzanine
• Caitlin Hayward: Gameful Design and Assessment
  Christienne Hinz: Narrativizing
• 12–1PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Lunch
• 1–2PM Gameful Learning Workshops
• Studio Beta
• Maarten Koeners and Adam Lusby: Pro-social Spaces/Design
• Mezzanine
• Caitlin Hayward: Gameful Design and Assessment
  Christienne Hinz: Narrativizing
• 2:30–3:30PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Closing Remarks

A light and sound installation by Yael Erel and Avner Ben-Natan incorporating dynamic reflected light drawings that engage with soundscapes by Pauline Oliveros, Jonas Braasch and Zack Layton recorded through the Dan Harpole Cistern System.

Light shines onto stainless steel discs and reflects dynamic light drawings that respond to sound, creating a sense that both the sound and the light are alive. Data engraved onto the reflector by a robotic arm is derived from the footprint of the cistern along with the way that sound reverberates off the cistern itself. Once illuminated, the information is reflected and transposed into light drawings. Multiple reflections from one light source create a sense of reverberation echoed in both light and sound.

As viewers enter the space they are immersed within a field of light and sound reverberation. Echoing the intent of Pauline Oliveros’s Deep Listening practice, this work aspires to support this sense of immersion and focus in a meditative space by enhancing the soundscape as a multi-sensory experience.

In preparation for its Deep Listening/ISATMA conference at EMPAC September 28-30, 2023, Research at EMPAC offers a set of hybrid workshops for music activities. The International Symposium on Assistive Technology for Music and Art (ISATMA) is devoted to new technologies and artistic concepts that provide artists across abilities with access to creative tools for making multimedia works. It addresses adaptive interfaces that can control digital workstations with limited mobility and accessible telepresence environments where groups can collaborate regardless of disability. Please contact Jonas Braasch if you are interested in participating.

This event is supported by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.

Regular general research meetings for interested Rensselaer students, staff, and faculty.

The Gameful and Immersive Learning Symposium presents innovative methods and technologies for teaching such as reward systems that encourage engagement, adaptive content that personalizes learning for individual students, and human-scale immersive environments that place students within the material’s authentic contexts. Using combinations of these can create impactful educational experiences.

This two-day symposium offers invited talks by field experts, panel discussions with Rensselaer community members, and workshops for creating, curating, and facilitating these types of learning experiences. Symposium events are held at EMPAC in both the Theater and in Studio 2, where the immersive panoramic screen is installed.

Visit the Miro board for discussion! Add questions, comments, and photos from your day. This space will be used in conjunction with the Visioning and Retrospective sessions. (Please sign in so your contributions have your name!)

• MONDAY, May 15
• 8–8:45AM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Breakfast and Checkin
• 9–10:30AM
• EMPAC Theater
• Keynote: Rebecca Quintana
• 10:45AM–12:45PM Demo Sessions
• Studio Beta
• Group A: Gameful
• Studio 2
• Group B: Immersive and Embodied
• 1–2PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Lunch
• 2–4PM Demo Sessions
• Studio 2
• Group A: Immersive and Embodied
• Studio Beta
• Group B: Gameful
• 4:15–5PM
• EMPAC Theater
• Visioning Session
• 5–6PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Social
• TUESDAY, MAY 16
• 9–10AM Panel Presentations
• Studio Beta
• Gameful Learning
• Studio 2
• Immersive and Embodied
• 10–11:45AM Design Activity
• Studio Beta
• Gameful Learning
• Studio 2
• Immersive and Embodied
• 12–12:30PM
• Studio 2
• Survey and Retrospective
• 12:30–1:30PM
• EVELYN's CAFÉ
• Lunch

Bring your own musical instrument! Join the EMPAC Research program for a hands-on workshop exploring Pauline Oliveros’ Expanded Instrument System (EIS) with introductions by Michael Century, Stephanie Loveless, and Jonas Braasch. Under continual development since 1965, the system is a series of computer-generated delays that process acoustic and vocal sounds, offering musicians, composers, and the curious ways to explore improvisations and compositions using sonic manipulation. We invite you to try it out with us in EMPAC Studio 1–Goodman.