Скачать или смотреть Using Immersive Digital Environments to Design a Responsive Surface for Educational Multi-Use Spaces

Our responsive surface seeks to reduce fatigue and distraction in educational multi-use spaces by controlling ambient noise disturbances. Its design allows it to autonomously deploy an acoustic material at specific locations when the perceived decibel levels are higher than normal. In addition to a physical response, the acoustic material may be seen as a visual cue once deployed. Those holding conversations may recognize this as a subtle sign to speak more softly or to take a conversation to another area.

For performance and comfort, the responsive surface optimizes interior environments by adapting to the changing reverberation rhythms of voices and footsteps. It can also be parametrically calibrated to a desired acoustic setting, which allows for increasing or decreasing acoustic dampening depending on the needs of the interior space and its occupants.

Additionally, our research is testing the capabilities of an augmented reality design tool, for real-time, immersive data visualization experiences within a virtual space. Through an immersive digital environment, we are able to view a digital prototype in a space at full size. The information visualized and collected assists in the design refinement of our digital prototype. The virtual environment provides a better understanding of how the responsive surface responds to multi-sensory input (proximity and sound), as well as how it performs in various spaces.