Fall Semester and the EMC

By Giuseppe Liquori and Keeshawn Nicholson

Burlington, VT – It’s September, which means students are back on campus and it’s time for a new semester. In addition, September is the month where Champlain College’s Emergent Media Center, located at the Lakeside campus, prepares for and attends some of Burlington’s biggest events in maker culture. Today, the Emergent Media Center continues its work in preparation for the events listed below:

  • The South End Art Hop: September 11-13th
  • The Laura Kate Winterbottom March: September 12th
  • Champlain Mini Maker Faire: September 26th and 27th

At each event, the EMC is showcasing projects; Icarus, Graffiniti, the Pixel Cloud, Variance, and more.

Icarus is a virtual reality flight experience that combines an Oculus Rift with a custom winged backpack controller. The position of the wings control the acceleration of the character on screen. Icarus is a fun filled simulation where the wearer can experience flight while afoot.

Graffiniti is a piece of interactive art developed by the EMC’s sandbox team. Displayed on a large screen, it allows people to control digital “spray paint” using a Microsoft Kinect – creating their very own masterpiece in the process. A user’s right hand controls the direct and size of the spray while their left hand changes the color. This project was showcased in Helen Day Art Center’s PLAY exhibit and is a very popular piece.

Graffiniti on display at the 2015 Art Hop

pixelCloud is a project designed for large events, such as the Art Hop. Comprised of glowing cubes, the pixeCloud’s color changes based on the mood of tweets in the surrounding area. This means at an event like the South End Art Hop, attendees have a visual representation of the local social media mix to admire.

Variance is a 3-player cooperative game with the simple goal of getting a ball into a box within a 3D environment. Each player controls a single axis of movement, either X, Y, or Z, with a unique method of control. The controllers are a grip strengthener, a stationary bicycle, and a player’s voice.

To learn more about the Emergent Media Center’s works in progress follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and stay tuned to the Emergent Media Center blog for the latest updates about events as well as other innovative projects!