Works of art can elicit a range of highly personal experiences, but Middlesex University researchers have created an installation that extends sensory perception from the visual and emotional in a highly physical way.
Visitors to the Into the Frame exhibition, at Red Gallery in Shoreditch were immersed in a rich tapestry of 3D sound, sight and touch by using haptic technology allowed visitors to 'feel' the textures of the painting – if it was directed upwards into the air, the motion becomes light and fluid. Alternately, when directed into the water the device became resistant. 3D soundscapes powered by two subwoofers and 12 speakers surrounded visitors and changed according to where the device was pointed.
Counters at the Museum of Applied Arts and Contemporary Art in Vienna similarly pulled together touch, sight and sound to deliver a multisensory experience.
The installation also has the potential to help with neuro-rehabilitation, particularly in brain spatial problems. During the project the team published and presented a research paper at the International Conference for Rehabilitation Robotics in the USA.