Emote VR Voicer is an AHRC Catalyst grant funded project. Led by Dr. Adinda van ’t Klooster, it is a further development from her two previous voice-controlled VR interfaces: VRoar and the AudioVirtualizer. Rather than just using live sound features to manipulate graphics, this interface also uses speech recognition and meaning classification to analyse the meaning of uttered words and their emotional intonation. Such AI facilities are already available in the public domain through code libraries but haven’t yet been integrated in artistic projects.
This project allows us to answer the following research questions:
The chosen graphics will be abstract so the aim is not to make an illustrative feedback system but rather to make an emotionally intelligent interactive system that will encourage people to discover and extend the limits of their voice.
Project partners are:
Dr Adinda van ’t Klooster is an artist and a senior lecturer in interdisciplinary digital art at Manchester Metropolitan University (SODA). She spent much of her career as an independent artist using live interactive audiovisual technologies to create immersive interactive interfaces, including light and sound installation, interactive audiovisual performance and interactive sculpture. She leads the project, is artistic director, steers the design group and takes part in the evaluations.
Pippa Anderson's works in a specialised voice clinic for performers with vocal injury where the importance of a person – centered approach to recovery is embraced. With over twenty years of experience in performing arts education, Pippa also lectures on the MA Vocal Pedagogy programme at Voice Study Centre and as a freelance creative voice practitioner. In this project she undertakes part of the evaluation, advises on approaches to stimulate people to use and extend their voice and is part of the design group.
Dr Robyn Dowlen is a Research Fellow at Edgehill University. She has an extensive background in the field of culture, health, and wellbeing. Robyn's research centres on developing methods and approaches for capturing 'in the moment ' experiences in a dementia context, exploring how music and other creative activities can support meaningful moments of connection for people with dementia and those who support them. In this project she advises on approaches related to measuring wellbeing, undertakes part of the evaluation and is part of the design group.
Dr Jason Hockman is Reader in Music and Sound at Manchester Metropolitan University (SODA) and advises through periodic, strategic consultations aimed at steering the team towards relevant AI techniques, ensuring the project remains current and on track with regards to technological and methodological advancements in the field. He is also part of the design group.
We are currently recruiting for a Research Associate and VR developer to work on the machine learning, AI and games engine development of the project.
This project is funded by an AHRC Catalyst Grant (AH/Z506618/1) and supported by Manchester Metropolitan University, Edge Hill University and the Manchester Games Centre