Spring 2020 Colloquia
The Future of Chemistry is Robotics
Speaker: Kailey Shara
Tuesday, April 28, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Many coming advances in medicine, energy production, and space exploration depend on scientists inventing new molecules and materials. Unfortunately, the manual chemistry work to synthesize new molecules remains a time-consuming task. Automating the many tedious aspects of making molecules would remove this major bottleneck to faster scientific progress, while freeing up scientists to spend more time on higher-level tasks. This talk will explore the complexities of robotic chemistry automation, as well as my own work to date developing just such a robot.
Bio:Originally from Montreal, Canada, Kailey studied both chemistry and electrical engineering at Case Western Reserve University before joining the ATLAS Institute in 2018 to pursue her PhD. Advised byCarson Bruns, her current research focus includes the synthesis of artificial molecular machines, as well as engineering systems for laboratory automation.
Unfabricate: Designing Smart Textiles for Disassembly
Speaker: Shanel Wu
Tuesday, April 21, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Smart textiles development is combining computing and textile technologies to create tactile, functional objects such as smart garments, soft medical devices, and space suits. However, the feld also combines the massive waste streams of both the digital electronics and textiles industries. The following work explores how HCI researchers might be poised to address sustainability and waste in future smart textiles development through interventions at design time. Specifically, we perform a design inquiry into techniques and practices for reclaiming and reusing smart textiles materials and explore how such techniques can be integrated into smart textiles design tools. Beginning with a practice in sustainable or "slow" fashion, unravelling a garment into yarn, the suite of explorations titled Unfabricate" probes values of time and labor in crafting a garment; speculates how a smart textile garment may be designed with reuse in mind; and imagines how electronic and textile components may be given new life in novel uses.
Bio:Shanel M. Wu (preferred pronoun "they/them/their") is a PhD student in the ATLAS Institute at CU Vlogƽ researching smart textiles. After graduating from Harvey Mudd with a Bachelor of Science in physics and computers in 2016, they spent two years teaching math and science in the classroom and as a private tutor, as well as freelancing as an independent fiber artist, instructor and knitwear designer. They are also a self-taught knitter, crocheter, spinner and designer of knitting patterns. Advised byLaura Devendorf, Shanel researches the intersections of cutting-edge technology and handicraft in the Unstable Design Lab, cultivating a passion for craftwork, education and the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
Manipulating Shape of Things to come: Folding and Self Assembly
Speaker: Purnendu
Tuesday, April 14, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:The quest to manipulate the environment around us in this digital age has led to the vision of programmable matter- a future of materials whose properties (like shape, size, color, transparency, texture, etc) can be controlled and manipulated in response to a stimulus (sensory data or user input). Of all the physical properties, programming the shape of the things has been a major focus of developing such materials and mechanisms. Shape change mechanisms can be primarily categorized into two major groups:- Folding and Self-assembly.
In this talk, I will talk about my work in this direction on developing actuators and materials for controlling the shape. I would also show some as well as how can we make them easily. I will introduce shape-changing structures based on HASEL actuators which fold like origami at macro-scale (dimensions of the order of centimeters). Next, I would also discuss another way of shape change that is self-assembly at the micro-scale (dimensions of the order of micrometer and millimeter). I am developing primitives that come together and reversibly self assembles into desirable shapes. I will also talk about the fabrication challenges for the same and how they can lead to fault-tolerant material designs inspired by biological regeneration.
Bio:Purnendu is a designer, entrepreneur and experimental physicist. He is passionate about developing systems and interfaces on pushing the envelope of human computer interaction with a flavor of material science and nanotechnology. His previous work spans interaction design, soft robotics, nanofabrication, nanomaterials and tangible interaction design. He is also interested in personal fabrication. He holds an Integrated Master's degree in physics (with specialization in material science) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Before coming to ATLAS, he co-founded a nanotechnology company in India, which focuses on manufacturing and developing commercial applications around the wonder material, Graphene. He also co-founded a multidisciplinary design studio at IIT Roorkee. His work portfolio includes internships at other HCI research labs, including The HCI Group at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Germany, as well as Bauhaus University, Germany. His advisors areDaniel Leithinger, a professor of computer science, andCarson Bruns, a professor of mechanical engineering in the ATLAS Institute.
A Virtual Reality Programming Language Based on African Philosophy
Speaker: Julia Uhr
Tuesday, March 31, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:This talk will present a work in progress, a visual programming language made for virtual reality that utilizes logic and ontology from traditional African philosophy. The language uses shapes and colors to convey data types and relationships between elements and is three-dimensional, so coding feels more like building with legos than typing. It allows the user to resize objects, so you can hold the entire program in your hand or blow it up to the size of a building and walk around in it. The goal is to reimagine the activity of programming as embodied interaction with three-dimensional shapes and to create a virtual environment that stimulates creativity and productivity for programmers.
Bio: Julia Uhr is a Ph.D. student in the philosophy department at CU Vlogƽ, where her research focuses on the ethical, social, and legal issues surrounding technology. She is also an attorney, programmer, and VR enthusiast. Julia is currently working as the Digital Scholarship Graduate Assistant at CU’s Center for Research Data and Digital Scholarship, where she teaches workshops on programming, VR, and AR.
Designing Ideas into Concepts: Exploring the Structural Differences between an Idea and a Concept
Speaker: Dan Ligon
Tuesday, March 10, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract: For working design professionals, the difference between an “idea” and a “concept” is almost instinctual. Most just “know it when they see it.” But academically, an idea and a concept are almost synonymous. So what really is the distinction? In this workshop, we will break down the structural differences between an idea and a concept and investigate on the underpinnings of what makes an idea robust enough to be classified as a “concept.” Additionally, in this workshop, we will argue for the insertion of a “Concept Design” step in the Stanford/IDEO Design Thinking process. A step between “ideate” and “prototype.” The purpose being that by starting with a structurally sound concept, before moving on to the prototype phase, it will reduce the number of ’break then restart’ cycles of the design thinking process. Thus creating greater efficiencies. Having researched raw ideation for the last three years, and examined over 5,000 ‘ideas’ with less than 100 proving to be robust enough to be considered ‘concepts,’ it can be argued that identifying difference between an idea and a concept is more empirical than simply “knowing it when we see it.” Collaboration with workshop participants to produce a collective paper that proves the formula of a concept is an aspirational goal.
Bio:An agent of change for many years,Dan Ligonhas had the honor of working at some of the most celebrated and award-winning advertising agencies in the United States, including CP+B, AKQA, Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT and more. His passion is developing groundbreaking and thought-provoking campaigns for such brand juggernauts as American Express, The North Face, Intel, Sprint and others. In 2010, Dan helped architect the famous Small Business Saturday campaign for American Express, which encouraged U.S. consumers to support local businesses. The “Shop Small” campaign struck a nerve with Americans, so much so that President Obama publicly tweeted his support and the U.S. Senate declared it a national day.
A long-standing veteran of the advertising and independent film scene, Ligon has been recognized with numerous awards including Cannes Grand Prix, Radio Mercury Awards, Sundance Film Premiers, One Show Pencils and more. Prior to joining the CU faculty, he was Director of Experience Design at Made Movement, a local Vlogƽ-based advertising agency, where he spearheaded the creation of the popular Sherpa app, a revolutionary on-mountain audio guide for Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado.
An early pioneer of the digital space, Ligon is passionate about experience design and believes post-advertising techniques are what’s needed to prepare a new generation to tackle the demands of modern communication in an ever-changing, multi-screen world. Dan holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MFA from Brown University. Follow him on the social media of your choice @professorligon.
The Evolution of Empathy & Technology
Speaker: Annie Margaret
Tuesday, March 3, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:The increasingly rapid evolution of technology calls for us to lean deeper into our uniquely human skills – empathy, resilience, mindfulness, embodied wisdom, self-inquiry, and interpersonal communication. This talk will focus largely on one of these skills - empathy (cognitive, emotional, and compassion). I will share the current research related to the “empathy deficit,” as well as best practices for cultivating compassion. The lens of evolutionary psychology will be used to explore the evolution of prosocial behavior in humans and the ways in which smartphones and social media are hijacking our biochemistry. Perhaps we can have a lively discussion speculating on what this could mean for the future as the human mind continues to coevolve with technology
Bio:Annie Margaret is an educator, researcher and human motivated by questions at the intersection of technology, storytelling, emotions and education. Her research seeks to combine technology and storytelling to investigate 1) how specific emotions (i.e. wonder, awe, empathy) influence learning and memory in the science education classroom and 2) what technological tools educators can utilize to most effectively elicit these specific emotions and positively influence student outcomes and attitudes toward science education. Through teaching she hopes to empower the next generation of makers to design and create empathically. She earned her doctorate in Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences from Northwestern University in 2014, where she enjoyed classical wet lab molecular biology and also participated in and founded new programs for science communication and storytelling.
Sightless Pictures
Speaker: Nicole Johnson
Tuesday, February 25, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Abstract: This talk will consider the technological, social and perceptual barriers blind and low vision communities face when accessing visual information. There will be an overview of existing tactile graphic methods and design, followed by a description of current projects and future research.
Bio: Nicole Johnson is pursuing a PhD in the ATLAS Institute, advised by Dr. Tom Yeh in the Computer Science department. She received a B.S. degree in biophysics from Central Washington University and has five years of experience producing tactile graphics for higher education textbooks used by blind or visually impaired students nationwide. Her research interests broadly focus on information access for blind and low vision populations and centers around the design and cognition of tactile pictures. She is currently working with Sikuli Lab and Ann Cunningham on the Children’s Tactile Art Club, which is developing early literacy resources for blind and low vision children.
Hello Virtual World. A Blend of Physical and Optical Trickery to Enhance Virtual Experiences and Collaboration
Speaker: Amy Banic
Tuesday, February 18, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Hello World. When we are born, we learn how to interact with the world around us, the way we pick up an object to move it to another place or the way we rotate an object to look at it. Hello Virtual World. In Virtual Environments (VEs), the objects around us may look similar to those found in the real world. 3D User Interface designers need to decide when to take advantage of the innate skills from the real world to design interaction techniques that feel familiar to us or to design a new type of interaction that, while may need to be learned, may also benefit task efficiency, reduce fatigue, or augment memory. This talk presents several past and current projects that investigate novel methods to interact with a virtual world that try to balance the benefits of using innate skills and augmenting the user in other ways. From hand tracking and sensing to remote collaborative prop-based interaction and virtual stair ascending and descending simulation, this talk presents a teaser of projects and questions to stir up potential interest and discussions.
Bio:Amy Banic is an Associate Professor from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY. She is visiting the ATLAS Institute for her sabbatical this Spring 2020. Her research focuses on the design of 3D User Interfaces for Virtual Environments, Immersive Visualizations, and Virtual Humans. At the University of Wyoming, she is the director of the Interactive Realities Research Laboratory, Co-Director of the Center for Design Thinking, faculty mentor of the UWYO InnoVRtors student VR project group, and joint appointee at the Advanced Visualization Lab at Idaho National Laboratory. Banic has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio/Digital Arts and Bachelor of Science Computer Science from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She earned her M.S. in Computer Science and then her Ph.D. with the advisement of IEEE Virtual Reality Career awardee Larry Hodges at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2008. She furthered her career development as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Clemson University before she joined the University of Wyoming in 2010. Banic is truly grateful for this opportunity to work with such a creative and inspiring team at ATLAS!
Grasping high-tech through stories
Speaker: Pierre De Vries
Tuesday, February 11, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:High-tech is vast and hard to fathom, and we’re immersed in it. Facebook has more than 2 billion users. Every second, 1.7 MB of data is being created for every person on earth. Google has 90% of the worldwide search engine market.
We need statistics to grapple with such complex, global phenomena, but factoids give a bloodless view from nowhere. On the other hand, our personal experiences are local and fleeting. How do we make sense of all this? What does Big Data want? How will AI change society?
People have traditionally shared stories to make sense of beyond-human phenomena like nature and society – in a word, myths.
It’s easy to find mythical themes in the media (fromFrankenstein toEx Machina), and it’s easy to see mythic patterns in today’s tech. Trickster figures abound (Elizabeth Holmes, Elon Musk), and the language of fertility is common (AI winter, low-hanging fruit, seed capital). It’s harder, though, to find complete(ly) new myths: do we live in a post-mythical age, or are they still forming?
This group discussion will explore the intersection of stories and tech. Please bring your favorite myths, and high-tech tales (totally optional).
Bio:Pierre de Vries is an Executive Fellow and Co-director of the Spectrum Policy Initiative at Silicon Flatirons. His current work focuses on maximizing the value of radio operation by managing potential and actual interference better, both before and after rulemaking. He is also Visiting Senior Scientist at the Institute for Networked Systems of RWTH Aachen University. He was a Technology Advisor to Harris Wiltshire & Grannis LLP, Washington DC (2007–2010) and Senior Fellow at the Annenberg Center for Communication of the University of Southern California (2006–2007). Prior to this he held various positions at Microsoft includingDirector of UX Design,and Senior Director of Advanced Technology and Policy.
Playing with Words
Speaker: Joel Swanson
Tuesday, February 4, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Language is always embedded within technology. From ink and paper to neural networks, the technologies, systems and structures of language play an active role in shaping the potentials and norms of discourse.
Joel Swanson's work explores these technologies in an attempt to critically subvert the underlying assumptions and intentions of linguistic discourse. In this talk, he will give an overview of his work and discuss his theoretical and conceptual foundations for his creative practice.
Bio:Joel Swanson is an artist and writer who explores the relationship between language and technology. His work critically subverts the technologies, materials, and underlying structures of language to reveal its idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies. His work ranges from interactive installations to public sculptures that playfully and powerfully question words and their meanings.
Swanson teaches courses on typography, creative coding, and media theory at the ATLAS Institute at the Vlogƽ. He received his Masters of Fine Art at the University of California, San Diego with a focus in Computing and the Arts. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally at institutions such as the Broad Museum in Lansing, The Power Plant in Toronto, the Glucksman in Cork Ireland, and the North Miami Museum of Contemporary Art. In 2014 Swanson had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. In 2017 he showed work in Personal Structures, an official satellite show of the 57th Venice Biennale. He is represented by David B. Smith Gallery in Denver.
Reenacting Place Through Sound
Speaker: Betsey Biggs
Tuesday, January 28, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Sound is uniquely capable of both calling us to attention and tempting us into daydreams of associations, memories, narratives. Betsey Biggs's work explores how technology can reconfigure sound so as to reenact her experience of place. In this talk, she will revisit a few older works, and then give a demonstration of a recent performance of field recordings from Greenland using Max and Ableton Live.
Looking for Intersections
Speaker: Jorge Perez-Gallego
Tuesday, January 21, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:I will talk about my unusual career, driven by a passion for informal science education through meaningful intersections between the sciences and the arts, and how it has given me the opportunity to explore different and diverse creative avenues. Special attention will be given to two recent projects: NEST and WHIMC. Nature, Environment, Science, and Technology (NEST) Studio for the Arts develops exhibitions, teaches courses, funds research and creative work, runs public programs and workshops, and hosts events with the clear mission of celebrating science and art as two complementary ways of thinking about the world, and building bridges between scientists and artists in and around the Vlogƽ. What-If Hypothetical Implementations in Minecraft (WHIMC)is a National Science Foundation-funded research project conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers—at the University of Colorado-Vlogƽ, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Maine, and PBS NOVA—which develops computer simulations that engage, excite, and generate interest in science by leveraging Minecraftas a learning environment for young learners to interactively explore the scientific consequences of alternative versions of Earth—and exoplanets based on real date—via “what if?” questions, such as “What if the Earth had no moon?” or “What if the Earth were twice its current size?”
Bio:Dr. Jorge Perez-Gallego is a multifaceted astronomer, designer, and educator with a Ph.D. in astronomy and an M.F.A. in design. His happy place is one in which his creative juices can flow toward celebrating wonder whether developing innovative informal science education opportunities or building meaningful bridges between science, art and technology. Currently, he is a scholar at CU Vlogƽ where he co-directs Nature, Environment, Science, and Technology (NEST) Studio for the Arts, and works toward making Fiske Planetarium a reference in informal science education and creative avenue. In the past, he has developed exhibitions and programs for institutions such as Frost Science, Florida Museum, NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium, and Telefónica Talentum Schools; and co-founded the award winning design studio ODDS.
Meanings of Natureculture: What is nature?
Speaker: Minso Kim
Tuesday, January 14, 11:30am - 12:30pm MT
Abstract:Human activities have had a major influence on nature in the current age. We call it the Anthropocene. In traditional Western thought, nature is regarded as ‘non-human’ and needs to be tamed by or protected from humans. In the age of digital technology, this raises the question of where the relationship between nature and humans is going? When we think that history is capable of guiding us to understand today’s issues, we admit to there being a circular awareness: the future is a space for the speculation of today’s problems. And the topic ‘natureculture’ can be comprehended through the lens of history as well. Natureculture is a concept that begins with de-centering humans from the human-centric perspective. Today’s digital technology and related creative works are inspired by actively moving creatures in the natural environment to solve human’s problems. However, we should remember that the ancient people’s interpretation about the relationship between nature and us began with animals and then started to shed light on the importance of plants. Since the focal point in the majority of the nature-related and nature-inspired research is the moving creature (e.g. animals, insects), we must give adequate time to consider the quiet and yet dynamic nature in the realm of natureculture.
Bio:Minso Kimis an international artist, educator and researcher whose practice explores the relationship between analog and digital worlds through human interaction. Together her creative and academic works not only consider the sensorial experiences of art, but they meditate on human life infused with diverse categories, from the environment, to computational systems, to popular culture. Kim’s artwork and writing have been shown and published in various countries including the Seoul Museum of Art, Minnesota State University, Universidad de Caldas, Short Film Festival Budapest and more. She graduated from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with master’s degree in Art and Technology Studies in 2013. She received two bachelor’s degrees in painting and museum studies from Seoul Women’s University. Kim has taught contemporary art practices and theory at Seoul Women’s University from 2015 to 2017. Currently, Kim conducts her research at the University of Colorado at Vlogƽ as a PhD student.