PhD Research Project

Mixed Reality in Public Space: Choreography meets Interaction Design

The project is coming to a close in 2023 with Hedemyr’s dissertation defence Friday 24 March 2023. The dissertation book is available as pdf via this link.

Article about Hedemyr’s research project (24 mars 2023, in Swedish): Konsten, verkligheten och det offentliga rummet.

Abstract

This PhD project draws together choreography and interaction design in order to create and analyse augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) works with attention to ethics and agency, and in which the body is central. It entails research through practice, includes creation of several public full scale mixed reality walks as case studies, and the articulation of such a composition practice. The project explores how AR, MR, and location-aware applications in a smartphone create a hybrid space (in which performative, real and relational space overlaps), and how this space can be used for new forms of critical cultural interaction and aesthetic expressions. Between doing and articulating, this project seeks to unfold the specificity and potential of mixed reality experiences in public space. It is driven by a desire to explore how digital technologies can be used as a site-specific performance space, and how such a space can open up for renewed understandings of places and situations through critical, embodied and artistic experiences.

The intention is to: a) Establish a space for reflective ethical practices, actions and artistic expressions in the new media landscape of smartphones and mixed realityl technologies in the public space; b) Articulate and further develop the critical, embodied and activist potentials of choreographic practices in relation to design practices for new digital technologies. c) contribute to a more varied use of the new AR/MR technologies in the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector.

The inquiry thus unfolds site-specific choreography as a composition practice for mixed reality experiences. Central concepts are relationality, embodiment, site-specificity, ethics and politics The project outlines and further develops the practices, techniques and theoretical ground that exists in the field of choreography. Thereby it offers a tight dialogue between interaction design and choreography, and expands the domain of embodied interaction and its relevance in public spaces.

At the current phase three site-specific mixed reality walks have been created, launched, and opened to the general public: Next to You at Korsvägen (2017), ENTER Mölndal – Kvarnbyn (2018/2019) and ENTER Mölndal – Tulebosjön (2018). These are both professional commissioned work for an art biennial and museums, and case studies for this research.

Affiliation

PhD in Interaction Design at School of Arts and Communication (K3), Faculty of Culture and Society, Malmö University, Sweden.

Supervisor: Susan Kozel, Professor of Philosophy, Dance and Media Technologies at School of Arts and Communication (K3), Malmö University.

Second supervisor: Maria Engberg, Associate Professor/Senior lecturer at the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology and head of the research program Data Society at Malmö University. Affiliate Researcher with the Augmented Environments Lab at Georgia Tech, USA

Marika Hedemyr’s PhD Seminars & Defence

PhD Dissertation Defence
Friday 24 March 2023 at 13.00-17.00 (Malmö time)
At Malmö University, Orkanen, Nordenskiöldsgatan 10, Auditorium D138 and livestream
Title: Mixed Reality in Public Space: Expanding Composition Practices in Choreography and Interaction Design

The defence is open to the public and is held in English. No registration required. Welcome to attend on-site in Malmö, or watch via livestream. The dissertation book is available as pdf in Malmö University digital archive DiVA via this link.

More info and livestream link at Malmö University Web calender.

Opponent: Sarah Fdili Alaoui, Associate Professor in Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction and Dance, LISN-Université Paris Saclay, France.
Examination Committee: Jeffrey Bardzell, Professor in Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University, USA. Lissa Holloway-Attaway, Associate Professor in Media Arts, Aesthetics and Narration, University of Skövde, Sweden. Jonas Fritsch, Associate Professor in Interaction Design, IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Chair at defence: Susan Kozel, Professor of Philosophy, Dance and Media Technologies, Malmö University, Sweden

90% PhD seminar
Tuesday 7 June 2022 at 15.15-17.00
Title: Mixed Reality in Public Space: Expanding Composition Practices Across Choreography and Interaction Design
Discussant: Jeffrey Bardzell, Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State, Pennsylvania, USA.
No sign up needed. It will be a hybrid seminar. To attend, please either join online via zoom, or come to K3 Studio (NiC 0541) in the Niagara building, floor 5, Nordenskiöldsgatan 1, Malmö.

50% PhD Seminar
Wednesday 11 November 2020 at 10.15-12.00,
At Zoom via Malmö University, held in English. Part of K3 Research seminar series.
Title: Mixed Reality in Public Space: Site specific choreography and interaction design
With: Marika Hedemyr, PhD candidate in Interaction Design, School af Arts and Communication (K3) Malmö University.
Discussant: Jonas Fritsch, Associate Professor in Interaction Design, IT University of Copenhagen
Link to a recording of Marika Hedemyr’s 50% PhD research seminar on zoom at School of Arts and Communication (K3), 11 November 2020, Malmö University

25% PhD seminar
28 November 2018, at Malmö University, part of K3 Research seminar series.

About Hedemyr’s PhD Project at Malmö University Web Page

About Marika Hedemyr’s PhD research project Mixed Reality in Public Space at Malmö University

About Marika Hedemyr at Malmö University